Jul 28, 2026
Chris Melody Fields Figueredo, Executive Director of the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center, discusses the BISC's recently released 2026 Defending Direct Democracy Report, which highlights that the seemingly isolated policy fights driving ballot initiatives are, in fact, part of a broader authoritarian playbook. Ballot initiatives have become very popular as a way to address genuine public priorities beyond partisan divides but are seen by many as a threat to established political power.
We talk about:
- Using ballot initiatives to restrict rights
- How the ballot initiative process is being undermined through signature requirement changes, confusing language, and raising thresholds for passage
- Cross-partisan appeal of ballot initiatives
- Strengthening direct democracy
#BallotInitiativeStrategyCenter #BISC #BallotInitiatives #Organizing #LocalOrganizers
Defending Direct Democracy: Attacks on the Ballot Measure Process and the Rise of Authoritarianism
