All public ballot questions moved to November elections under House-approved bill

All ballot referendums and public questions would go on general election ballots under a bill approved by the House as the first half of the legislative session came to a close.

Rep. Tim Wesco (R-Osceola) said his bill, HB 1681, is simple: all public questions, such as school funding referendums and proposed constitutional amendments, would only be allowed on the ballot in November.

“These votes are significant and deserve the weigh-in of the largest number of voters,” Wesco said.

But Rep. Sue Errington (D-Muncie) said this could throw school budgets into chaos. She said schools have to prep those budgets long before November.

“And so they have to sort of gamble, I suppose, on whether they’re going to win or lose in the referendum and what kind of money they’re going to have,” Errington said.

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Democrats also called the bill overreaching, saying it’s a local issue that should be left to local governments to decide.

The measure is now in the Senate’s hands.

Brandon is our Statehouse bureau chief. Contact him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.