GOTV strategy for Wyoming...? Trying to get a Reproductive Rights amendment by ballot initiative

[AnrothElf]

Even just the campaign to attempt to get Reproductive Rights initiative on the ballot would energize us poor, sadsack Wyoming Dems! After all, we were the first state to give women the right to vote. Surely we can convince some Wyoming women to protect themselves?

In states where that campaign was successful, it's been a powerful force to GOTV. Look at Kansas and Ohio.

We're only marginally redder than those red states. What's the difference? I started to wonder. Why haven't Wyoming Dems started a similar campaign? Or maybe they have and I don't know about it? WHY DON'T I KNOW ABOUT IT, THEN?!

I did some Ducking (like Googling but using duck.com) but could find no such existing campaigns.

OK, so I thought, well... What would it take to kick such a campaign off, myself?

So I started Ducking the ballot initiative process in Wyoming... and I found this (no paywall link):

https://web.archive.org/web/20240119003644/https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/the-winding-journey-to-get-a-ballot-initiative-passed-in-wyoming/article_9dcbada6-b646-11ee-b62b-db6986f95953.html

"The last time an initiative made it from a petition to the ballot was in 1996. That’s a testament to the lengthy, complicated and expensive process."

OK. So not promising. But why? I wondered.

More Ducking... and I found this:

https://ballotpedia.org/Laws_governing_the_initiative_process_in_Wyoming

Key takeaway:

"Citizens may not initiate constitutional amendments. The Wyoming State Legislature, however, may place legislatively referred constitutional amendments on the ballot with a two-thirds majority vote of each chamber." (my emphasis)

OH.

Maybe a ballot initiative to change the law to allow citizens to initiate constitutional amendments?

Maybe not a Reproductive Rights Amendment... maybe something more narrow? A veto referendum on the abortion pills ban, maybe?

It's depressing living in such a red state, knowing that very many like-minded Dems exist here, in a state of permanent dis-empowerment. We're all spread out across this big empty state, but if we had a powerful motivating reason to be more active, we could maybe start to change this utterly corrupt state into something more purplish... like a fresh bruise.

Any fellow Wyoming Dems pickin' up what I'm puttin' down?

[hlthe2b]

1. I would love to see that happen. WY is a tough case--forever Libertarian, but after Trump, well,

the conservatism is something unrecognizable--to the point that even Cheneys are persona non grata.

But, there have always been pockets of (at least moderates) that could go Democratic. The question is whether the intense monied interests in Jackson Sheridan, Park Counties would get behind such an effort--when many are likely part-time residents. Same problem we have in Ski Country Colorado--thus allowing idiots like Lauren Boebert to get elected. Still, some of the University crowd in Laramie could be harnassed.

I would love to see it, though. WY women deserve better. Much better.

[AnrothElf]

2. Yeah it can be surreal...

Even in Laramie liberals tend to self-censor and avoid political discussions. You never know if something you say to a friend is going to trigger the (probably armed) loud-mouth asshole at the next table.

And yeah... it's a MAGA state, now. We should pick a new color for the MAGA party... no party is using "white" heheh

I read over that BallotPedia article, and a veto referendum seems like the best bet to galvanize WY Dems around reproductive rights. The governor signed that odious abortion pill ban into law after Dobbs. Let's veto that!

IANAL tho, so ChatGPT here I come! I'll try to get a model referendum drafted this weekend and start shopping it around.

[AnrothElf]

3. LOL here's what ChatGPT burped out for me. I guess it's a starting point...

[State of Wyoming]
[Official Veto Referendum Title]

We, the undersigned registered voters of the State of Wyoming, respectfully demand that the following measure, which was passed by the [insert governing body that passed the measure, such as "Wyoming Legislature" or "Wyoming State Senate"], be referred to a vote of the people of the State for their approval or rejection:

[Insert a brief description of the measure, including its official title, bill or act number, and key provisions. Be as specific as possible, as the referendum must identify the specific law, statute, or legislative measure to be referred to the voters.]

We, therefore, respectfully ask that this measure be submitted to the voters of Wyoming at the next regular or special election to be held not less than [insert the required time period between the referendum petition and the election, if any, as specified by Wyoming law] from the date of the filing of this petition.

[Date of petition signature collection]

[Signatures of petition circulators, including printed name, signature, and address. Each circulator should provide a separate signature sheet with their name and address.]

[Note: Wyoming law may require a specific number of registered voters to sign the petition in order for the referendum to be placed on the ballot. Be sure to consult the specific requirements for the year in which the referendum will be submitted.]

We, the undersigned, certify that we are qualified electors of the State of Wyoming and that we have not signed any other petition for the same referendum measure.

