When: Saturday, November 20, 2021
Time: 10:00 - 11:30 am
Where: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_hbZS7iSpQN-Rv1Zw_xdobw
Or watch the livestream on https://Facebook.com/lwvgtucson.com
Prop 206, Prop 207, Prop 208, and Prop 410 – the numbers may confound us at times, but they are a fundamental part of democracy at work in Arizona, going back to the origins of our state. Each election year, propositions identified primarily by their three-digit numbers appear on our state and local ballots in Arizona, and publicity for and against these measures fills our airwaves and mailboxes and springs up at virtually every street corner. As a result of past propositions that voters have approved, we have increased the minimum wage in Arizona; raised the state sales tax to fund education, health and human services, and public safety; overridden budgets; and legalized both medical and adult use of marijuana. These are only a few examples.
Before they are officially certified, assigned a number, and printed on our ballots, propositions typically begin their lives as initiatives, which are defined in our state as “the method by which voters may propose new laws or amend existing laws by gathering signatures from registered voters to place the issue on the ballot” (“Initiative and Referendum Guide,” Arizona Secretary of State’s Office, March 2019). Because these initiatives often originate at the grassroots level, and can be sponsored by individuals or organizations, they are often considered one of the best examples of direct democracy in our country.
In an effort to educate voters on what is involved in the ballot initiative process and on specific ballot initiatives that are underway right now, we invite you to join the League of Women Voters of Greater Tucson on Saturday morning, November 20, for a Zoom Webinar on this important topic. Registration will be required, and the webinar will begin at 10 AM. Panelists will include Margo Cowan, who will speak to us about the “Justice for All Ballot Initiative” in Pima County; and a representative from the LWVGT Speakers’ Bureau, who will provide an overview of the ballot initiative process and its recent history. A lively Q & A session will follow the program.