Ballot Integrity Reform: Greater Transparency
When voters are asked to change their laws, they are entitled to know who is asking. Unfortunately, the ballot initiative process offers little or no transparency for those who work to pass ballot initiatives.
Increasingly, ballot initiative campaign committees are hiring out of state signature gathering vendors who then contract with petition circulators, who are typically also from out of state, to collect signatures to place an initiative on the ballot.
Voters have a right to know who is circulating petitions in their state. In order to provide greater accountability and stronger oversight of this process, states should implement some simple reforms.
- Just as ballot initiative campaign committees are required to register with the state, the paid signature gathering vendors paid by the committee and the campaign signature gatherers themselves should be required to register with the Secretary of State to ensure that the public is aware of every person asking for a change in state laws.
- There is also a public interest in a state giving its citizens confidence that no one with convictions for fraud or identity theft is collecting signatures and vital personal information.
Greater Transparency (total 4 points maximum):
5. Are petition circulators required to register with the state?
YES- ME, MO, OR
NO- AK, AR, AZ, CA, CO, FL, ID, IL, MA, MI, MS, MT, ND, NE, NV, OH, OK, SD, UT, WA, WY
6. Are petition circulating companies required to register with the state in all circumstances, including subcontractors?
YES- CO, ME, OH
NO- AK, AR, AZ, CA, FL, ID, IL, MA, MI, MO, MS, MT, ND, NE, NV, OK, OR, SD, UT, WA, WY
7. Are circulators who have been convicted of recent fraud or forgery prohibited from circulating petitions?
YES-AZ, ME, OR
NO-AK, AR, AZ, CA, CO, FL, ID, IL, MA, MI, MO, MS, MT, ND, NE, NV, OH, OK, SD, UT, WA, WY
8. Are circulators required to witness signatures?
YES-AK, AR, AZ, CA, CO, ID, IL, ME, MO, MT, ND, NE, NV, OH, OK, OR, SD, UT, WA, WY
NO-FL, MA, MI, MS
