Elizabeth Daigneau is GOVERNING's managing editor.
E-mail: edaigneau@governing.comTwitter: @governing
Idea Center
Direct Democracy: Wiki-Style
A new Web site aims to help voters navigate ballot initiatives and referendums in more than a dozen states.
Come November, gubernatorial, legislative and local races won't be the only items on the ballot. Initiatives and referenda will top ballots in more than a dozen states, and a new Web site, Ballotpedia, aims to help voters navigate these measures. Ballotpedia is a wiki-style encyclopedia on everything connected with "citizen initiatives, ballot access, petition drives, initiative and referendum for political change, recall elections, school district bond issues and associated subjects." Each state page shows all the measures on the ballot in that state, as well as measures which may still make the ballot and measures which have failed or are otherwise inactive. Ballotpedia, overseen by the Sam Adams Alliance, is a free, online wiki, like Wikipedia, where anyone can contribute. Entries are subject to editing by the site's administrators in order to maintain a neutral point-of-view. So far, 55 initiatives have been certified across the nation, and 10 additional measures are undergoing the certification process. For policy and analysis of state and local initiatives, visit Governing's Ballot Box.
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