Mississippi Ballot Initiative Process Still Unrestored 5 Years After Court Ruling
By
Heather Harrison
Baker's choice. Dense with flavour, light on filler.
Summary
Mississippi voters still lack the ability to use ballot initiatives five years after state lawmakers promised to restore the process following a 2021 Mississippi Supreme Court ruling that invalidated the initiative process. The article follows Mike Watkins, a medical-cannabis advocate who signed the Initiative 65 petition in 2020, and highlights the ongoing legislative inaction. Despite broad public support and lawmakers' pledges, the ballot initiative process remains unavailable, with the 2027 statewide election approaching and advocates seeking candidates who support restoring it.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledMike Watkins was at the Stone Community Center in Oxford, Mississippi, for an educational event with his children when he became one of the first people to sign a ballot initiative petition to legalize medical cannabis, known as Initiative 65, in 2020.
The advocate remembers going to open-air markets, similar to farmers' markets, where he could look at and smell medical-cannabis products before purchasing them.
In the 2027 statewide election, Mike Watkins said the Mississippi medical-cannabis community wants candidates who support the ballot initiative.
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