direct democracy Archives - California Globe

Penal Provisions of the California Elections Code: Direct Democracy

February 11, 2022 3:16 pmFebruary 11, 2022 1:29 pm

There are penal, or criminal, provisions of California’s Elections Code. These laws are provided in Division 18. Chapter 7 deals with Initiative, Referendum, and Recall. Article 1 deals with Improper Signature-Gathering Tactics. Section 18600 makes every person guilty of a...

Voting on a Referendum

December 6, 2019 6:45 amDecember 6, 2019 6:41 am

There are a few unique aspects of a referendum in California, which is one of three forms of direct democracy in this state. The referendum is set forth in the California Constitution, in Article II, Section 9, which provides: “The...

Reflecting on Differences Between Legislative Processes: Congress v. California Legislature

October 28, 2019 6:03 amOctober 28, 2019 6:10 am

Having worked in both Washington, DC and Sacramento, I am often asked about the differences in the two legislative processes. California’s Legislature is obviously based upon the federal legislative branch and, as you would expect, they share many things in...

Direct Democracy Statutes and Cases Interpreting Them

June 10, 2019 6:28 amJune 10, 2019 7:14 am

The California Elections Code provides for aspects of direct democracy in this state. There have been many court decisions interpreting key provisions of the Elections Code. The following cases highlight some of the main decisions interpreting these statutory provisions. Initiatives...

Direct Democracy Provisions Found in Statutes

May 27, 2019 7:19 amMay 27, 2019 9:15 am

Here are some interesting provisions about the three forms of direct democracy in California that are found in state statutes (along with the relevant section): Initiatives and Referenda Division 9 deals with measures submitted to the voters and contains Sections...

California’s Constitution – Its Structure and Functions

February 22, 2019 6:01 amFebruary 22, 2019 6:14 am

California’s Constitution was first adopted in 1849, just prior to California becoming a state in 1850. The current constitution was ratified on May 7, 1879. It is the governing document for the State, similar to the U.S. Constitution is the...