Sponsored by Center for the Study of Democracy, UC Irvine, USC-Caltech Center for the Study of Law and Politics, Initiative and Referendum Institute, University of Southern California, and Southern California Law Review

January 14-15, 2005

The conference brings together an interdisciplinary group of scholars who are interested in the impact of referendums/initiatives on the behavior of other actors in the political process, such as political parties, legislators, and the voters. The second day will focus on the legal implications of direct democracy.

The conference was organized by
Shaun Bowler, University of California, Riverside, shaun.bowler@ucr.edu
Elizabeth Garrett, Director of the USC-Caltech Center for the Study of Law and Politics, egarrett@law.usc.edu
Amihai Glazer, University of California, Irvine, aglazer@uci.edu and
John Matsusaka, Marshall School of Business, USC jmatsusaka@marshall.usc.edu

Friday, January 14
NEW ROOM: Banning Alumni House

9:00 AM Welcome
NEW ROOM: Banning Alumni House

William Schonfeld, Director, CSD
Elizabeth Garrett, Director, USC-Caltech CSLP

9:00-11:45AM Theme I: Initiatives and Political Actors

Chair:
Shaun Bowler, University of California, Riverside
Papers:
Caroline Tolbert, Kent State University, "The Ballot Measure/Citizen Interest Link: Information, Engagement and Participation"
Fred Boehmke, University of Iowa, "The Initiative Process and Interest Group Attention to Legislative Activitity"
Daniel Smith, University of Florida, "Was Rove Right? The Partisan Wedge and Turnout Effects of Issue 1--Ohio’s 2004 Ballot Initiative to Ban Gay Marriage"

12:00-1:30 Luncheon

1:30-3:00 Theme II: Initiatives and Political Institutions

Chair:
Matthew Beckmann, University of California, Irvine
Papers:
Shawn Bowler, UC Riverside and Todd Donovan, University of Western Washington, "Direct Democracy's Effects on Political Parties"
John Matsusaka, University of Southern California, "Direct Democracy and the Executive Branch"

3:30-4:45 Theme III: Initiatives and State Governance

Chair:
Linda Cohen, University of California, Irvine
Papers:
Amihai Glazer, UC Irvine and Anthony McGann, UC Irvine, "Direct Democracy and the Stability of State Policy"
Russell Dalton, UC Irvine, "Direct Democracy and 'Good' Governance: Does it Matter?"

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Saturday, January 15

(Papers to be published in the Southern California Law Review)

Welcome:
John Matsusaka, Initiative and Referendum Institute at USC
Kimberly Encinas, Southern California Law Review

9-11AM Session I

Moderator:
Daniel Smith, University of Florida
Paper:
Richard Hasen, Loyola Law School, "Rethinking the Unconstitutionality of Contribution and Expenditure Limits in Ballot Measure Campaigns"
Paper:
Thomas Stratmann, George Mason University, Department of Economics, “The Effectiveness of Money in Politics: Ballot Measures, Candidate Elections, and Roll Call Votes”
Discussants:
Bruce Cain, University of California, Berkeley
John de Figueiredo, Princeton University, Woodrow Wilson School
Bernard Grofman, University of California, Irvine
Daniel Ortiz, University of Virginia Law School

11:15-12:15 Session II

Moderator:
Edward McCaffery, University of Southern California Law School
Paper:
Clayton Gillette, New York University Law School, “Voting with Your Hands: Direct Democracy in Annexation”
Discussants:
Jan Brueckner, University of Illinois, College of Business
William Fischel, Dartmouth College, Department of Economics

1:45-2:45 Session III

Moderator:
Caroline Tolbert, Kent State University
Paper:
Nathaniel Persily, University of Pennsylvania Law School, and
Melissa Cully Anderson , University of California, Berkeley, Political Science Department, “Regulating Democracy through Democracy: The Use of Direct Legislation in Election Law Reform”
Discussants:
Jonathan Katz, Caltech, Division of the Humanities and Social Science
Nolan McCarty, Princeton University, Woodrow Wilson School

3:00-4:00 Session IV

Moderator:
Linda Cohen, University of California, Irvine
Paper:
Thad Kousser, University of California, San Diego and
Mathew McCubbins, University of California, San Diego, "Social Choice, Crypto-Initiatives and Policy Making by Direct Democracy"
Discussants:
Elizabeth Garrett, University of Southern California Law School
Daniel Rodriguez, University of San Diego Law School