{"id":35135,"date":"2025-07-01T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-07-01T04:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/insights\/expanding-citizen-led-policymaking\/"},"modified":"2026-05-06T12:23:37","modified_gmt":"2026-05-06T16:23:37","slug":"expanding-citizen-led-policymaking","status":"publish","type":"insight","link":"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/insights\/expanding-citizen-led-policymaking\/","title":{"rendered":"Expanding Citizen-Led Policymaking in the Twenty-First Century"},"author":20,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","issue_tax":[540],"topic_tax":[84,105,119,140,200,226],"program_tax":[156],"project_tax":[100,4116],"person_tax":[1870,2899,941],"podcast_show_tax":[],"insight_type":[3795,3796],"fellowship_tax":[],"award":[],"class_list":["post-35135","insight","type-insight","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","insight_type-in-depth","insight_type-report"],"acf":{"details":{"hero_type":"large-image","abstract":"This report explores opportunities and strategies for expanding ballot initiative access to more states.","subheading":"","read_time":"","watch_time":"","podcast_player":"","apple_podcast_link":"","spotify_podcast_link":"","podcast_link":null,"listen_time":"","youtube_id":"","":null,"featured_image":32869,"add_image_caption":false,"caption":"","pdf_version":null,"helper_taxonomies":{"issue_tax":[540],"topic_tax":[84,105,119,140,200,226],"program_tax":[156],"project_tax":[100,4116],"person_tax":[2899,1870,941],"fellowship_tax":false,"event_type":false,"location":false,"insight_type":[3795,3796],"award":false,"podcast_show_tax":false,"person_type":false,"demographic_key":false,"survey_topic":false,"organization":false},"media_inquiry":false,"media_inquiry_title":"","media_inquiry_email":""},"page_layout":[{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_heading","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_heading":{"text":"Abstract","level":"h3","":null,"anchor_id":""}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_wysiwyg":{"add_background_color":false,"content":"<p data-block-key=\"xsz7f\">In the face of deepening political dysfunction and disaffection, ballot initiatives offer a time-tested mechanism for democratic renewal. This report examines the uneven landscape of citizen-led policymaking in the United States, where fewer than half of states provide access to usable initiative processes, leaving millions without a direct channel to shape public policy when other paths are blocked. Drawing on extensive historical and contemporary research and expert interviews, this report suggests that now may be an opportune moment to expand ballot initiative access. It also presents strategic recommendations for future initiative adoption efforts and introduces a methodology for assessing states\u2019 readiness for direct democracy based on political, legal, and civic indicators.<\/p>","":null,"drop_cap":false,"anchor_id":""}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_heading","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_heading":{"text":"Acknowledgments","level":"h3","":null,"anchor_id":""}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_wysiwyg":{"add_background_color":false,"content":"<p data-block-key=\"db00z\">This report wouldn\u2019t have been possible without our research assistants, Seanna Pieper-Jordan and Alex Walker, and the dozens of scholars and practitioners who took the time to share their knowledge about direct democracy and their state\u2019s political climate and policy landscape. We are so grateful to Madison Schroder, Joseph Cerrone, Lee Drutman, Justine Sarver, and Elena Souris for their valuable comments and edits.<\/p><p data-block-key=\"29nv\">We would also like to thank Liz Cory, Kelley Gardner, Heidi Lewis, Jodi Narde, Carly Anderson, and Elena Gooray for their communications, editorial, and graphics support.<\/p><p data-block-key=\"8ii3j\"><i>Editorial disclosure: The views expressed in this report are solely those of the authors and do not reflect the views of New America, its staff, fellows, funders, or board of directors.<\/i><\/p>","":null,"drop_cap":false,"anchor_id":""}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_boxed_links","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_boxed_links":{"heading":"Downloads","links":[{"title":"","description":"","link":{"title":"Expanding Citizen-Led Policymaking in the Twenty-First Century","url":"https:\/\/d1y8sb8igg2f8e.cloudfront.net\/documents\/Expanding_Citizen-Led_Policymaking_in_the_Twenty-First_Century_2025-07-01_1552_wJ04hEw.pdf","target":"_blank"}}],"":null,"anchor_id":""}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_add_component","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_authors","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_authors":{"":null,"anchor_id":""}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_taxonomies","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_taxonomies":{"":null,"anchor_id":""}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_related","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_related":{"":null,"anchor_id":""}}]},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.1 (Yoast SEO v27.1.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Expanding Citizen-Led Policymaking in the 21st Century<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/insights\/expanding-citizen-led-policymaking\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Expanding Citizen-Led Policymaking in the Twenty-First Century\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/insights\/expanding-citizen-led-policymaking\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"New America\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/NewAmerica\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-05-06T16:23:37+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/d1y8sb8igg2f8e.cloudfront.net\/images\/GettyImages-1761977790.2e16d0ba.fill-1600x775.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"775\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@NewAmerica\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/insights\/expanding-citizen-led-policymaking\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/insights\/expanding-citizen-led-policymaking\/\",\"name\":\"Expanding Citizen-Led Policymaking in the 21st Century\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/insights\/expanding-citizen-led-policymaking\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/insights\/expanding-citizen-led-policymaking\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/d1y8sb8igg2f8e.cloudfront.net\/images\/GettyImages-1761977790.2e16d0ba.fill-1600x775.