National

Citizens in Charge and Citizens in Charge Foundation jointly commissioned Pulse Opinion Research to conduct a poll in each of the 50 states between May 26 and July 19 of this year to determine public support for initiative and referendum.

Respondents in each state were asked this question:

In recent years, widespread allegations of petition signature fraud have been used as justification for a number of legislative changes to the citizen initiative process. These changes have in turn sparked controversy, culminating in court challenges over regulations that initiative proponents contend are unconstitutionally restrictive.

The initiative funding report from Citizens in Charge Foundation is now available in pdf form on the Truth in Governance section of the website. To view the full report please click here.

Our 50-State Poll on national support for initiative & referendum and report on petition signature fraud will be available shortly as well. Stay tuned!

After a great first day here in San Francisco, the second day begins with a panel on lawyers in the initiative process.

Yesterday was marked by lively debate and certainly a diversity of opinion. The panel yesterday afternoon on petition reform and fraud really got folks political juices flowing. Ohio Representative Jennifer Garrison debated Brandon Holmes from CICF on how to make the process better. After the panel there were tough questions and lively debate on the issue. It was a great display of both sides of the issue and we thank Rep. Garrison for attending and putting forth her argument.

Stay tuned for further updates on the program today.

It’s time for the U.S. Conference on Initiative & Referendum and the 2010 Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy to begin. It all begins this evening with registration and a small reception to welcome speakers, activists, and most importantly citizens, to San Francisco for what is sure to be a great and informative conference.

UPDATE: The press conference will now be held at Hotel Bijou. The address is 111 Mason Street, San Francisco, CA 94102.

9 Days to Go

Wed, Jul 21 2010 by Staff

Only 9 days to go until the start of the U.S. Conference on I&R and the 2010 Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy, have you registered yet to attend for free?

Join hundreds of citizens from across the US and around the world in San Francisco to work towards greater citizen initiative rights.

Will you join your fellow citizens in working to protect these important rights guaranteed to us by the First Amendment? Or will you allow yourself to be silenced?

Announcing Media Row at the U.S. Conference on I&R and 2010 Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy

Rabble With a Cause

Thu, Jul 15 2010 by Staff

Here’s a great piece in the Denver Westward News by Alan Prendergast about the struggle for citizen initiative rights, and the activisits who work to keep the initiative and referendum process open & accessible to everyone:

In Paul Grant’s experience, few things are as costly as free speech. It must be paid for again and again.

Krist Novoselic, former bassist for the rock band Nirvana and current chair of FairVote will be speaking at the Saturday night reception during the U.S. Conference on Initiative & Referendum.

Krist is a strong supporter of citizen initiative rights as an effective tool in reforming government, and we look forward to hearing from him at the conference.

If you haven’t already signed up to attend for free click here. Hope to see you there!

Citizens Are Coming

Wed, Jul 14 by Anonymous

Citizens Are Coming to San Francisco? Will You Be There?

VIDEO: The City by the Bay...

Mon, Jul 12 2010 by Staff

The days are numbered before the U.S. Conference on Initiative and Referendum kicks off in San Francisco July 30th. Have you registered to attend for free yet?

For some pre-coverage of the conference check out BallotPedia.

sfblog

VIDEO: Citizens Are Coming

Tue, Jul 6 2010 by Staff

A new video is posted on our Youtube page. Check it out, and make sure to sign up for the US Conference on I&R and join your fellow citizens in San Francisco later this month if you haven’t already done so. It will be a fun and informative event on how you can put yourself in charge.

 

Last week the Supreme Court ruled 8-1 on favor of petition signature disclosure, but an article at Crosscut.com says there is certainly more to come in this case:

The U.S. Supreme Court has spoken, kind of. In what has been regarded, prematurely, as a victory for opponents of last year’s Referendum 71 drive, the court said on June 24 that, in general, the state doesn’t stifle free speech when it makes public the names of people who sign referendum petitions. But in the specific case of people who signed petitions for R-71, who knows? The court sent the case back to the U.S.