Ballot Integrity Reform

Citizens deserve a ballot initiative process that serves them. Unfortunately, the twenty four states that provide citizens with the opportunity for direct democracy are letting special interests and corrupt signature gathering firms highjack and take advantage of a broken system badly in need of fundamental reform.

Every election cycle, voters are asked to weigh in on hundreds of initiatives and referendums.  In fact, over the last ten years citizens across the country have voted on over 1,500 initiatives and referenda with well over a one billion dollars raised and spent on the passage or defeat of issues that have a real impact on people’s lives. In recent years, in state after state, the integrity of the system has been increasingly undermined by a lack of standards, transparency, accountability, and oversight and enforcement.

Citizens, their state laws, and constitutions deserve better.

Please click here to read BISC's Ballot Integrity Report Card. 

Please click here to see how your state scored. 

Please click here for a press announcement around our report's release.

News Clips on Initiative Reform:

• Associated Press. “Neb. gets 'F' on ballot initiative process.” (July 16, 2009) Click here to go to article.
• Sacramento Bee. "California given 'F' for its initiative process." (July 16, 2009) Click here to go to article.
• Oregon Live. "Petition campaigns to face tighter regulations." (June 15, 2009) Click here to go to article.
• Oregon Live. "Senate OKs initiative crackdown." (June 15, 2009) Click here to go to article.
• Oregon Live. "Oregon House bill bans paid petition gatherers with history of fraud." (May 19, 2009). Click here to go to article.
• CBS 4 Denver. "New Colo. Law Cracks Down On Election Petitioners." (May 16, 2009). Click here to go to article.
• The Denver Post. "Senate approves initiative reform bill." (May 1, 2009). Click here to go to article.
• Colorado Independent. "Colorado Initiative Process Reaches a Tipping Point." (April 16, 2009). Click here to go to article.
• TC Palm. "Do petition-gatherers need more regulation? Yes!" (April 9, 2009). Click here to go to article. 
• The Denver Post. "Plan targets petitions-for-hire." (April 1, 2009). Click here to go to article. 
• The Oregonian. "Restoring confidence in Oregon's initiative." EDITORIAL. (March 28, 2009). Click here to go to article.
• The Colorado Independent. "Speaker Carroll targets initiative petition process for reform." (March 25, 2009). Click here to go to article.
• Oregon Live. "Bill would revamp Oregon's initiative system." (March 23, 2009) Click here to go to article.
• Arizona Daily Star. "Bill would reduce initiative signature fraud." EDITORIAL. (March 7, 2009). Click here to go to article.
• Arizona Daily Star."More fairness cited in bill to change ballot measure rules."(February 11, 2009). Click here to go to article.
• Arizona Republic. "Time to reform unwieldy process prone to fraud." EDITORIAL (January 15, 2009). Click here to go to article.
• State Legislatures Magazine. "Outdated laws governing the initiative process allow abuse." Author: Jennie Drage Bowser. (January 2009). Click here to go to article.