There’s a lot going on this election season, and some voters are finding themselves confused. In fact, that may be the whole idea in some cases. When ballot initiatives are written in legalese and doublespeak, it should probably send up a red flag.
If a referendum or ballot initiative is a good thing, why hide the true meaning in unclear language? Why not use plain language, so every voter knows exactly what it means? Too often, the title, description, or first few paragraphs sound good, but the “meat” of the proposal is hidden within definitions as used in a particular section or paragraph, which may be vastly different from the everyday understanding of the terms.
Consider Amendment 2 in Missouri. It appears to protect against questionable practices in regard to stem cell research, notably embryonic stem cell research, but is that really what it does? That’s up to each voter to decide. While I don’t want to attempt to influence anyone’s vote, I will suggest that Missouri voters read the entire text, paying close attention to the wording of this measure and especially to the way the definitions are worded before making a decision. Anytime a Constitution is amended, it should be taken very seriously.
Obviously, there are important issues to be decided today, and each person must vote according to his or her own values. However, voters should look into ballot measures and learn as much as possible about them in order to make informed decisions. Don’t automatically assume a measure is good based on the friendly language used in the title or description. Don’t just listen to those with a political ideology similar to your own. Get information from different sources and viewpoints and then form your own opinion.
The marriage debate also rages on as eight states give the people a chance to decide what marriage means instead of leaving the issue to unaccountable judges. Several other issues are also in play from bond issues and gambling to smoking bans, abortion, and more.
I urge you to make your vote count.
*For further information on candidates, issues, ballot measures, polling place locations, and more, please read: Home and Family: Get out and Vote, where you’ll find links to information by state.