State Feed: Mississippi

Ballotpedia's Final Analysis on 2011 Statewide Ballot Measures Released

AmandaKathryn — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 17:36:18 -0500

Ballotpedia’s final analysis on donations to all 2011 statewide ballot measure campaigns has been released; the donations add up $85 million.

The report reveals some interesting information like the fact that the state with the highest contributions from all campaign sides from all ballot measures was in Ohio. The least amount of contributions was in Arkansas.

You can also find an overview of the contributions from supporters & opponents, a ranking of ballot measures from the most to the least contributions, and the ranking of political topic contributions where “labor” shows the most donations in Ohio on Issue 2.

Check out Ballotpedia’s analysis here.

Mississippi: Life at conception measure rejected at polls

Trevor Ford — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 15:47:33 -0500

Mississippi voters Tuesday defeated a ballot initiative that would’ve declared life begins at conception, a proposal that supporters sought in the Bible Belt state as a way to prompt a legal challenge to abortion rights nationwide. The so-called “personhood” initiative was rejected by more than 55 percent of voters, falling far short of the threshold needed for it to be enacted. If it had passed, it was virtually assured of drawing legal challenges because it conflicts with the Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that established a legal right to abortion. Supporters of the initiative wanted to provoke a lawsuit to challenge the landmark ruling.

Mississippi: Voters take on Voter ID issue at polls next week

Trevor Ford — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 13:20:25 -0400

Mississippi voters will wade through many other offices and questions in the Nov. 8 general election before they reach constitutional initiative No. 27, which asks them whether the state should require voters to show a government-issued photo to prove their identity. A bit of irony comes into play here: some voters who say yes to the question will not be allowed to vote in the next election unless they have a photo ID.

Read the story from The Commercial Appeal

Mississippi: Voters to weigh in on Voter ID and Life issues

Trevor Ford — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 14:45:12 -0400

Voters will decide the fate of three proposed amendments to Mississippi’s constitution in just over two weeks in the General Election. We’ve learned it won’t be as simple as which side gets the most votes. Each needs 40 percent of all votes cast to become law. Initiative 26 is the so-called personhood proposal. It defines life at the moment of conception. Supporters say it will ban abortion in the state. Opponents say it will limit healthcare for some women.

Read the story from WJTV

Granting personhood to fetuses will be on Mississippi ballot

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 06:31:41 -0400

The Mississippi Supreme Court on Thursday cleared the way for an amendment to the state constitution granting “personhood” to fetuses to go to voters in November though the court did not render a position on the measure’s constitutionality, should it pass.

“Our law provides that this court cannot interfere with the legislative act of the people, just as this court cannot interfere with the attempt of the Legislature to pass a law,” Associate Justice Randy G. Pierce said in the 7-2 majority opinion.

Mississippi: Initiatives will get public hearings

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 11:42:14 -0400

By the time Mississippians are scheduled to vote on three ballot initiatives in the Nov. 8 general election, Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann is hoping they are well informed about them. That’s the goal behind a series of public hearings Hosemann’s office will be conducting this month, starting Thursday, on eminent domain, abortion or the definition of person, and voter identification.

Read the story from the Clarion Ledger

Mississippi Secretary of State to Hold Hearings on 2011 Ballot Initiatives

Staff — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 16:31:42 -0400

In keeping with state law, the Mississippi Secretary of State’s office will be holding a series of publichearings throughout the state regarding initiatives scheduled to be on the Nov. 8 general election ballot.

According to the Daily Journal:

Pamela Weaver, spokeswoman for the secretary of state’s office, says statements from all nine hearings will be available online at the secretary of state’s website and will be published in an educational booklet.

"Egoism and Elitism" in Mississippi

Staff — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 11:49:55 -0400

Clarion Ledger Editorial Director David Hampton argues in a recent editorial, ”It would be pretty easy to stand in front of a Wal-Mart and gather signatures on a petition to repeal or lower property taxes, or any taxes for that matter, in just about any city in Mississippi.” Clearly Hampton has never tried it before: the fact is that most attempts to qualify for the ballot fail for lack of signatures.

Mississippi: Eminent domain and voter ID issues will go to voters in November

Wed, 05 Jan 2011 11:23:03 -0500

Voters will soon decide if they must prove who they are at the polls and if the state can take your private property. Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann delivered the voter identification and eminent domain initiatives to the Clerk of the House and Secretary of the Senate on the first day of the legislative session.

