Providing Critical Ballot Measure Research
The BISC Foundation has been a consistent leader in providing important issue area and ballot measure research. We regularly design and conduct groundbreaking research on voter attitudes and opinions with regard to issues and the ballot measure process. This provides valuable insight into to how voters view the role of direct democracy, issues, and their understanding of how the ballot measure process works, and how they prioritize issues important to their lives and communities.
The BISC Foundation has several different approaches to our research that help us support social change advocates as they navigate the ballot measure process in their own states and issue areas.
In 2017, BISC pioneered the use of the online Trendency research platform for issue and ballot measure research. This unique methodology is non-binary and allows us to see beyond “yes” and “no” responses and into the nuance of voter attitudes and opinions. Our Trendency research also provides a longitudinal view of the issue environment over time. With this platform, we can gauge shifts in voter perception of their ability to access direct democracy and our democracy as a whole. We can also see shifts in voter attitudes on a variety of issues based on important current events.
BISCF also designs and conducts post-election research that helps us understand voter attitudes and behavior about voting and direct democracy, ballot measure expenditures, and contributions. We use this data to help inform future work and analyze trends. In conducting this research and pairing it with other types of post-election analysis, we can provide in-depth landscape analysis that informs social change advocates, as well as the Foundation’s work.
Lastly, the Foundation conducts research that works to solve ballot measure ecosystem challenges regarding signature-gathering, resourcing of issue and ballot measure efforts in general, and sustainable and equitable ballot measure practices. We share this information with our partners, funders, and other stakeholders.
