WP,pg1: This time, ballot initiatives could rally liberal, not GOP, base

[DeepModem Mom]

This Time, Ballot Issues Could Rally Liberal Base
Wage Initiatives Seen As Favoring Democrats
By Zachary A. Goldfarb and David S. Broder
Washington Post Staff Writers
Saturday, October 28, 2006; Page A01

....In 2004, Republicans in Ohio and elsewhere tended to benefit from ballot initiatives. Measures to ban same-sex marriage, for example, passed easily. In the process, some election analysts said, the measures revved the conservative base to help Republican candidates from President Bush on down.

In 2006, Democrats are hoping to prove that ballot politics can work in the other direction. Measures to increase the minimum wage are before voters in six states. Four of those, Arizona, Ohio, Missouri and Montana, feature close Senate races with a GOP incumbent. In Missouri, moreover, a measure backing stem cell research is ahead in the polls -- which Democrats say could lift their candidate.

In Ohio, recent polls show that at least 70 percent of voters support an initiative to raise the minimum wage from $5.15 an hour to $6.85 and index it to inflation. A coalition of labor unions, faith groups and liberal activists is working to pass it. If their efforts also pump up voter turnout for Democrats, Brown said, he is happy for the help....

***

Eight states have ballot measures to ban same-sex marriage, but their impact may be less than in previous years. Few of these states have competitive Senate or House races. And in those that do, such as Virginia and Tennessee, the issue is not as prominent as it was around the country in 2004.

In Virginia, for example, Sen. George Allen (R) supports a proposal against same-sex marriage while former Navy secretary James Webb (D) opposes such a ban. But only a slim majority of the electorate favored the initiative in a recent Washington Post poll, and the Senate race has been dominated by topics such as the war in Iraq and the character of the candidates....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/20...

[DeepModem Mom]

1. a.m. kick

[The Anti-Neo Con]

2. I could see that happening.

Here in MO we have a min. wage increase initiative on the ballot. I know myself, and my fellow wage slaves are not going to miss our chance to vote for anything in the world.

[DeepModem Mom]

3. Encouraging news!

[blondeatlast]

4. On one hand, I despise ballot initiatives as a way to keep state legs.

from having to do their jobs, but it looks like interest groups on both sides of the fence have figured out how to make use of them.

At least the good guys may benefit this time.

WAY too many initiatives on the AZ ballot though. OTOtherH, I'm not sure I want the batppop crazy state legislature deciding on the minimum wage and property vs. public trust rights.