Early voting ends Saturday, March 22. This time around there are four amendments for voters to consider. All of them require a certain amount of homework before you cast your ballot, and we have resources to help.
The big item voters are considering for this election is Constitutional Amendment #2. As most have probably heard by now, it’s a lengthy amendment that rewrites an entire article of our constitution dealing with various aspects of state and local revenues and taxes. It’s complicated, but it’s also important.
Leaders for a Better Louisiana has analyzed it thoroughly and we support this amendment. We believe its passage will improve opportunities for economic development, move the state up in key national rankings for competitiveness, and send a message that Louisiana is making positive changes to modernize important fiscal policies.
You can get a quick take on all of the reasons we support it here, check out our one-page snapshot explaining what it does, or read our comprehensive analysis of the entire amendment.
But don’t forget the other amendments either. While they are shorter and more like the propositions people are used to voting on, they cover issues most voters don’t spend a lot of time thinking about. Two deal with the judiciary, and one deals with juvenile justice. All of them require a little understanding of the background and context that brings them to the ballot and we have offered our recommendations and analysis on those, too.
Election officials are predicting a voter turnout of only about 15%. That’s unfortunate, especially this time. For years there has been discussion about a constitutional convention to streamline our foundational governing document. Among the stated goals is to remove burdensome detail and give the Legislature more flexibility to deal with issues instead of sending them to voters in a never-ending series of hard-to-comprehend constitutional amendments.
Amendment #2 doesn’t do that for the entire constitution. But it addresses a major portion that also happens to be the most heavily amended section we have. And while it may not be perfect, it is a major step forward in fixing problems that reformers and good government groups have been talking about for years.
Leaders for a Better Louisiana hopes voters will support this amendment and make their voices heard on all of the items on this month’s ballot. It is part of our responsibility as citizens, and one we should all take seriously.
Election Day is March 29.