I am not alone

Earlier this month I wondered how many people in the state of California looked to put an end to the ballot initiative process.

Now I know:

Although many would just as soon forgo November's initiative fest, Californians of all ages, political persuasions, regions of the state, and racial/ethnic groups are still committed to the initiative process. Well over half (57%) say policies made by citizens' initiatives are better than those made by state lawmakers, while one-quarter (25%) say they are worse. Nevertheless, there are misgivings about how the initiative process actually works. Only one in ten residents say they are very satisfied with the way the initiative process is working in the state, while one in four say they are not satisfied (58% are somewhat satisfied). "Because Californians support the idea of making public policy at the ballot box doesn't mean they like the way the process is working," says Baldassare. "Their support for direct democracy needs to be balanced with their concerns in thinking about the future of ballot-box policymaking in the state."

I dare say that ballot initiative reform could become a powerful campaign issue in the near future.