Featured, Explainers | State Democracy Research Initiative
In a ruling with major implications for direct democracy in Ohio, the Ohio Supreme Court greenlighted the state legislature’s controversial plan to have Ohioans vote in August on a proposed constitutional amendment that would make it harder to amend Ohio’s Constitution in the future.
Research & Explainers
At the Wisconsin Supreme Court, Marsy’s Law survives as the justices clash over constitutional interpretation
Featured, Explainers | State Democracy Research Initiative
The Wisconsin Constitution requires the legislature to present proposed constitutional amendments to the people for a vote.
Election-Litigation Data: 2018, 2020, 2022 State and Federal Court Filings
Research & Explainers | State Democracy Research Initiative
Redistricting Redux? How the 2023 Wisconsin Supreme Court election is reviving questions about the state’s gerrymandered maps
Featured, Explainers | State Democracy Research Initiative
Wisconsin’s 2023 state supreme court race has drawn attention in part because of its potential to reshape another branch of state government: the legislature.
The “Biggest” Election of 2023: What to Know about the Upcoming Wisconsin Supreme Court Election
Featured, Explainers | State Democracy Research Initiative
Wisconsin’s upcoming supreme court election is drawing nationwide attention, with some calling it the country’s “biggest” and “most important” race of the year.
Supreme Court of North Carolina: 2022 Review and 2023 Preview
Featured, Explainers | State Democracy Research Initiative
North Carolina spent much of the year in the national legal spotlight due to Moore v. Harper, the prominent U.S. Supreme Court case that could limit the authority of state courts and state constitutions over federal elections through the controversial “independent state legislature theory.”
Constitutional Norms and State Judicial Confirmations
Featured, Explainers | State Democracy Research Initiative
For the first time since New York adopted its current judicial appointment process over 40 years ago, the state senate’s Judiciary Committee has rejected a governor’s nominee to the Court of Appeals, the state’s highest court.
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania: 2022 Review and 2023 Preview
Explainers | State Democracy Research Initiative
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has closed the book on its 2022 sessions and will soon begin hearing cases in 2023. This report considers notable decisions from 2022 and previews key cases coming up in 2023.
Democracy-Related Ballot Measures in 2022 – and A Look Ahead
Featured, Explainers, Research & Explainers | State Democracy Research Initiative
In 2022, voters in 38 states weighed in on 140 statewide ballot measures.
Analysis: Unpacking Ohio’s flawed “supermajority” proposal for ballot initiatives
Featured, Explainers, Research & Explainers | State Democracy Research Initiative
Ohio’s lame duck General Assembly is considering a proposal (HJR6) that asks Ohioans to limit their own power to amend the state’s constitution.