The decision from Circuit Judge Daniel Green is the written version of his oral ruling from Feb. 19 that provisions critics decry as “ballot candy” must be removed from the language prepared by lawmakers.
Passed by lawmakers last year, the proposal will be Amendment 4 on the November 2026 ballot.
In place of the first three lines, Green wrote that the ballot language must focus on the main intent of the proposal, which is to change the required majorities. He kept the final two lines, ruling they fairly describe the amend, and ordered the ballot to say it would:
- “Modify current requirements that a statewide majority of voters may approve initiative petitions to amend the constitution
- Require a majority of voters in each congressional district to approve initiative petitions to amend the constitution; and
- Make available to each voter the full text of initiative petitions with their ballot.”
