The Initiative and Referendum Almanac

Additional Book Details

Since the publication of the first edition of the Initiative and Referendum Almanac in 2003, the initiative and referendum process has continued to have a transformational impact on our daily lives. The electorate has spoken out on almost every aspect of how we, as a country, address the moral, fiscal, and social underpinnings of our society. This second edition takes a deeper look at these issues and goes a step further in looking at the growing interest in the recall process as a tool to limit the control of elected officials on our daily lives, as well as the growing influence of ballot campaigns around the world. No other book has ever provided such a complete and comprehensive history of the initiative and referendum process in the U.S. The author provides such information as the definitions of initiative and referendum; the roots of the initiative and referendum movement; the history of how the process has been utilized; regulations of the initiative process in each state; legislative attempts to regulate the process; and the role of the judiciary in being a check and balance on this powerful tool of self-governance. The book also includes a series of personal narratives from those who have been on the front lines of initiative and referendum battles, giving the reader insight into the intricacies of the challenges faced when trying to place reforms on the ballot.

The Initiative and Referendum Almanac, through a collaboration with Ballotpedia, provides a complete listing of all relevant laws associated with utilizing the initiative and referendum process in each state, as well as a checklist of the steps that must be followed to place an initiative or referendum on the ballot. The appendix contains a complete listing of every statewide initiative and popular referendum that have appeared on the ballot since 1904, as well as other charts and graphs tracking the usage of the process since its adoption in 1898. No other book has ever provided this much information on citizen lawmaking.