California and Oregon certify four metrics for this year’s statewide ballot – Ballotpedia News
Welcome to Thursday, July 7, Brew.
From: David Luchs
Here is what awaits you to start your day:
- California and Oregon certify four measures for this year’s national ballot
- Five candidates seek Republican nomination to U.S. Senate in Arizona
- Sign up today: Ballotpedia’s Deference Expedition begins July 11
California and Oregon certify four measures for this year’s national ballot
As of July 5, 113 statewide measures have been certified for the ballot in 35 states. That’s 19 less than the average number certified at this point in other even-numbered years from 2010 to 2020.
From 2010 to 2020, the average number of statewide ballot measures certified in an even year was 164. At that time, in even years from 2010 to 2020, an average of 132 Statewide measures had been certified for the ballot.
Four new measures were certified for the ballot last week, including three in California and one in Oregon.
California Proposition 1 Amendment on the State’s Constitutional Right to Reproductive Freedom
The move would amend the California constitution to prohibit the state from interfering with or denying an individual’s right to reproductive freedom, which it defines to include both access to abortion and contraceptives.
The state Senate voted 29 to 8 in favor of putting the amendment on the ballot, with all votes in favor from Democrats and all votes against from Republicans. The state Assembly voted 58 to 17 to put the measure on the ballot. All but one of the votes in favor were cast by a Democrat and all the votes against were cast by Republicans.
The move would legalize online and mobile sports betting for those 21 and over, establish regulations for the industry, and impose a 10% tax on sports betting revenue and license fees. The tax would go toward homeless relief programs and financial support for tribes that choose not to operate sports betting.
The measure qualified for the ballot after organizers submitted 1.1 million valid signatures in support of the Secretary of State’s office. One million signatures were needed to put the measure on the ballot.
Thirty-five states and the District of Columbia have either legalized sports betting or passed laws that would legalize the practice. Five of those states have legalized sports betting by ballot.
This measure would increase personal income tax by 1.75% above $2 million and direct the additional revenue to subsidies and infrastructure funding for zero-emission vehicles as well as removal and prevention of forest fires.
The measure qualified for the ballot after organizers submitted 720,000 valid signatures in support of the secretary of state’s office. 620,000 valid signatures were needed to put the measure on the ballot. The signature threshold was lower for Proposition 30 than for Proposition 27 because Proposition 30 would not amend the state constitution.
Oregon’s exclusion from re-election over absenteeism legislative initiative
This measure would disqualify any state legislator who misses more than 10 legislative sessions without permission or excuse from qualifying for re-election.
The measure qualified for the ballot after organizers submitted 155,000 valid signatures in support of the Secretary of State’s office. 149,000 valid signatures were needed to put the measure on the ballot.
Ballotpedia tracked five state legislative walkouts in Oregon since 2000, where lawmakers either left the state for at least a week or received significant national media attention. A state legislative walkout occurs when a number of legislators fail to attend a legislative session in order to impact the passage of legislation by preventing the chamber from reaching its attendance quorum. Four of the walkouts involved Republican lawmakers leaving when the legislature had a Democratic majority, and one involved Democratic lawmakers leaving when the legislature had a Republican majority.
Signatures have been submitted and are awaiting verification for Seven initiatives in six states:
- Colorado Decriminalization, Regulated Distribution and Therapy Program for Certain Herbs and Hallucinogenic Mushrooms
- Idaho Income Tax Increase for Education Funding Initiative
- Michigan Payday Loan Interest Rate Cap Initiative
- Missouri Marijuana Legalization Initiative
- Missouri Top Four Ballot Initiative
- Nevada Top Five Voting Initiative
- Oklahoma State Question 820 Marijuana Legalization Initiative
Five candidates seek Republican nomination to U.S. Senate in Arizona
Five candidates are running in the Republican primary for the United States Senate in Arizona on August 2, 2022. Incumbent Mark Kelly (D) is running for re-election.
Mark Brnovich, Jim Lamon and Blake Masters led the polls, fundraising and media attention.
Brnovich, a career attorney, has served as Arizona’s attorney general since 2015. Prior to that, Brnovich served as assistant attorney general from 1998 to 2003 and director of the Arizona Department of Gaming from 2009 to 2013. Brnovich’s campaign references to legal challenges. his office has taken on the tax and immigration policies of President Joe Biden (D), among others. TV show host Sean Hannity and radio host Mark Levin endorsed Brnovich.
Lamon is a businessman who founded DEPCOM Power, a solar energy company which he sold in 2021. Lamon largely self-funded his efforts in the Senate. According to Open Secrets, Lamon had contributed $13 million to his campaign as of July 3, 2022, or 94% of all funds donated. Lamon cited U.S.-China trade relations as a major problem, saying, “Communist China is the biggest threat to our economic security and national sovereignty.” The Conservative Political Action Coalition, the National Border Patrol Council and a number of state lawmakers have endorsed Lamon.
Masters is a tech entrepreneur who co-authored “Zero to One: Notes on a Startup,” a business book based on the classy tech investor Peter Thiel taught at Stanford. Masters joined Thiel Capital in 2014 and was named chairman of the Thiel Foundation in 2015. Masters has expressed support for tighter regulations on tech companies and the privatization of social security. Thiel, former President Donald Trump (right) and TV show host Tucker Carlson endorsed Masters.
Three election forecasters rate the race as a draw, meaning the general election is expected to be competitive. The two previous senatorial elections, held in 2018 and 2020, were both decided by 2.4 percentage points. In 2020, Kelly defeated incumbent Senator Martha McSally (R) in a special election, 51.2% to 48.8%. In 2018, Kyrsten Sinema (R) beat McSally, 50.0% to 47.6%.
Michael McGuire and Justin Olson are also running in the primary.
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