How do you vote on ballot measures?

[Fizzzzle]

Personally, I pretty much operate on the principle of "it's a lot harder to repeal a bad law than it is to enact a good one," so I generally tend to vote "no" if there's even one thing that gives me misgivings about it.

 

When you pass a ballot measure, vague language can mean everything. Anything not spelled out by the measure is left up to interpretation by the state legislature. There are plenty of times where I personally agree with the goal that the measure is trying to achieve, but the language leaves entirely too much up to interpretation.

 

So, yeah, I generally vote "no" unless I'm confident in every aspect of the language.

[CayceG]

I usually... vote on the merits of the ballot measure. 

[Ricofoley]

There were four county or township level referendums on mine that I absolutely could find any recommendations or additional information for. Three of them nearest I can tell were non-binding and were just kinda like "Should the county continue to support small businesses?", and the other one was for a minuscule property tax increase to fund mental health and substance abuse facilities that I voted yes on, on the basis that it'll probably do some non-zero amount of good, and is not gonna seriously affect my finances at all.

[Greatoneshere]

10 minutes ago, CayceG said:

I usually... vote on the merits of the ballot measure. 

 

Only usually?  

[Ominous]

Yes on all the ones we had this time, along with a local millage for public transit. I love the pearl clutchers that worry about a few dollars per year in property tax to have bus service. "I don't ride the bus" yea but pretty much ever local business you shop at has employees that do. 

Amends the Michigan Constitution to create early voting and right to sign an affidavit as an alternative to showing photo ID to vote. Requires state-funded return postage and drop boxes for absentee ballots. Clarifies that the state canvassers board has a nondiscretionary duty to certify results.

Amends the Michigan Constitution to require lawmakers and top state executive officials to file personal financial disclosure reports. Changes legislative term limits to an overall total of 12 years, instead of two four-year terms in the Senate and three two-year terms in the House.

Amends the Michigan Constitution to add the right to choose to have an abortion and use contraceptives. Allows the state regulation of abortion after the point of fetal viability.

https://cms6.revize.com/revize/berkley/departments/city_clerk/docs/Elections/Nov 2022 Sample Ballots/Sample Ballots (2).pdf 

[b_m_b_m_b_m]

Case by case basis. Last one I had was to allow a casino to open in town, I voted no and it failed thankfully. 

[Fizzzzle]

23 minutes ago, CayceG said:

I usually... vote on the merits of the ballot measure. 

Obviously. I meant more do you err on the side of "yes" or "no."

[johnny]

idk it depends. this year i voted yes on almost everything i think except the gambling stuff? 

[Guest]

We don’t tend to have many here, mostly they tend to be things like school bonds which I have largely voted against lately due to the percentage of the money going to stupid stuff like football facilities (an 8 million dollar locker room and practice facility renovation for just the football team!).

 

I don’t have any bias for or against based on anything other than what the measure is for

[CayceG]

24 minutes ago, Fizzzzle said:

Obviously. I meant more do you err on the side of "yes" or "no."

It literally depends on what the ballot measure is. I've never kept track on how often I've voted yes or no. 

[Keyser_Soze]

I look at who backs it and who's against it.

[Ghost_MH]

Totally depends on the ballot measure. We get a good number of them here in Massachusetts. This year we have...

 

Question 1. Raises taxes on incomes above $1 million. - I voted yes on this one

 

Question 2. Regulates dental insurance. - I voted yes on this one

 

Question 3. Regulates retail liquor licenses and the sale of alcoholic beverages. - I voted no on this one

 

Question 4. Upholds state law allowing driver's licenses for those not living legally in the U.S. - I voted yes on this one

 

I'm most worried about the last two. 3 is worded weirdly to make it seem like it's a good thing, but what it really does is open chain grocery stores to carry beer and wine at the expense of closing shops that sell anything stronger. I'd vote to allow grocery chains to sell beer and wine, but why does that have to come at the expense of closing down liquor store? This feels like a naked market grab by big box grocery chains. It's bullshit 4 is even up for vote and the campaigning against it has been pure racism. "What if they accidentally get registered to vote?" or "This will just put more uninsured drivers on the road." Both of those are bullshit excuses just to keep undocumented immigrants' lives harder than they need to be.

[CastlevaniaNut18]

I voted against all 4 of my state’s ballot measures. The first three were awful and the fourth was for marijuana legalization but it was a shit bill and I voted against it. 

[TUFKAK]

I voted yes on everything but 29-31

[Keyser_Soze]

1 hour ago, TUFKAK said:

I voted yes on everything but 29-31

 

So you're a big vaper?

[TUFKAK]

8 minutes ago, Keyser_Soze said:

 

So you're a big vaper?

Spelt juice head wrong. 😂

 

my only libertarian leaning is, it’s your body do whatever you want with it just understand the risks and the burden to understand that is on you.

[Keyser_Soze]

4 hours ago, TUFKAK said:

Spelt juice head wrong. 😂

 

my only libertarian leaning is, it’s your body do whatever you want with it just understand the risks and the burden to understand that is on you.

 

Well it's blanket law meant to save kids, who don't understand risks.

[Pikachu]

I follow recommendation of my county Democratic Party.

[TUFKAK]

50 minutes ago, Keyser_Soze said:

 

Well it's blanket law meant to save kids, who don't understand risks.

What kid doesn’t know smoking is bad? They’ve been beating us over the head with that for decades. 😂

[Keyser_Soze]

11 minutes ago, TUFKAK said:

What kid doesn’t know smoking is bad? They’ve been beating us over the head with that for decades. 😂

 

Does DARE still exist?

[b_m_b_m_b_m]

10 minutes ago, TUFKAK said:

What kid doesn’t know smoking is bad?

kids are dumb, dumber than republicans (because their brains haven't fully developed)

[TUFKAK]

Let me just say this

 

i don’t like people telling me I can’t inject steroids, it’s my body, so I have that same view on other peoples bodies as well. I 100% know kids will juice if they’re legal, I did when they weren’t, but ultimately I still do think the risk of denying agency for public good is a slippery slope.

 

we cant ban every harmful substance cause kids are stupid, if we did why the fuck does BevMo exist? What they sell kills people at a rate you can set a watch too in this nation.

[b_m_b_m_b_m]

i do agree they shouldn't be banned though. just crippling taxes. kids don't have money.

[Oberon]

Voted yes all on the CA prop except for the EV one

[Ghost_MH]

29 minutes ago, Keyser_Soze said:

Does DARE still exist?

 

No, it was quietly killed off when studies showed it made drugs sound awesome.

 

Effects of School-Based Drug Education: Multi-Level Analysis of Project DARE

WWW.DRUGSENSE.ORG

 

[b_m_b_m_b_m]

I like to think a pivotal moment in my education growing up was "graduating" from DARE after having attended exactly 0 dare classes/sessions/whatever

[Ghost_MH]

1 minute ago, b_m_b_m_b_m said:

I like to think a pivotal moment in my education growing up was "graduating" from DARE after having attended exactly 0 dare classes/sessions/whatever

 

I grew up in one of the major drug trade hubs in the northeast. I had DARE classes nearly as often as art and music. I think it was in like 6th grade where half of my health ed classes were swapped for DARE classes with local cops.

 

I will never know if the brick of cocaine I found in a bush out in front of the school was a real drop or a plant from cops to see how kids would react.