Local ballot measure elections in 2020

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2020 U.S. Local
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What we cover

In 2020, Ballotpedia covered local measures that appeared on the ballot for voters within the top 100 largest cities in the U.S. and a selection of notable police-related and election-related measures outside of the top 100 largest cities. Ballotpedia also covered all local measures in California and all statewide ballot measures. Click here to see the scope of Ballotpedia local ballot measure coverage by year.

Ballotpedia also covered local police-related measures proposed following the killing of George Floyd.

November 3 local measures:

HIGHLIGHTS
  • On November 3, voters in Washington, D.C., approved Initiative 81, a measure that declared that police shall treat the non-commercial cultivation, distribution, possession, and use of entheogenic plants and fungi—including psilocybin mushrooms, also known as magic mushrooms or shrooms, peyote, and iboga—among the lowest law enforcement priorities.
  • Ballotpedia identified 20 local police-related ballot measures on the Nov. 3 ballot proposed following the death of George Floyd. The measures concern police practices, police oversight boards and auditors, the authority of existing oversight boards and auditors, police staffing and funding levels, and recordings from police body and dashboard cameras. They were all approved.
  • Pre-november local measures:

    HIGHLIGHTS
  • California voters decided 293 local ballot measures at the March 3 election, more than double the average of 139 decided at even-year June primaries from 2010 through 2018.
  • Of the 293 local measures, 128 were approved, and 165 were defeated.
  • The approval rate for local school bond measures at the March 2020 election in California was 36.1%, while the average approval rate for local school bond measures in the state from 2008 through 2019 was 75%.
  • On April 7, Wisconsin voters were scheduled to decide local measures and a statewide measure. Click here to read about changes to the 2020 spring election in Wisconsin brought on by the coronavirus.
  • On April 7, Anchorage voters decided nine bond issues, one tax-related ordinance, one marijuana-related ordinance, one tax-related charter amendment, and one charter amendment that was designed to increase the size of the Anchorage Municipal Assembly.
  • On May 19, Portland voters approved measures concerning an income and business tax for homeless services and a gas tax renewal.
  • On July 11 and July 14, respectively, voters in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, and Fort Worth, Texas, renewed tax levies to fund law enforcement districts.
  • On August 18, voters in Miami decided an advisory question about whether there should be a COVID-19 screening program at the Miami International Airport.
  • Notable trends and measures

    Local police-related ballot measures following the killing of and protests about George Floyd (November 2020)

    See also: Local police-related ballot measures following the killing of and protests about George Floyd (November 2020)
    Responses and reactions to the death of George Floyd

    Events following the death of George Floyd
    Derek Chauvin trial, 2021
    Changes to policing policy in the states and 100 largest cities, 2020
    Local police-related ballot measures
    Largest cities in the United States by population
    List of current mayors of the top 100 cities in the United States
    Federal policy on crime and justice, 2017-2020
    Federal politics
    State politics

    In the weeks after George Floyd was killed by Minneapolis, Minnesota, police officer Derek Chauvin on May 25, 2020, nationwide events were held calling for changes to policing. Officials responded by issuing executive orders and passing legislation to eliminate certain policing tactics, such as chokeholds, and implement new community policing strategies.[1][2]

    Ballotpedia is tracking local ballot measures related to policing and law enforcement proposed following Floyd's death.

    HIGHLIGHTS
  • Ballotpedia identified 20 local police-related ballot measures on the ballot for November 3, 2020, that qualified following the death of George Floyd.
  • All 20 measures were approved, but at least two were overturned after the election.
  • Local ballot measures were on the ballot in 10 cities and four counties within seven states. Cities and counties that voted on these police-related issues in November included:

    ○ Los Angeles County, California
    ○ Oakland, California
    ○ San Diego, California
    ○ San Francisco, California
    ○ San Jose, California

    ○ Sonoma County, California
    ○ DuPage County, Illinois
    ○ Akron, Ohio
    ○ Columbus, Ohio
    ○ Portland, Oregon

    ○ Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
    ○ Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
    ○ Kyle, Texas
    ○ King County, Washington

  • Click here to read more.

    If you would like to submit information about a local police-related measure, email editor@ballotpedia.org.

    2020 local ballot measure elections

    To learn more about 2020 local ballot measure elections, click on the election date links below.

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    Statewide ballot measures

    Click here to read more about statewide ballot measures in 2020.

    See also