Ballot measures have proven to be a powerful means for voters to make decisions about improvements in healthcare, housing, voting rights, abortion rights, wages, and much more, yet there are opponents of these measures who seek to downplay their importance and value.
For many, these measures may be favorable, but they can also harm some sectors that do not benefit, so they seek to make the electoral measures lose strength and interest among the communities, while it is observed that there are efforts to restrict access to electoral measures, while increasing progress in favor of equity at the polls.
In 2023, 75 bills were introduced in state legislatures to change rules and make the voting process more difficult for voters to move forward on issues they care about. So far in 2024 alone, 103 bills have been introduced attacking the voting process, experts said during a session information carried out by Ethnic Media Services.
In this regard, they pointed out that, as communities of color gain more ground in electoral participation, having these measures makes it possible for them to be heard and their problems better represented.
Avenel Joseph, executive vice president of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, explained that it is important to build a future for health, beyond a color, a zip code or culture, since everyone has the right to health and the measures that provide the opportunity to expand services.
The measures provide opportunities for communities that have been attacked by racism and other acts of violence, giving them a voice and a vote on policies that are important to the community, and in recent years there have been ballot measures that have had a great impact, he noted.
"We work to ensure that everyone has a fair chance to achieve better health, and we want people and communities facing these challenges to have a voice and a say in what matters most to them," said Avenel Joseph.
He also commented that the measures on the ballots are part of the system that is working, it promotes direct democracy that is reflected in citizen participation and we must work to have fairer measures.
Chris Melody Fields Figueredo, executive director of the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center Foundation, explained that it is often misinformation that confuses voters, as the wording of the measure is often confusing to the community.
This has meant that some measures that are very beneficial for the population have not been approved and have only been included on the ballots. Therefore, it is important that the translations and the text are understandable for everyone, in addition to the information regarding each measure being available in several languages, said Fields Figueredo.
Richard Von Glahn, political director of Missouri Jobs for Justice, said the measures bring the community together, as they provide a space to express their demands and problems.
An example of this, he said, was in Missouri, where more than 900 people collected signatures to support a measure, bringing the community closer together.
In addition to the benefits, it has been noted that ballot initiatives are not directly favorable or detrimental to a party, but rather it is really the community choosing based on its needs and benefits, which is why it becomes a really useful tool for citizen participation.
You may be interested in: Learn about some of the measures approved by San Mateo County residents
