Pay Attention to 2022's Ballot Measures

When voting, don't rush: please take your time to absorb and vote carefully (and correctly) on what are ballot measures that are, most times, designed to confuse you. Seriously ... don't rush

Publisher’s Riff

Among the many mysteries commonly graying election time activities, non-candidate ballot measures and amendments are, perhaps, the most confusing and unknown. They are extremely important and consequential, yet we pass through every election cycle without knowing what they are or having any grasp on what it is they do. Most times, voters cannot comprehend the very complex language on ballot measures that are asking any number of sensitive things for them to approve: from enormous sums of money to supplement a budget or project to eliminating a program or law that could end up having major impacts on unknowing populations. In the midst of filling out a normal ballot, voters some times feel rushed or perturbed; it gets worse when in the heat of the moment in a polling place.

What are ballot measures? According to Ballotpedia …

In the United States, a ballot measure is a law, issue, or question that appears on a statewide or local ballot for voters of the jurisdiction to decide.

So, it is a boat we miss regularly each election cycle. Some tips on how to navigate all that …

One of the first good starts is the list of 2022 Ballot Measures nationwide at Ballotpedia …

The Ballot Initiative Strategy Center, honestly, has a really great and accessible layout of measures nationally that you need to know about (including five concerning the permanent abolition of slavery in state constitutions) …

theGrio’s David Love put together this must-read & must-share piece about the 5 ballot measures in 2022 to abolish slavery. We’re just stunned that Democrats and other major Black voter mobilization campaigns have not been highlighting these as much in AL, LA, OR, TN & VT or making it a bigger national campaign (we’re not sure who’d be running against them or if that’s the case at the moment) …

The University of Virginia’s Center for Politics offers a solid summary of what ballot measures to keep a close eye on …

Quick verall tips from us on ballot measures …

• Just do the research

BUT …

• If you didn't do the research, take your time and read these ballots, fam, there's no rush while you vote. You have plenty of time if you’re doing a mail-in ballot and if you go to a polling place, election judges or poll workers aren’t supposed to rush you out.

OR …

• If the ballot measure language is just way too confusing, well ... just don't vote on it, lest you make a mistake & vote the wrong side.

We also recommend firm Stateside and Associates very accessible, bare-bones breakdown of statewide ballot measures in this list. We’ll screen shot if for you as a quick reference here, but do go to the website and click on links to each individual measure for more indepth reading …