Stung by Voters, Republican Legislators Move to Curb Citizen Initiatives

Wednesday, April 08, 2026

After citizens in Republican states used ballot measures to protect abortion, expand Medicaid and raise the minimum wage, statehouses are moving to make such initiatives much harder.

Posted by retort at 09:29 AM | 9 COMMENTS | permalink

After a sweep of successful ballot measures in 2018 (weed, Medicaid, redistricting) Utah's Republican legislature made it 3x harder to do citizen-led ballot measures, so when Rs tried to place one themselves, they were stymied by their own rules. www.deseret.com/politics/202 ...

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-- Julia Ritchey (@juliaritchey.bsky.social) Mar 26, 2026 at 5:25 PM

Comments

Tell me again how the GOP is not now the Fascist Party.

#1 | Posted by e1g1 at 2026-04-08 10:36 AM

I mean...let's get serious: We can't have the populace getting what they WANT, can we???
~Today's so-called Republicans

#2 | Posted by Danforth at 2026-04-08 10:53 AM

God in their own imaginations is on THEIR side. Meanwhile, there's evidence-based reality

#3 | Posted by hamburglar at 2026-04-08 11:20 AM

It's a confusing issue that's being argued in Utah.

But this confusion is intended and it's a strategy that's counted on because voters are just too damn lazy to show up or even give a ----.

They don't understand gerrymandering or redistricting (people can't even make the distinction) and it allows parties to get away with some real shady ----.

#4 | Posted by eberly at 2026-04-08 11:24 AM

Funny how the GOP has been all in on decentralizing power, until the public disagrees with them.

#5 | Posted by morris at 2026-04-08 07:57 PM

A government of the people, by the people, for the people. --------.

#6 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2026-04-08 09:14 PM

@#5,6

I think those two comments needs to be viewed in unison ...

... Funny how the GOP has been all in on decentralizing power, until the public disagrees with them.

...

A government of the people, by the people, for the people. --------. ...

Yeah.

I have asked this question before, and I will ask it again ...