NCJW Sees Victories, Defeats in Ballot Measure Results

November 8, 2006, Washington, DC -- The National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) today lauded victories regarding ballot measures on reproductive freedom, stem cell research, and the minimum wage, while deploring defeats for affirmative action and, with one exception, marriage equality. NCJW President Phyllis Snyder released the following statement:

"NCJW members can take pride in the important ballot measure victories they helped secure for reproductive freedom, stem cell research, and the minimum wage. Reproductive freedom won the day in South Dakota, where a sweeping abortion ban was decisively defeated, and in California and Oregon, where NCJW members fought to ensure that parental notification measures were rejected.

"In Missouri, where NCJW members also worked diligently, passage of a measure protecting stem cell research marked a huge step forward toward creating an environment that will nurture scientific advances.

"NCJW members were also active on measures that would raise state minimum wages, all six of which succeeded at the polls. And in Oregon, members fought successfully against a so-called taxpayer bill of rights (TABOR) initiative, which would have imposed arbitrary spending caps on the state budget. Two other TABOR proposals were also defeated.

"In other arenas, unfortunately, the news was not as promising. In Michigan, despite the tireless efforts of NCJW members, a new amendment to the state's constitution will challenge a recent and well-advised Supreme Court decision by attempting to bar affirmative action in state educational institutions and state hiring.

"Marriage equality for lesbians and gays favored by NCJW also suffered several defeats as various states voted to ban gay marriage. An exception was Arizona, where voters appear to have rejected efforts to write a ban into the state constitution.

"Across the country, NCJW members have much to be proud of and much left to work on. Nationally, the election verdict seems to be one that favors change, and we look forward to partnering with the new Congress to make progress on these and other NCJW priorities."

NCJW is a volunteer organization, inspired by Jewish values, that works to improve the quality of life for women, children, and families and to ensure individual rights and freedoms for all through its network of 90,000 members, supporters, and volunteers nationwide.

Contact:
Vanessa Schnaidt
212 645 4048 x179; vschnaidt@ncjw.org