McDONALD v. THOMPSON’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

7 state decisions

Most-quoted passages

The sentences later courts lift from this opinion, ranked by how many decisions quote each — the parts of the opinion doing the work. These counts are smaller than the citation total above because most of the 8 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “[T]he statement on the petition [the gist] and the ballot title must be brief, descriptive of the effect of the proposition, not deceiving but informative and revealing of the design and purpose of the petition. The limitations ... are necessary to prevent deception in the initiative process.... The voters, after reading the statement on the petition and the ballot title, should be able to cast an informed vote.”

   4 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Oklahoma's Children, Our Future, Inc. v. Coburn · IN RE: INITIATIVE PETITION No. 426 STATE QUESTION No. 810

2. “'should be sufficient that the signatories are at least put on notice of the changes being made,'”

   4 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Oklahoma's Children, Our Future, Inc. v. Coburn · IN RE: INITIATIVE PETITION No. 426 STATE QUESTION No. 810

3. “[a] simple statement of the gist of the proposition shall be printed on the top margin of each signature sheet”

   3 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Oklahoma's Children, Our Future, Inc. v. Coburn · OKLAHOMA'S CHILDREN, OUR FUTURE, INC. v. COBURN