The ballot initiative is a process of participatory democracy that enables citizens to directly enact new legislation or repeal existing laws. Today, a wide variety of hot button topics such as criminal justice policy, civil rights, and environmental protections are debated and decided by voters via ballot initiatives and referendums on the local level in San Francisco, statewide in California, and in 25 other states across the country. The class will provide students with an understanding of election law related to the constitutional and legal framework for ballot initiatives in California and the U.S. Students will learn the practical skills necessary to draft, critically analyze, and defend ballot initiatives for government, non-profit, or private clients interested in sponsoring legislation or challenging existing laws.