Mississippi voters haven’t had the ability to sign off on a ballot initiative since 2021. But, with elections around the corner and the new legislative session in a few months, there is a more organized effort working to get the process restored. “Right now, Mississippians don’t have the right to put issues on the ballot when the Legislature fails to act,” said State Sen. David Blount, of Hinds County. “The Legislature needs to give the right back to the people.”The Mississippi Supreme Court struck down the initiative process two years ago, after voters approved medical marijuana. The ruling said it was unconstitutional because the Mississippi Constitution requires a certain number of signatures from each of the five congressional districts. But there haven’t been five congressional districts in Mississippi for years. In each legislative session since, the ballot initiative has not been restored.“The process is there to do things the legislature refuses to do,” Blount said. “But there are people in the legislature who don’t want to give that power back to the people. They want to keep that power for themselves.”Ballot Access Mississippi, known as BAM, is a nonprofit that is working on a more organized way to get the process restored.“Mississippians are for it and the House and Senate are for it; we just need to bring people together to talk about it, and the best process moving forward so we can restore that right,” said Spence Flatgard, BAM chairman.The voices in support of restoring the ballot initiative process are growing, especially in the thick of campaign season and months from the start of the new legislative session. Flatgard said now is the time to spread awareness and start the conversation.“Sign the petition at BallotAccessMississippi.org, and that way, when we come into the new legislative session, with the new legislature in January, we can hit the ground running and have the focus and the benefit of election season to restore the ballot process for Mississippians,” Flatgard said.
Mississippi voters haven’t had the ability to sign off on a ballot initiative since 2021. But, with elections around the corner and the new legislative session in a few months, there is a more organized effort working to get the process restored.
“Right now, Mississippians don’t have the right to put issues on the ballot when the Legislature fails to act,” said State Sen. David Blount, of Hinds County. “The Legislature needs to give the right back to the people.”
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The Mississippi Supreme Court struck down the initiative process two years ago, after voters approved medical marijuana. The ruling said it was unconstitutional because the Mississippi Constitution requires a certain number of signatures from each of the five congressional districts. But there haven’t been five congressional districts in Mississippi for years.
In each legislative session since, the ballot initiative has not been restored.
“The process is there to do things the legislature refuses to do,” Blount said. “But there are people in the legislature who don’t want to give that power back to the people. They want to keep that power for themselves.”
Ballot Access Mississippi, known as BAM, is a nonprofit that is working on a more organized way to get the process restored.
“Mississippians are for it and the House and Senate are for it; we just need to bring people together to talk about it, and the best process moving forward so we can restore that right,” said Spence Flatgard, BAM chairman.
The voices in support of restoring the ballot initiative process are growing, especially in the thick of campaign season and months from the start of the new legislative session. Flatgard said now is the time to spread awareness and start the conversation.
“Sign the petition at BallotAccessMississippi.org, and that way, when we come into the new legislative session, with the new legislature in January, we can hit the ground running and have the focus and the benefit of election season to restore the ballot process for Mississippians,” Flatgard said.
