CityLab Daily: Cities Are Putting Police Reform on the Ballot
Also today: Landlords challenge the U.S. eviction ban, and Americans are frantically buying military gear before the election.
Photographer: Cory Clark/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Following this summer’s wave of Black Lives Matter protests in the U.S., demands for police reform and accountability have made their way to state and local ballots this November. Several measures will reassess police funding and other resources; others will ask voters about police oversight, tactics and the use of body cameras. Many measures require amending city charters — the equivalent of a local constitution — which often can be changed only by popular vote.
Bringing issues directly to constituents rather than waiting for legislation to emerge also speaks to the power of ballot measures as a tool of direct democracy, according to one expert, who believes that more local governments will be bringing racial justice issues to the ballot in coming elections. Sarah Holder looks at some notable measures already on the table. Today on CityLab: After a Season of Protest, Police Reform Is on the Ballot