Initiatives and Referendum...In 57 Seconds with Senator Joe Fain

Summary

Senator Joe Fain explains the initiative and referendum process in Washington state, one of the first to adopt direct democracy. Initiatives can go directly to the ballot or to the legislature, while referendums involve laws passed or referred by the legislature. To qualify, initiatives require 8% of the governor's race votes in signatures, and referendums half that number. Despite many filings, only a small percentage make it to the ballot, with topics like abortion rights and minimum wage among those approved. Changes to the process are often proposed but face controversy due to constitutional protection.

Takeaways

• 🗳️ Washington state allows citizens to directly influence legislation through initiatives and referendums.
• 📜 In 1912, Washington became one of the first states to adopt initiative and referendum rights.
• 🔢 There are two types of initiatives: initiatives to the people and initiatives to the legislature.
• 🏛️ Initiatives to the legislature are treated like bills but go to the ballot if not passed by the legislature.
• 📝 Any registered voter can propose an initiative, but they must collect 8% of the votes from the last gubernatorial election in signatures.
• ⏱️ Initiative proposers have 6 months to collect approximately 250,000 signatures for their initiative to qualify for the ballot.
• 📑 There are two types of referendums: measures and bills, which can be placed on the ballot through citizen petition or legislative referral.
• 💡 Referendum measures require half the number of signatures in half the time compared to traditional initiatives.
• 📊 Only 7% of initiatives filed over the past four decades have made it to the ballot, with less than half being approved.
• 🔑 Topics that have been addressed by successful initiatives include abortion rights, gun control, education, minimum wage, marijuana legalization, and tax limits.
• 🔄 Annually, bills are introduced in Olympia to modify the initiative and referendum process, which can be contentious due to constitutional protections.

Q & A

What is the significance of the year 1912 in Washington's political history?

In 1912, Washington became one of the first states to grant the right of initiative and referendum, marking a significant step towards direct democracy.

How many states in the U.S. currently have some form of direct democracy?

There are 26 states in the U.S. that have some form of direct democracy, including the right to initiative and referendum.

What are the two types of initiatives mentioned in the script?

The two types of initiatives are initiatives to the people, which go directly to the ballot, and initiatives to the legislature, which are treated like any other bill unless they don't pass and then go on the ballot.

What is the requirement for a registered voter to propose an initiative in Washington?

A registered voter must collect enough signatures from other voters to equal 8% of the most recent votes cast in the race for governor, or roughly 250,000 ballot signatures within 6 months.

How many types of referendums are there, and what are they?

There are two types of referendums: referendum measures, which are laws passed by the legislature placed on the ballot through citizen petition, and referendum bills, which are laws the legislature has referred to the people for their final say.

What is the signature requirement for referendum measures compared to traditional initiatives?

Referendum measures must collect half the number of signatures in half the time as traditional initiatives to qualify for the ballot.

How many initiatives are typically filed with the Secretary of State each year, and what is the success rate for making the ballot?

Each year, as many as 80 initiatives are filed with the Secretary of State, and over the past four decades, only 7% of those filed have made the ballot.

What percentage of initiatives that made the ballot were approved by voters?

Less than half of the initiatives that made the ballot were approved by voters.

What are some examples of issues that have been addressed through initiatives by Washington voters?

Examples include abortion rights, gun control, education, minimum wage, marijuana legalization, public records, and various limits on taxes and fees.

What types of changes are typically introduced in Olympia that affect the initiative and referendum process?

Changes introduced in Olympia can include extensions on the deadline for signature gathering, requiring greater financial transparency, and limitations on where and how signatures can be collected.

Why are changes to the initiative and referendum process controversial and difficult to enact?

Changes to the initiative and referendum process are controversial and difficult to enact because it involves constitutionally protected rights.