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-07-01T04:00:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-05-06T16:23:37+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/insights\/expanding-citizen-led-policymaking\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/insights\/expanding-citizen-led-policymaking\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/insights\/expanding-citizen-led-policymaking\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/d1y8sb8igg2f8e.cloudfront.net\/images\/GettyImages-1761977790.2e16d0ba.fill-1600x775.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/d1y8sb8igg2f8e.cloudfront.net\/images\/GettyImages-1761977790.2e16d0ba.fill-1600x775.jpg\",\"width\":1600,\"height\":775,\"caption\":\"GettyImages-1761977790\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/insights\/expanding-citizen-led-policymaking\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Expanding Citizen-Led Policymaking in the Twenty-First Century\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/\",\"name\":\"New America - Big Ideas and Bold Solutions\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/#organization\",\"name\":\"New America\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Logo-on-Medium-Teal_1200x675.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Logo-on-Medium-Teal_1200x675.jpg\",\"width\":1200,\"height\":675,\"caption\":\"New America\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/NewAmerica\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/NewAmerica\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/new-america\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@NewamericaOrgideas\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/newamericaorg\/\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Expanding Citizen-Led Policymaking in the 21st Century","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/insights\/expanding-citizen-led-policymaking\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Expanding Citizen-Led Policymaking in the Twenty-First Century","og_url":"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/insights\/expanding-citizen-led-policymaking\/","og_site_name":"New America","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/NewAmerica","article_modified_time":"2026-05-06T16:23:37+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1600,"height":775,"url":"https:\/\/d1y8sb8igg2f8e.cloudfront.net\/images\/GettyImages-1761977790.2e16d0ba.fill-1600x775.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_site":"@NewAmerica","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/insights\/expanding-citizen-led-policymaking\/","url":"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/insights\/expanding-citizen-led-policymaking\/","name":"Expanding Citizen-Led Policymaking in the 21st Century","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/insights\/expanding-citizen-led-policymaking\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/insights\/expanding-citizen-led-policymaking\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/d1y8sb8igg2f8e.cloudfront.net\/images\/GettyImages-1761977790.2e16d0ba.fill-1600x775.jpg","datePublished":"2025-07-01T04:00:00+00:00","dateModified":"2026-05-06T16:23:37+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/insights\/expanding-citizen-led-policymaking\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/insights\/expanding-citizen-led-policymaking\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/insights\/expanding-citizen-led-policymaking\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/d1y8sb8igg2f8e.cloudfront.net\/images\/GettyImages-1761977790.2e16d0ba.fill-1600x775.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/d1y8sb8igg2f8e.cloudfront.net\/images\/GettyImages-1761977790.2e16d0ba.fill-1600x775.jpg","width":1600,"height":775,"caption":"GettyImages-1761977790"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/insights\/expanding-citizen-led-policymaking\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Expanding Citizen-Led Policymaking in the Twenty-First Century"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/","name":"New America - Big Ideas and Bold Solutions","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/#organization","name":"New America","url":"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Logo-on-Medium-Teal_1200x675.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Logo-on-Medium-Teal_1200x675.jpg","width":1200,"height":675,"caption":"New America"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/NewAmerica","https:\/\/x.com\/NewAmerica","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/new-america","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@NewamericaOrgideas","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/newamericaorg\/"]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/insight\/35135","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/insight"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/insight"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/insight\/35135\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":54452,"href":"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/insight\/35135\/revisions\/54452"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/32869"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35135"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"issue_tax","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/issue_tax?post=35135"},{"taxonomy":"topic_tax","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/topic_tax?post=35135"},{"taxonomy":"program_tax","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/program_tax?post=35135"},{"taxonomy":"project_tax","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/project_tax?post=35135"},{"taxonomy":"person_tax","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/person_tax?post=35135"},{"taxonomy":"podcast_show_tax","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/podcast_show_tax?post=35135"},{"taxonomy":"insight_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/insight_type?post=35135"},{"taxonomy":"fellowship_tax","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/fellowship_tax?post=35135"},{"taxonomy":"award","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newamerica.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/award?post=35135"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}