Initiative for Texas Information Bulletin # 12

This summary was received from Dane Waters
at the Initiative & Referendum Institute.

November 2002, voters in 38 states will get the opportunity to cast a vote
on 199 statewide ballot measures - 52 from the people and 147 from the
government.  The issues to be decided will be as mundane as taking out
obsolete provisions of Colorado's constitution to controversial issues like
legalizing marijuana in Nevada.  Over half of the statewide measures will
fall into a handful of categories; drug policy reform, animal protection,
education reform, election reform, gaming and fiscal policy.

Arizona and New Mexico vie for the top honor of having the most prolific
ballot this November - both with 14. The state with the most issues from the
people (commonly referred to as initiatives) is Oregon with 7 - a 60%
decrease from 2000.  Three of the top five most prolific ballots are
comprised of issues from lawmakers and not the people - New Mexico,
Louisiana and Georgia.

If these numbers stay constant, it will represent a 30% decrease from the
last election in the number of initiatives placed on the ballot and will
also represent the fewest number since 1986 when 46 statewide initiatives
were voted on.

Our initial assessment is that as to initiatives (issues placed on the
ballot by the people), drug policy reform; animal protection; education
reform and election reform are leading the pack as the hottest issues to
watch this November.  Of course, as with every election cycle there are a
few honorable mentions - gaming and taxes being two of them.

State legislatures have placed some hot issues on the ballot as well,
primarily in the area of fiscal reform and revenue enhancement.