Referendum

Turkey’s Innovation Party Challenges 2017 Referendum: A Legal Battle for Democracy as Unstamped Ballots Come Under Fire

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Ankara, Turkey — The Innovation Party (YP) has initiated a legal challenge to overturn a 2017 constitutional referendum, which granted President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan expansive powers by shifting Turkey’s governance from a parliamentary system to an executive presidency. The party’s lawsuit, filed in the Ankara 1st Civil Court of First Instance, claims that the use of unstamped ballots undermined the legitimacy of the vote, as reported by the Turkish edition of Euronews. Party Chairman Öztürk Yılmaz announced the lawsuit on social media, where he distributed relevant court documents while emphasizing allegations of widespread irregularities concerning … Read more

Residents Challenge Summit County Clerk’s Signature Decision, Sparking Potential Changes to Referendum Laws

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Park City, Utah — Legal battles are brewing in Summit County as five residents challenge Clerk Eve Furse’s ruling on the invalidation of thousands of signatures collected for a proposed development by Dakota Pacific Real Estate. The contention arises from Furse’s assertion that some standalone signature pages were submitted outside of the appropriate packets, leading to her decision to reject numerous signatures. The dispute has temporarily halted the development from reaching the ballot for a countywide vote, and without a judicial intervention, this ruling will remain in effect. A court hearing is scheduled for August … Read more

NYC Council Members Push for Voter Referendum on Sanctuary Law Revisions Amid Mayor Adams’ Reluctance

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New York, NY – In New York City, a clash over municipal sanctuary laws is escalating, with some members of the City Council urging for a public referendum to decide whether to amend the laws that limit local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration authorities. This request for a ballot measure comes amid resistance from Mayor Eric Adams, who has opted not to pursue a public vote on the matter but has indicated plans to modify sanctuary policies through executive actions. The debate was ignited by the Common Sense Caucus of the City Council, which … Read more

Judge Orders Beloit School District to Release Email List Used for Referendum Promotions, Highlights Public Record Transparency

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Beloit, WI – In a recent legal decision, a Rock County judge ordered the School District of Beloit to provide access to an email distribution list it had used to disseminate information about its $33 million referendum proposals. The judicial directive comes as a part of increasing efforts towards enhancing transparency in the use of public resources for electoral campaigns. The controversy began when Beloit resident MaryAnn Sveom’s attempt to obtain the email list was rebuffed by the district in April 2023. Sveom’s request was anchored in a precedent set by a similar situation in … Read more