amna: For many voters this year,
the focus has been on contests
for governor, senator or local
representatives, but there is a
lot more at stake in the
midterms.
Laura barron-lopez explains.
Laura: Voters in 36 states will
decide on more than 120
statewide ballot measures this
election -- the future of
abortion access, health care and
even voting itself is on the
ballot.
Reid Wilson is the founder and
editor of pluribus news, a
digital news outlet that
launched this month to cover
public policy in the states.
Thank you for joining us.
When abortion was on the ballot
in Kansas, voters rejected a
constitutional amendment that
would have allowed for a ban on
the procedure.
There are five more states that
have a ballot measure on
abortion in November, including
California, Kentucky, Michigan,
Montana, and Vermont.
What stands out about those
measures?
Reid: I am watching two of those
five states, they are likely to
pass in California and Vermont,
Michigan is a swing state and I
think it will be instructive
about what is coming down the
line next year, the year after
that, five years down the road.
If putting in abortion measure
on the ballot in Michigan drives
turnout for Democrats, I think
you will see that come on the
ballot in basically every state
where the initiative process is
part of the political process.
In Kentucky, like Kansas, very
conservative state, if an
abortion ban were to fail, it
would be a serious red flag for
Republicans and those who oppose
abortion rights as they go
forward.
This is really going to be a
fight that takes place in the
state legislatures, but I think
we will see it on more and more
ballots because both sides think
they have an upper hand.
Laura: That's right, the
president today saying this
could very well reach congress
by next year.
Also in South Dakota, there is
medicaid expansion on the
ballot.
Voters have previously approved
medicaid expansion in some 6/8
-- six other states, but south
dakotns will decide about
access.
Reid: This is one of the left
fights over the legacy of the
affordable care act that
president Obama signed.
All of the Democrat states,
purple states and even some red
states have expanded medicaid to
cover those who make up to 130%
of the federal poverty line.
This is one of the less options
proponents of medicaid expansion
have to expand through
initiative.
The vast majority have either
already acted on this or are so
conservative they probably
won't.
Laura: If that measure passes,
it will also cover a number of
native Americans in the state
that don't have health care
access right now.
I want to talk about range of
voting, it became popular after
the Alaska special election this
year, and the big swing state
considering that is Nevada,
considering several countries
are -- several counties across
the country as well.
If adopted, what will it look
like?
Reid: Every state has a
different version.
In Nevada, a top number of
candidates who advance, it is
not exactly everybody who shows
up.
The top candidates who get votes
in a primary, I think it is the
top four, advance to the general
election, who already decided by
a range choice system.
You vote for Hugh like the most,
and if they come in -- for the
candidate you like the most.
They continued with the racking
until some but he gets 50% plus
one.
The thinking is it is a way for
people to express opinions
beyond just two major parties.
Interestingly, there is a lot of
opposition in Nevada from
minority groups who think it
will hinder their ability to
elect the candidate of their
choice in minority heavy
districts.
Supporters of range choice
voting pushed back on that, they
say that's not the case, but we
will see.
Experiment have taken place in
Maine and Alaska, which are
pretty homogenous states.
Laura: I am originally from
California and the top two vote
getters that proceed on can
become chaotic.
Also marijuana, this year five
states have it on the ballot,
Arkansas, Maryland, Missouri,
North Dakota and South Dakota.
President Biden has talked about
decriminalizing the drug.
That is not the same as
legalizing it, which allows
industries to build it up.
Where do voters in the states
fall?
Reid: This is a fascinating test
because four of those states are
very conservative.
What we see is a phenomenon of
red states voting on marijuana
legalization because supporters
of marijuana have been so
successful in all other states
where access to the ballot is
available.
Where the ballot initiative is
part of the political process.
There are fewer and fewer states
now where the public has the
option to legalize marijuana.
The next round of fights will
take place in a state
legislatures, and it is not
unheard of these days for a
state legislator to approve
legal marijuana.
It happened in Vermont, new
York, New Jersey.
It could go to red states next
it is not the third rail that it
once was a few years ago.
Laura: Across the 130 ballot
measures, what is your big take
away and how could they impact
voter turnout in November?
Reid: In a number of cases,
including the Michigan abortion
case, these ballot measures may
drive turnout to the polls.
Who is likely to show up to vote
in November?
What we saw after the supreme
court stuck -- striking down roe
V. Wade is a number of younger
voters, especially younger
women, signing up to vote,
jumped through the roof.
A lot of the states if we see
younger women turned out to
vote, that is assigned they are
activated by some of these
initiatives.
Laura: Thank you so much for
your time.
Reid: Thank you for having me.