Mississippi lawmakers are back at the Capitol and debating the possibility of returning a voter’s right to put their own measure on a statewide ballot.The process had been in place for years but was turned down by the State Supreme Court as unconstitutional. Lawmakers balked at bringing the initiative process back last year. Some lawmakers say that voters should not be able to change the constitution, even though that used to be the case.The Mississippi Supreme Court overturned the ballot initiative process two years ago during the medical marijuana legal fight, arguing that when the process was created, the state had five congressional districts. Since that number had dropped to four districts, the law was invalid.State Sen. David Blount wants to bring it back.”There are things that people want that this legislature has refused to do — medical marijuana being the most recent example — and the people need that right,” said Blount, a Democrat from Byram. “If the legislature is failing to address those basic concerns that the people want, they need the option to get signatures and put it on the ballot.”Blount’s proposal would require 12% of the number of voters who cast a ballot in the previous governor’s election to have to sign a petition to bring a measure up for a statewide vote.”If the initiative were on there, where more people could speak to that, then you would get more input from most of the voters in Mississippi,” said Sen. David Jordan, a Greenwood Democrat.”It should be more, otherwise you will have a lot of people voting on things they don’t even know what they are voting on,” said Sen. Dean Kirby, a Republican from Pearl.Last year, some lawmakers pushed back on the idea of returning the ballot initiative, certainly one that enables residents to change the constitution, which was the case before the high court stepped in.”I think the ballot initiative should come forward. It should be available for the people for statutes and not constitutional challenges,” said Republican Sen. Chad McMahan, of Tupelo. But some lawmakers are not in support of voters even passing state laws without first going through the legislature.”I don’t want to become California,” said Rep. Jill Ford, a Republican from Madison. “I think we need a higher standard. I want to make sure before I vote on the bill the standards are high, and not allow anybody and everybody to have an opinion. The reason we are here today is because they elected us to make law. That is the way I want to keep it.”Twenty-three states allow the ballot initiative process. Mississippi used to and may again, but the early sticking points do seem to hinge on whether voters can propose constitutional changes or just new laws, and how many voters are required to put a measure on a ballot.
Mississippi lawmakers are back at the Capitol and debating the possibility of returning a voter’s right to put their own measure on a statewide ballot.
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The process had been in place for years but was turned down by the State Supreme Court as unconstitutional. Lawmakers balked at bringing the initiative process back last year. Some lawmakers say that voters should not be able to change the constitution, even though that used to be the case.
The Mississippi Supreme Court overturned the ballot initiative process two years ago during the medical marijuana legal fight, arguing that when the process was created, the state had five congressional districts. Since that number had dropped to four districts, the law was invalid.
State Sen. David Blount wants to bring it back.
“There are things that people want that this legislature has refused to do — medical marijuana being the most recent example — and the people need that right,” said Blount, a Democrat from Byram. “If the legislature is failing to address those basic concerns that the people want, they need the option to get signatures and put it on the ballot.”
Blount’s proposal would require 12% of the number of voters who cast a ballot in the previous governor’s election to have to sign a petition to bring a measure up for a statewide vote.
“If the initiative were on there, where more people could speak to that, then you would get more input from most of the voters in Mississippi,” said Sen. David Jordan, a Greenwood Democrat.
“It should be more, otherwise you will have a lot of people voting on things they don’t even know what they are voting on,” said Sen. Dean Kirby, a Republican from Pearl.
Last year, some lawmakers pushed back on the idea of returning the ballot initiative, certainly one that enables residents to change the constitution, which was the case before the high court stepped in.
“I think the ballot initiative should come forward. It should be available for the people for statutes and not constitutional challenges,” said Republican Sen. Chad McMahan, of Tupelo.
But some lawmakers are not in support of voters even passing state laws without first going through the legislature.
“I don’t want to become California,” said Rep. Jill Ford, a Republican from Madison. “I think we need a higher standard. I want to make sure before I vote on the bill the standards are high, and not allow anybody and everybody to have an opinion. The reason we are here today is because they elected us to make law. That is the way I want to keep it.”
Twenty-three states allow the ballot initiative process. Mississippi used to and may again, but the early sticking points do seem to hinge on whether voters can propose constitutional changes or just new laws, and how many voters are required to put a measure on a ballot.
