ANalysis: Reeves On Board With Reviving Initative Process

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves says he would support efforts to revive the initiative process, months after the state Supreme Court ruled that the process was outdated and invalid.

The issue could come up during the legislative session that begins in January.

“I think that access to the ballot is important,” Republican Reeves said in response to questions at a news conference last week.

“I don’t think that one person writing a 2 or 3 million dollar check on any one issue to put it in our state constitution is the correct way to do it,” he said. “But I do think the citizens should have access to the ballot, and it ought to be done in a way where it’s challenging to get on the ballot but that it is possible.”

Since the 1990s, Mississippi had used an initiative process that allowed people to propose constitutional amendments. If they gathered enough signatures from each congressional district, the initiative could go on the ballot.