Environmental Legislation: What’s On Your Ballot?

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The Presidential elections in the United States will be taking place this upcoming November 3rd. But take one look at your ballot and you’ll notice that the POTUS is not the only person you’ll be voting for. In the United States. All voting occurs at the local level, which means you’ll also be voting for local officials and representatives running for election. In addition to voting for people, millions of voters will also be voting for policy measures that may directly affect their state, and their environment. It’s important that everyone does their research on who and what they’re voting for, whether it be through reaching out to local party organizers or doing some deep digging through trusted sites online. We’ve gathered examples of a few statewide environmentally relevant measures that’ll be on ballots across the country, and hopefully, we can all make a difference to make our communities more sustainable, equitable, and livable.

California

Proposition 15

“Increases funding sources for public schools, community colleges, and local government services by changing tax assessment of commercial and industrial property. Initiative constitutional amendment.”

The breakdown:

If this amendment passes, commercial and industrial properties valued at over $3 million, except those zoned as commercial agriculture, will be taxed based on their market value, rather than their purchase price. Assessments will be based on market value rather than having increases capped at 2 percent.

How it benefits the environment:

Proposition 15 will provide more stable funding for cities and counties at the local level, which can lead to more sustainable development. This proposition closes property tax loopholes that benefit wealthy corporations, as well as cuts taxes for small businesses, and protects homeowners and renters.

Colorado

Proposition 113- 

“Shall the following Act of the General Assembly be approved: An Act concerning adoption of an agreement among the states to elect the President of the United States by national popular vote, being Senate Bill No. 19-042?”

The breakdown:

Colorado has joined the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact in an effort to ensure that every vote, in every state, will matter in every presidential election, which is not the case with the current state of the Electoral College. For example, a 2017 analysis pointed out that in states with high voter turnout, individual voters have proportionally less impact on who is elected as president.

How it benefits the environment:

This bill indirectly benefits the environment. This action adjusts the current voting system to be more fair and proportional, and in term, can lead to proper representation in future presidential elections. This can allow candidates to adequately address policy problems like climate change across the country, rather than campaigning in states and adopting moderate ideology (it happens) to win more electors. 


Proposition 114- 

“Shall there be a change to the Colorado Revised Statutes concerning the restoration of gray wolves through their reintroduction on designated lands in Colorado located west of the continental divide, and, in connection therewith, requiring the Colorado parks and wildlife commission, after holding statewide hearings and using scientific data, to implement a plan to restore and manage gray wolves; prohibiting the commission from imposing any land, water, or resource use restrictions on private landowners to further the plan; and requiring the commission to fairly compensate owners for losses of livestock caused by gray wolves?”

The breakdown:

In Colorado, ranchers and government agencies used to offer wolf bounties to people who killed wolves that harassed livestock, which led to a significant decline in the state’s wolf population. The loss of this apex predator has led to an imbalanced ecosystem, and scientists believe that reintroducing the gray wolf may restore nature. 

How it benefits the environment:

Certain ecosystems across Colorado are imbalanced after gray wolves were over hunted in the 1940s, and the wolves’ return would be guided by the Endangered Species Act. The reintroduction of lost apex predators can also increase biodiversity. Agricultural and livestock interests pollute the environment and oppose the reintroduction. 


Nevada

Question 6

“Shall Article 4 of the Nevada Constitution be amended to require, beginning in calendar year 2022, that all providers of electric utility services who sell electricity to retail customers for consumption in Nevada generate or acquire incrementally larger percentages of electricity from renewable energy resources so that by calendar year 2030 not less than 50 percent of the total amount of electricity sold by each provider to its retail customers in Nevada comes from renewable energy resources?”

The breakdown:

Question 6 will require that half of Nevada's energy come from renewable resources by 2030, which is the exact same legislature passed through Nevada’s Senate Bill 358 (signed into law by Governor Steve Sisolak in 2019), but it would add that requirement to the constitution.

How it benefits the environment:

The environmental impacts of this bill are pretty direct: more clean energy means less pollution, cleaner air, and more jobs in the renewable industry. 

Let us know what environmental impacts the local measures on your ballot may be, and your state or county could be featured in our next article! Make sure to keep in touch with us on Instagram (@green4EMA) and Facebook (The Environmental Media Association) to stay up to date with more environmental policies on ballots in the United States for the upcoming election.


By Sophia Donskoi

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