geoff: The 2024 race for the
white house will take up a lot
of time, attention, and money
over the next 11 months.
But as Lisa Desjardins explains,
other votes next year could
significantly influence the
presidential campaign and our
daily lives.
Lisa: Activists around the
country are teeing up state how
it measures on a host of issues
in 2024.
Watching all of them has been
Rita Wilson, founder --
also friend of the "Newshour."
I can imagine some people here
being ok, state initiatives, not
the most scintillating topic.
But can you help us understand
how big and important these
measures have become?
Reed: In a lot of states the
ballot measure can be the most
expensive campaign that happens
on a statewide level.
It is not atypical for
California ballot measures to
cost more than $100 million and
we are seeing the same level of
spending in other spades on
issues where these big
corporations have billions of
dollars at stake.
Lisa: These are niche issues
sometimes but sometimes they are
brought issues, like we have
seen with abortion.
When abortion is on the ballot,
voters have been turning out.
That includes in Ohio in 2023
when that state easily passed a
measure changing the
constitution, enshrining
abortion rights.
In 2024, what do you see for the
landscape of abortion on the
ballot in states?
Reid: This reminds me of 20
years ago when gay marriage B
ans were on the ballot.
In 2024 we are likely to see
abortion-related measures on the
ballot in about a dozen states.
That includes places like
Nevada, Arizona, even Florida.
We could see abortion rights
measures on the ballot.
We will see an abortion
restriction measure on the
ballot in Iowa.
A lot of them are still
collecting signatures so we are
not certain they will be on the
ballot, but it is very clear
abortion rights supporters have
figured out putting these
measures in front of voters is a
good way to do things.
Lisa: This is not just policy.
-- For many it is policy, but it
is politics.
Reid: It is politics and the
turnout, but abortion rights
supporters have not lost at the
about box since roe V. Wade was
struck down, and I am including
states like Montana, Kansas, and
Kentucky, very red states.
So far they have a perfect
record.
Lisa: We have also seen
elections themselves on the
ballot.
What do you see in terms of
voters being able to weigh in on
who gets to vote and how?
Reid: There are of wide variety
of election related measures
circulating.
The most popular are measures to
implement rank-choice voting.
That is, a voter gets to pick
five candidates who would
advance to the general election
and then pick among five
regardless of party.
Only two states allow it
rank-choice voting right now but
will be on the ballot this year
in Nevada and over again, and
may in places like Colorado,
Idaho, Missouri, and Montana as
well.
Alaska is trying to roll back
their rank-choice voting.
Some other measures, independent
redistricting committees are
likely to be on the ballot in
Ohio, changing the way they draw
THR ngressional district
lines.
Things like no-fault absentee
voting, which will be on the
ballot in Connecticut.
We think of Connecticut as a
very liberal state.
Well, you cannot get in absentee
ballot there.
Lisa: In the last bit of time we
have, I want to ask about in
California, a state that is
facing a real budget crunch,
there is a bout measure where
voters will Navy to --
Reid: Governor Gavin Newsom
approved a measure this year
that goes to voters in March.
Voters will be asked to approve
$6.4 billion in bonds to pay for
housing for those with mental
health challenges or substance
use disorder.
And focused on veterans as well.
Homelessness is a massive crisis
in California and the rest of
the country.
This represents a massive
investment in trying to get a
lot of people off the streets
into housing, into treatment.
It would spend more than $1
billion on housing alone, more
than $4 billion on treating
those with issues keeping them
on the streets.
Lisa: All of this, direct
democracy.
We will see what the voters say.
Thank you so much, Reid Wilson.
Reid: Thank you for having me.