THREAD: On a night that produced a divided Congress (Democratic House, Republican Senate), voters on #CriminalJustice-related ballot questions across the country bucked the status quo.
Here’s a breakdown of some of the #ElectionResults2018. 1/
Here’s a breakdown of some of the #ElectionResults2018. 1/
▪️Via @voxdotcom: In Florida, a ballot initiative restored voting rights to more than a million people with felony convictions, undoing one of the most restrictive felony disenfranchisement schemes in the country. 2/ vox.com/policy-and-pol…
▪️Via @washingtonpost: Voters in most—but not all—states where pot was on the ballot voted to liberalize its use.
Michigan became the tenth state to legalize recreational marijuana. 3/ washingtonpost.com/business/2018/…
Michigan became the tenth state to legalize recreational marijuana. 3/ washingtonpost.com/business/2018/…
▪️Via @seattletimes: In Washington, a ballot measure designed to lower the bar for prosecutions of police who kill civilians passed easily. 4/ seattletimes.com/seattle-news/p…
▪️Via @voxdotcom: In Colorado, a constitutional provision that allows prison slavery has been overturned. The measure is largely symbolic, as the state’s prison work programs are considered “voluntary.” 5/ vox.com/policy-and-pol…
▪️Via @usnews: In Louisiana, voters overturned a relic of the state’s racist past, ending non-unanimous jury verdicts. The state had been one of only two that still allowed the practice; now only Oregon remains. 6/ usnews.com/news/best-stat…
For an edition of Case in Point last year, TMP’s @JustADCohen looked at the racist origins of Louisiana’s non-unanimous jury law. 7/ themarshallproject.org/2017/09/25/a-v…
▪️Via @enquirer: Meantime in Ohio, voters rejected a measure that would have reduced penalties for certain drug offenses from felonies to misdemeanors. 8/ cincinnati.com/story/news/pol…
▪️Via @voxdotcom: The controversial victim’s rights measure known as Marsy’s Law passed handily in several states. 9/ vox.com/policy-and-pol…
Earlier this year, TMP’s @schwartzapfel wrote about Henry Nicholas III, the California billionaire bankrolling these measures across the country. 10/ themarshallproject.org/2018/05/22/nic…
Meanwhile, there were some big victories for District Attorney candidates pledging change.
▪️Via @bostonmagazine: In Suffolk County, Massachusetts, Democrat Rachael Rollins was elected in an 80-20 sweep. 11/ bostonmagazine.com/news/2018/11/0…
▪️Via @bostonmagazine: In Suffolk County, Massachusetts, Democrat Rachael Rollins was elected in an 80-20 sweep. 11/ bostonmagazine.com/news/2018/11/0…
▪️Via @dallasnews: In Dallas County, a challenger vowing to treat drug crimes “more as a public health problem rather than a criminal justice problem” also won handily against the GOP-appointed incumbent. 12/ dallasnews.com/news/2018-elec…
▪️Via @ExpressNews: Elsewhere in Texas, in Bexar County, a defense attorney who advocated bail reform will be the new District Attorney. 13/ expressnews.com/news/local/art…
The sweep was not universal, however.
▪️ Via @startribune: In Hennepin County, Minnesota, in a race marked by anger over police shootings and racial inequality, a reform-minded DA candidate lost to the incumbent. 14/ startribune.com/hennepin-count…
▪️ Via @startribune: In Hennepin County, Minnesota, in a race marked by anger over police shootings and racial inequality, a reform-minded DA candidate lost to the incumbent. 14/ startribune.com/hennepin-count…
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Today’s comprehensive #ElectionResults2018 edition of Opening Statement was edited by TMP’s @schwartzapfel. 15/15 themarshallproject.org/subscribe?utm_…
Today’s comprehensive #ElectionResults2018 edition of Opening Statement was edited by TMP’s @schwartzapfel. 15/15 themarshallproject.org/subscribe?utm_…
