When Do I Get to Vote on Overturning Citizens United?

— from David Turnoy —

Do you remember signing a petition last year for I-735, a measure that called for overturning Citizens United? Just to refresh your memory, Citizens United is the case in which the Supreme Court ruled six and a half years ago that unlimited corporate donations to political candidates are OK. Since that time, as money in politics has grown exponentially, citizens around the country have been working to get their states to pass language that would appear in a constitutional amendment and declare that corporations are not people, that money is not speech, that governments have the right to regulate political spending, and that political spending must be publicly disclosed.

You may be wondering what has become of that effort to get I-735 on the ballot. The measure received enough signatures to qualify for our state ballot, and you will be able to vote on it this coming November. We were hoping to make Washington the 17th state to approve this language, but now we are even more pleased to shoot for being 18th, as the New York Legislature has passed this measure in the meantime. So when you vote this November, please be sure to vote YES to tell our legislature to approve this measure.

You may have also signed a petition for I-732, a measure to pass a carbon tax to help fight global warming. This measure is on the same schedule; it will appear on the November ballot as well. Whether or not your preferred presidential candidate made it onto the November ballot, there are still important measures on which to vote, so please do vote in the November election.