Latest news with #LWV
Axios
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Axios
AG Griffin rejects direct democracy ballot measure again
Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin on Tuesday again rejected language for a proposed state constitutional amendment related to direct democracy through the referendum process. Why it matters: The state legislature has passed laws making the process of citizen-led ballot initiatives more burdensome in recent years, adding technical hurdles and effectively requiring groups to be well funded to gather petition signatures. Critics say many of these laws are counter to the state's motto: regnat populus, or "the people rule." The big picture: Arkansas voters can change or reject laws enacted by the state legislature through a citizen-initiated ballot process. Changes can be in the form of a proposed ballot initiative as a state statute (a change to a law) or a constitutional amendment (a more significant change to the state's constitution). They may also repeal legislation with a veto referendum. Driving the news: Griffin first rejected the proposed amendment in June, citing a 2025 law that requires the language to be at or below eighth-grade reading level according to the Flesch-Kincaid scale. Tuesday's rejection says the language ranks at ninth-grade level and that some proposed changes to the constitution are ambiguous. State of play:" The Arkansas Ballot Measure Rights Amendment" rejected by Griffin was filed by Protect AR Rights (PAR) and is the second proposal in Arkansas this year to address the referendum process. The first, named " An Amendment Concerning Constitutional Amendments, Initiated Acts, and Referendums" is backed by Arkansas' League of Women Voters (LWV) and Save AR Democracy. Griffin approved its language in May and organizers are gathering signatures. Both measures are nuanced, with differences and similarities but a few key points of note: While LWV's measure says any law dealing with the referendum process passed by the general assembly must be for a legitimate purpose, PAR's measure would give "the people the fundamental right" to make and repeal laws by the process. LWV's measure doesn't seek to reverse part of 2023's Act 236 that requires petition signatures to be collected in 50 counties rather than the previously required 15, but a lawsuit against the state in April seeks to address the issue. PAR's proposed amendment includes this provision. The measure by LWV automatically refers all new laws related to the referendum process made by the General Assembly to the voters for approval. PAR's doesn't. Yes, but: They're similar in that they both would eliminate some burdens for citizens in the process. Previously, canvassers signed an affidavit. The measures would change the affidavit to a declaration under penalty of perjury.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
These Morris County candidates have dodged debate offers from League of Women Voters
Morris County voters will have to find other ways to research local office hopefuls after most primary candidates skipped on invitations to participate in debates conducted by the League of Women Voters Morris Area. The league, which typically conducts debates and candidate forums throughout the county, did manage to schedule an event between rivals for the full-time mayor's office in Parsippany, where Councilman Justin Musella is challenging incumbent James Barberio in the June Republican primary. "League-sponsored events are strictly nonpartisan," the LWV debate announcement states. "The League does not support or oppose any political candidate or party." Nonetheless, League debates, once a fixture of local elections, have grown scarcer in recent years, especially among Republicans who have attacked the group as too liberal. This year, candidates seeking council or committee seats in Rockaway Township, Dover and Montville either declined or did not respond to requests to meet their opponents. The League requires at least one candidate from each party to participate, or in the case of ward council seats, two directly opposed candidates. The LWV did present a debate of Randolph Board of Education candidates in March, ahead of a special election there on April 15. Here's a rundown of who agreed or did not agree to debate: Three council incumbents did not respond to a request to debate, while challengers Daniella Mendez (Ward 1), Judy Rugg (Ward 2) and Christopher Almada (Ward 3) agreed. Mendez, a former Dover school board president, is challenging incumbent Claudia Toro in the Democratic primary. The contest will likely decide the winner of the November general election in the heavily Democratic town. No Republicans are filed. Rugg, a former council member, is challenging incumbent Sergio Rodriguez, who currently faces criminal charges stemming from a series of confrontations with homeless men who he accused of drinking alcohol on public streets. Almada is challenging incumbent Michael Scarneo in Ward 3. The Ward 4 incumbent, Arturo Santana, has no primary opposition. The LWV said Scarneo, Rodriguez and Toro did not respond to their debate invitations. Scarneo said he got his invitation late, but after participating in a LWV debate in 2023, "I did not find the debate to be relevant to the issues and concerns facing our community." "I do everything I can to listen and understand their issues and concerns. Some I have the ability to address, and others are beyond the scope of a small local municipality," Scarneo said. "This was my decision only." More: Why are local election debates vanishing? Some NJ Republicans have become 'debate duckers' Three Republican candidates seeking two seats did not respond to the request to debate. In that race, Robert Devito is challenging incumbents Andrew Agliata and Thomas Slockbower. There are no Democrats declared in the primary, so the GOP primary will likely decide who wins in November. Former Councilman Tucker Kelley is back on the Republican ballot, challenging Rachel Brookes, who unseated Kelley in his prior bid for re-election. Kelley agreed to debate. The League said they did not get a response from Brookes, but Brookes said she never received an invitation. As of Thursday, the LWV was still hoping to book that debate. Daria Senaldi and Chris Fano were endorsed by the Montville Republican Committee to replace two incumbents who are not running for re-election to the all-GOP governing body. They declined their debate invitations, according to the League, and did not immediately respond to the Daily Record for comment on Wednesday. Their primary challengers are former Committeeman James Sandham Jr. and former Planning Board Chairman Thomas Mazzaccaro, who did accept the invitation. "We were very disappointed they declined," Mazzaccaro said. "The LWV are well respected in Morris County and they do tremendous work in advising the public not only on public matters but much more." "I was shocked that they wouldn't debate," Sandham added. "As the lesser-known candidates purporting to have a vision for the future, you would think they would want to share that with the voters." The New Jersey primary takes place on June 10. The early voting period runs June 3-8. The deadline to register to vote in the primary is May 20. The deadline to register for the Nov. 4 general election is Oct. 14. This article originally appeared on Morristown Daily Record: Morris County candidates dodging debates ahead of June primary
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Savoy hosting candidate forum for Village President
SAVOY, Ill. (WCIA) — The Savoy Municipal Center will be home to the Village President candidate forum Tuesday evening. Community invited to 'Imagine Urbana' during public hearing Savoy residents will be able to hear from Village President candidates John Brown and Jan Carter Niccum. The event will be live streamed on the Village of Savoy Facebook page and recorded on the League of Women Voters (LWV) of Champaign County YouTube channel. Residents were able to submit questions by March 1 via email to Preference will be given to questions that were received by that date, and audience questions will also be taken as time allows. This forum comes ahead of the election on April 1, and early voting begins March 12. The event is cosponsored by NAACP Champaign County and LWV. For additional information, visit the Champaign County Candidate Guide. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
