Media Releases

Washington, DC– Today, The Fairness Project announced the Ballot Measure Rescue Campaign, a $5 million effort to fight back against state legislative efforts to shut down people-powered ballot measures that in recent years have been critical to improving the lives of millions.

Tucson, AZ–Last spring, grassroots organizers in Tucson, Arizona collected nearly twice the signatures needed to get a $15 minimum wage on the ballot this November. Today, the first ballots will be mailed and voters can begin voting on Proposition 206. 

In August 2020, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, after years of politicians failing to act, Missourians voted to expand Medicaid and deliver health care to over 275,000 of their friends, family, and neighbors. Today, over one year later, Missourians are finally able to enroll in Medicaid coverage. 

Washington, DC– Kelly Hall, the Executive Director of the Fairness Project spoke with The Great Battlefield podcast about ballot measure campaigns in red and purple states and how they can be used to advance broadly-supported policies and improve the lives of working people.

The Fairness Project supported the Healthcare for Missouri campaign that successfully passed Missouri’s Medicaid expansion constitutional amendment in August 2020. Medicaid coverage for 275,000 Missourians was set to begin on July 1, 2021, but has been delayed due to Missouri Governor Mike Parson’s refusal to implement the law.

The Fairness Project and its partners in Missouri led the campaign to put Medicaid expansion into that state’s constitution last year. The voter-approved law requires Missouri to provide healthcare starting July 1 of this year, but Missouri Gov. Mike Parson recently announced he would attempt to ignore the constitutional requirement.

In the wake of the Mississippi Supreme Court’s decision last week to overturn a voter-approved medical marijuana law and effectively block voters from placing new measures on the 2022 ballot, The Fairness Project and its partners announced today that they are reluctantly suspending their Medicaid expansion ballot campaign in the state.