Read the story from WLBT 3

Citizens in Charge Foundation President Calls on 12 States to End Unconstitutional Election Laws

Staff — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 16:43:47 -0400

Last week Citizens in Charge Foundation - a partner organization to Citizens in Charge - sent a letter to Secretaries of State and Attorneys General in 12 states asking them to stop enforcing unconstitutional restrictions on ballot initiative rights. In light of recent legal action in which Kansas officials agreed with petition advocates that the state’s law against petition circulators from other states was unconstitutional, Foundation President Paul Jacob asked officials to “do the right thing” and stop enforcing similar

Mississippi: Personhood initiative ruling will be appealed

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 14:11:57 -0400

The battle over an initiative that seeks to define life as beginning at conception now will head to the Mississippi Supreme Court. On Tuesday, Hinds County Circuit Judge Malcolm Harrison denied a motion to block the “Personhood Initiative” from being placed on the 2011 ballot.

Read the story from the Clarion Ledger

Mississippi: Anti-Abortion measure get OK from judge

Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:20:21 -0400

A Hinds County judge has ruled in favor of allowing an anti-abortion initiative on Mississippi’s 2011 ballot. “(The initiative) has received more than the required amount of signatures to be placed on the ballot and the Constitution recognizes the right of citizens to amend their Constitution,” Judge Malcolm Harrison ruled in an order signed today.

Read the story from the Clarion Ledger

Mississippi: November 2011 ballot will have eminent domain measure

Mon, 25 Oct 2010 12:39:47 -0400

Mississippi secretary of state, Delbert Hosemann, confirms that an eminent domain initiative will appear on the November 2011 ballot. Hosemann says his office verified that supporters of the measure gathered signatures from 119,692 registered voters.

Read the story from WLBT 3

Mississippi: Court battle to keep personhood initiative from a vote

Thu, 07 Oct 2010 15:31:29 -0400

A Hinds County Circuit judge was asked today to stop Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann from presenting to the Legislature a ballot initiative seeking to define life as beginning at conception. Circuit Judge Malcolm Harrison took the motion under advisement. He said he would rule at a later date.

Read the story from the Clarion Ledger

Mississippi: Signatures will be delivered in bid for state vote on eminent domain

Thu, 30 Sep 2010 15:52:14 -0400

The Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation says it will deliver more than 118,000 certified signatures of registered voters to the secretary of state’s office Thursday in hopes of forcing a statewide vote on eminent domain. The measure is designed to let voters decide on a proposal to prevent the taking of private property to give to private developers. Opponents warn it could stifle some economic projects.

Read the story from WXVT 15

Mississippi: Suit filed to block personhood initiative

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 10:42:08 -0400

A lawsuit filed in state court seeks to block a Mississippi “personhood” initiative that would define life as beginning at conception. The proposed state constitutional amendment, pushed by people who want to end abortion, is scheduled on the ballot in November 2011. That’s the same time voters choose a governor, legislators and many other officials.

Read the story from the Picayune Item

Mississippi: Vote on mandatory healthcare proposed

Wed, 21 Apr 2010 10:50:15 -0400

Two Republican state representatives say voters in Mississippi should have a say whether health insurance should be required in the magnolia state. The two will propose a ballot initiative, which is in direct response to the federal health care reform law. Representatives Alex Monsour of Vicksburg and Steven Palazzo of Biloxi filed a proposed initiative Tuesday with the Secretary of State’s office.

Read the story from WLBT 3

Mississippi: Voter ID initiative will be on ballot

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:13:40 -0500

Petitioners gathered more than enough signatures to put a voter ID initiative on Mississippi’s November 2011 ballot that will include candidates for governor and other offices, the state’s top elections official said Monday. Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann said his office had determined 131,678 signatures of registered voters were collected. That’s significantly more than the minimum 89,285 needed. Republican organizers, led by Sen. Joey Fillingane of Petal, spent about a year collecting signatures and submitted them in February.

Mississippi: 2011 ballot for personhood measure

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 13:11:22 -0500

The push for personhood amendments — designed to protect life from its biological beginning — continues with record-breaking support. Most petition drives involve signatures submitted in Colorado for a ballot position, but Keith Mason of Personhood USA was on hand in Mississippi. “The requirement to get on the ballot is 89,000 certified signatures, and out of the 130,000 that we turned in, 105,000 were certified,” he reports.

Read the story from One News Now

Mississippi: Voter ID petition and signatures passed to Secretary of State

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 17:03:44 -0500

The Voter Identification petition, or, Initiative Measure #27, seeking to amend the State Constitution to require voters to submit a government issued photo identification before being allowed to vote, has been stamped received by Mississippi Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann Thursday, February 11, 2010.