In the wake of I‑2124's defeat, the Washington Policy Center is suddenly concerned about "confusing ballot titles

For decades, Washington State’s right wing has relied on deceptively worded ballot measure descriptions to dupe voters into voting for tax cuts and other harmful schemes that are in direct conflict with their values and their wishes and hopes for the future. So, when Elizabeth New of the right wing Washington Policy Center complained earlier this month that “confusing ballot titles shouldn’t be a thing” in a commentary reflecting on the failure of Brian Heywood and Jim Walsh’s I‑2124, I had a good long chuckle.

Our team at NPI has felt strongly that confusing ballot titles shouldn’t be a thing for a long time — a really long time. That’s why, for many years running, our staff, board, and supporters have championed legislation to make it easier for voters to understand what binding ballot measures like initiatives do, and get rid of push polls and political advertising falsely dressed up to look like real ballot measures.

That advocacy has gotten results. In 2022, we secured the passage of a law requiring public investment impact disclosures (PIIDs) for initiatives that would raise or lower state revenue, and in 2023, we secured the passage of a law permanently repealing “advisory votes” — fake ballot measures created by an old Tim Eyman initiative to prejudice voters against the work of their elected representatives.

Those reforms were important initial steps on the road to getting much better ballots in future election, but the Washington Policy Center didn’t support those bills when they were before the Legislature. Why not? Well, you see, confusing and deceptive ballot titles have long been the most important ingredient in Tim Eyman’s recipe for getting bad initiatives past voters. The folks at the Washington Policy Center know this, and I think it’s a key reason why they have not previously demonstrated much or any interest in shaking up the status quo like we have. But now, we’ve got Elizabeth New saying: “How ballot titles are drafted and finalized is in serious need of government reform.”

https://www.nwprogressive.org/weblog/2024/11/in-the-wake-of-i-2124s-defeat-the-right-wing-washington-policy-center-is-suddenly-concerned-about-confusing-ballot-titles.html