Credit Idaho Public TV screenshot
Idaho Governor Brad Little has signed into law a bill that changes the signature requirements for citizen ballot initiatives.
The bill requires signatures from six-percent of registered voters in all 35 legislative districts in order to quality a measure for the ballot, an increase from the current 18 districts.
Its authors say they want to make sure that measures that are popular with urban people aren’t forced upon rural voters.
Opponents had mounted a phone and Twitter campaign to encourage the governor to veto it. They were especially encouraged by the governor’s veto Friday of two bills that limit the governor’s authorities during emergencies.
Idaho governor signs bill making ballot measures tougher Follow Us
Question of the Day By KEITH RIDLER - Associated Press - Saturday, April 17, 2021
BOISE, Idaho (AP) - Idaho Gov. Brad Little on Saturday signed legislation making it more difficult to get initiatives or referendums on ballots in what is widely seen as an attempt to stop a medical marijuana initiative and other left-leaning causes in the conservative state.
The Republican governor signed into law the measure backers said is needed because the current process favors urban voters. Opponents said the measure would make it nearly impossible to get initiatives on ballots. Little in his letter to lawmakers approving the bill sided with those who worry urban voters have too much say in the initiative process.
Idaho ballot initiative filed to take on pending legislation aimed at changing current citizen initiative rules
The initiative takes on Senate Bill 1110, which would increase the signature threshold required to qualify a citizens ballot initiative. Author: Joe Parris Updated: 5:53 PM MDT April 8, 2021
BOISE, Idaho Under current Idaho law, citizens can get a voter initiative on the ballot if they get signatures from 6% of eligible voters statewide. As a part of that total, campaigns need signatures from 6% of voters in 18 of Idaho’s 35 legislative districts. Senate Bill 1110, which passed both houses and is waiting for action by the governor, would change that second requirement to getting 6% of voters in all 35 districts, not just 18.
More than 16,000 people sign petition to oppose Idaho ballot initiative law ktvb.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from ktvb.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Idaho Legislature OKs tougher process for getting citizen-led initiatives on ballot Hayat Norimine, The Idaho Statesman
Apr. 7 The fate of Idaho s citizen-led initiative process now rests in Gov. Brad Little s hands.
Idaho House members on Wednesday approved a bill that would make the petition process to place an initiative on the ballot way more challenging. The bill passed in a 51-18 vote, with a few Republicans joining Democrats in opposition.
With the new law, a petition to put an initiative on the ballot would have to include 6% of registered voters in each of Idaho s 35 legislative districts. Currently, the state requires that signatures come from 6% of voters in at least 18 districts, and 6% of voters statewide.