Election 2020
Keep Close Watch On These Police Ballot Initiatives
The election is bigger than the president. Here’s why.
Election 2020 isn’t just about the next president. It’s also an election where several ballot measures nationwide could impact how the criminal justice system and law enforcement interact with millions of people in cities around the country. From a three-part question in Philadelphia that could double down on the illegalities of stop and frisk to Portland, where residents are weighing in on an oversight measure that establishes a police oversight board, there are at least 20 local initiatives that could impact the relationship between the public and the police.
Columbus, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Akron, and Seattle all face measures that on the outside look to shift the balance of power involving law enforcement. These measures are important because they largely came about in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd and the ensuing protests of police brutality. They could arguably have a more immediate impact on the day-to-day lives of people in those cities than the outcome of the presidential contest.
