Challenging Ballot MeasuresNew Strategies from BISC’s Ballot Integrity Program

2008: $100 Million Spent for Defense

More than $15 million spent

Less than $5 million spent

Between $5 and $15 million spent

But It Could Have Been a Lot More

More than $15 million spent

Less than $5 million spent

Between $5 and $15 million spent

The Goals of Ballot Integrity•Reduce the threats to the Progressive Community

before they qualify▫Pre-Qualification Plans▫Legal Challenges

•Change the infrastructure conducive to fraud▫Legislative and regulatory reform▫Building OUR infrastructure

Pre-Qual: Is It for You?•Timeline▫Is the timeline short enough that fraud will be a

factor?•Opposition Resources▫Can the bad guys overwhelm your effort?

•Polling▫Would you spend less to defeat the measure than you

would to stop it from qualifying?•National Picture of Petitioner Movement▫Which states are behind you in line?

Pre-Qual: Tales of Success in 2006

Pre-Qual: Tales of Success in 2008

Pre-Qual Case Studies W A R aces

Gubernatorial: Gregoire (D )C onstitutional andStatute: 224,800

D eadline: July 4, 2008

C ho ice

Affirma tiveAction

Affirma tive Action

R igh t to W orkPaycheck

O pen & C lean

Affirma tiveAction

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Same-Se xMarr iage

Case Studies

•Successful Strategies▫ Opposition research and earned media reframing the debate around

the proponents of conservative initiatives▫ Utilizing delay tactics and leveraging relationships with key elected

officials

•Why Some Don’t Work▫ Pre-qualification programs are only as good as the existing laws in any

particular state

•What May Be a Problem in the Future?▫ Case law is invalidating many of the protections that state’s currently

employ to fight fraud▫ Some elected allies are uncomfortable with changing the system

Opposition Reaction

•Starting Earlier to Fight Our Delay Tactics

•Pushing Back Using Paid and Earned Media During Pre-Qualification

•Hiding the Money Behind These Initiatives

•What Might They Do Next?▫ Begin to push their own reform efforts that would negate pre-

qualification programs▫ Bring in good government groups as their allies

StopBallotFraud.org