[Printed name, signature, and address of each signer]

[Date of each signature]

[Notary Public Acknowledgment, if required by Wyoming law, including the notary's printed name, signature, and seal]

I, the undersigned, certify that the foregoing petition contains a true statement of the reasons for demanding the referendum, that each signature is genuine, that each signer is a registered voter of the State of Wyoming, and that to the best of my knowledge and belief, no signer has signed any other petition for the same referendum measure.

[Petition Committee Chair Printed Name]

[Petition Committee Chair Signature]

[Petition Committee Chair Address]

This petition is submitted in accordance with the laws of the State of Wyoming and the rules of the [Secretary of State/County Clerk/Election Commission/other relevant authority] for the purpose of having the proposed measure referred to the voters of the State for their approval or rejection.

Please note that this is a general draft and may need to be revised to comply with specific requirements in Wyoming law. Be sure to consult the relevant authorities or legal counsel to ensure that the referendum petition meets all necessary criteria for placement on the ballot.

[bernieb]

4. I get you

What is happening right now is the court case to decide if abortion is health care. Wyoming's constitution says people have the right to make their own decisions about health care, but the Republicans believe abortion isn't health care. A preliminary injunction was issued by the Ninth District court in August of 2022, under judge Melissa Owens so abortion is still legal in Wyoming. This case will probably go on for a while.

PLEASE don't call us "poor, sad sack Wyoming Dems." We are out there working our asses off on a lot of issues. There are 208,000 registered Republican voters in Wyoming compared to 40,000 Democrats and 35,000 unaffiliated. It would be great if you'd get involved in your county Democratic party. If you are, thanks!

[AnrothElf]

7. It's not meant as a disparagement. It's a sad sack reality.

We're in the vast minority and it forces us to curtail -- unconsciously or not -- our activist impulses. We self-censor.

I spent 8 years in Miami before I moved back home a couple years ago. Florida Dems are a lot like Wyoming Dems... beaten down by long, long, long years in the minority. We're beaten down by accepting defeat after defeat.

I've lived in a lot of states in the US. Wyoming Dems are polite. Very.

They'll even scold impolite fellow Dems.

I am not a polite Dem. And I grew up here. One of my sons was born in town. The other less than 60 miles away. I can name the plants at some Missouri goat-roper's feet while he's gawking for his fucking elk.

Spine is what Wyoming Democrats need.

Fucking spine.

[bernieb]

5. Still legal in Wyoming

August 2022 Ninth Cricut Court Judge Melissa Owens issued a preliminary injunction. Wyoming's constitution guarantees people the right to make decisions about their own health care, but the Republicans don't believe that should include abortion. We're waiting on the court to make a decision, but this case is going to go on for a long time. Meanwhile, there is one abortion clinic in Casper.

FYI There are 208,000 registered Republican voters in Wyoming compared to 40,000 Democrats and 35,000 unaffiliated. Please don't call us poor, sad sack Wyoming Dems. We are out there working our asses off on a lot of different issues. But we live in one of the reddest of all red states.

[AnrothElf]

6. Mannn... I AM one of those poor, sadsack Dems...

It's not meant as a disparagement, just a recognition of this shit situation. 40-75K vs. 208K registered.

That's a sad sack to carry around, as a Wyoming Dem.

Knowing my Presidential vote won't make it through the Electoral College.

Knowing that despite my enormously outside Wyoming influence in the Senate and House delegations, it doesn't mean jack-shit because my minority vote is wiped out long before it ever registers in federal elections... because I'm a Democrat.

I've lived in blue and red states. When I live in red states... I wanna turn 'em blue. Or at least purple.

[AnrothElf]

8. It bothers me that the main responses I've gotten here have been negative

I hear protestations that Wyoming Dems are out there working tirelessly.

Where?

I had to email my local Dem party a half dozen times before I got a response. The only reason that final one worked was because I tracked down the supposed party leader's specific email. He told me where and when the meeting was taking place.

I put it on my calendar and Saved the Date, because it had taken months to get that far.

I showed up on the night in question, at the Unitarian Church. It was dark, and snowing. I waited. Nobody showed up. I waited more, because I hate cold. I got out of my car and marched over. There were no footprints in the fucking snow, Jesus. Nothing ever happened. I went home because I have a cat.

That's my personal experience -- after extensive efforts to get involved -- with my local Democratic Party in the bluest bubble in the state of Wyoming, where women's suffrage was first enacted.

Something is wrong with this picture, and I'm noisy and obnoxious enough to make a stink about it and do something to change it.

[AnrothElf]

9. All I wanted to do was volunteer.. for anything

I couldn't even do that.

So don't get snide with me about how hardworking Democratic Party leadership in Wyoming is. They're a fucking joke.

There is zero ground game in this state.

ZERO.