Primaries & Ballot Measures

1. Primaries &Ballot Measures Elections & Campaigns Unit

2. So how’d we get to Romney vs. Obama anyway?

3. Primary • Most states choose their candidate through a primary • Opened up elections to being more “democratic”

4. If me, and a few hundred thousand of my buddies think something should be a law, can we make this happen or what?

5. Initiative • Allows citizens to propose or initiate a statute or constitutional amendment • Once enough signatures are gathered on petitions, the law is usually stayed, or stopped from going into effect, until the voters have decided the question • Wyoming is the only state where a law passed by the legislature is not stayed when petition signatures mandate a referendum.

6. What if the legislature are too lame to pass a controversial law? Can I get in on that?

7. Referendum • Allows citizens to refer a statute passed by the legislature to the ballot so that voters can enact or repeal the measure • Every state allows the legislature to place a measure on the ballot

8. States With I & R Measureshttp://www.iandrinstitute.org/statewide_i&r.htm

9. What if my elected official totally sucks?

10. Recall • A procedure by which voters can remove an elected official from office through a direct vote before his or her term has ended • 2012 Successful Recalls • 2012 recall of Bob Ryan, Mayor of Sheboygan, WI • 2012 recall of Wisconsin State Senator Van H. Wanggaard • 2012 Unsuccessful Recalls • 2012 recall of Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker