Citizen organizers say lawmakers fell short by not reinstating ballot Initiative

Members of the Mississippi legislature began to debate how the ballot initiative process could be reinstated as early as last summer following a supreme court ruling deeming it unconstitutional. Dr. John Gaudet, Pediatrician and author of an initiative to expand Medicaid, says lawmakers had months to prepare and pass a bill.

Dr. Gaudet says “I feel like the differences between the House and Senate could have been worked out. This is not something that came as a surprise. So I think the legislators know that this is a priority for their citizens. Very disappointed that that impasse came to be and they were not able to get a bill across the finish line.”

Leadership in both chambers agreed on wanting to change the initiative process from constitutional amendments to statutory measures. House leadership wanted to keep the signature threshold unchanged at 12% of voters from the most recent gubernatorial election, but Senate leadership wanted it raised to 12% of all registered voters. Kelly Jacobs is a community activist and author of several initiatives.

“I just think that the lawmakers are pushing their job onto the people. And it’s a huge burden when they do that because it’s a time-consuming process,” says Jacobs. “They’re telling the people ‘You take two years to do the same thing I could do in a couple of months.’ And I just think it’s unfair. If they don’t want to represent what their constituents want, then they shouldn’t be running for office.”

Lawmakers say if the Governor does not call a special session to address the issue, it will be a priority in the 2023 legislative session.