Should California Change Its Voter Initiative Process? GUEST: Adam Nagorney, Los Angeles bureau chief, New York Times

Transcript for audioclip 31286

When California voters receive their sample ballot next month, they may wonder if the state has lost its mind.

Seventeen initiatives have found their way onto this year's ballot, the most since 2000. And that number doesn't include dozens of measures for the city of San Diego and San Diego County.



California has arguably one of the most productive state legislatures in the nation because the same party controls state houses and the governor's office. But there are reasons voter initiatives appear each election.



Adam Nagourney, the Los Angeles bureau chief for the New York Times, noted the state's long history with the initiative process, championed a century ago by Gov. Hiram Johnson as a way for the average citizen to gain leverage over business interests.

This year, it was relatively easy to qualify a measure for the ballot. The threshold for qualification is signatures from 5 percent of the number of voters who voted in the last election for governor. The turnout in 2014 was low.

Voters will be asked to decide whether the death penalty will stay or go, recreational marijuana will be legal, a surtax on the wealthy will continue, background checks will be imposed on those buying ammunition, prescription drug prices will be limited, plastic bags will be banned and a $2-a-pack cigarette tax will be imposed.

And there are 10 more.

The question for initiative backers and opponents: Since there is no real contest for president of the U.S. in this very blue state, will voters take the time — and the initiative — to make it through the entire ballot?

And the ongoing question for politicians, academics and voters alike: Should the process be reformed, and how?

Adam Nagourney joins KPBS Midday Edition on Tuesday to talk about the weighty November ballot and California's initiative process.

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