Ballot Initiative
An Anti-Smoking Ballot Initiative For Nevada.
In a state known for its almost anything-goes reputation, its poor health rankings, and its often impenetrable clouds of cigarette smoke, how do you pass a bill banning smoke in public places? At the time, only 23 percent of Nevadans smoked, but local health advocates said the State’s gaming interests were too powerful to restrict lighting up in all indoor public places. But statistics and research were in our favor. Nevadans For Tobacco-Free Kids, a coalition of American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, American Lung Association, Nevada Academy of Family Physicians, and the Nevada State Medical Association along with KPS|3 Marketing came together to help pass a ballot question in Nevada banning smoking in most public spaces.
In research completed in northern Nevada in early 2006 these universal beliefs or practices in the community setting were identified:
- 94% agreed fast food restaurants should be smoke free, up from 82% in 2000
- 90% agreed that convenience stores should be smoke free
- 85% requested a non-smoking room when traveling, up from 76% in 2000
The following were identified as predominant beliefs or practices:
- 84% agreed that indoor sporting event should be smoke free, up from 77% in 2000
- 82% agreed that shopping malls should be smoke free, up from 71% in 2000
- 81% requested a non-smoking table when dining out, up from 74% in 2000
- 72% agreed that restaurants should be smoke free, up from a “contested” belief held by just 55% in 2000
Two anti-smoking ballot initiatives were facing voters in Nevada
Simultaneous to our Question 5, The Nevada Clean Indoor Air Act, another ballot question sounding and looking very similar to ours (Question 4) was also put on the ballot by parties interested in maintaining status quo for smoking in public places, in order to confuse voters. Had it passed, it would have actually lessened current smoking bans.
We based our strategic positioning on the credibility of the member organizations of the anti-tobacco coalition and clearly painted the other ballot question as a trick to purposefully confuse Nevada’s voters. We anticipated we would be outspent 2 to 1, (in reality we were outspent almost 5 to 1). Reinforcing our message, our backers, and the tricky tactics of our competition was our foundation behind “No on 4. Yes on 5. Clear the smoke from children’s lives.”
Tactics in our arsenal
- Eblasts updated most current information, databases built, maintained, and added to throughout campaign.
- Website - updated daily
- T-shirts, yard signs, petition signings, outdoor billboards (grassroots)
- Television and radio advertising for frequency
- Public relations, press appearances, white papers released to media and decision makers
- Consistent tight messaging/editing/walking sheets and flyers
Nevada Clean Indoor Air Act becomes one of the country's first ballot initiatives to ban smoking in most public spaces.
On November 4, 2006, Nevada voters approved Question 5 - the more restrictive of two smoking-ban initiatives. In doing so, the trick Question 4, supported by big tobacco, slot route operators, gaming interests and bar owners, was soundly defeated - paving the way for Nevada's restaurants, bars and numerous other public spaces to go smoke-free.
Thanks to our creative execution of the “No on 4. Yes on 5.” campaign, Nevada became among the first states to take the smoking question directly to voters – and win. It is our hope that Question 5 passing is an inspiration for people to take more action over their own health issues that are affected by interests and industries that might seem out of their control.
Their Question 4
Shall Chapter 202 of the Nevada Revised Statutes be amended in order to prohibit smoking tobacco in certain public places, except all areas of casinos, gaming areas within establishments holding gaming licenses, bars and certain other locations?
YES - 48%
NO - 52%
Our Question 5
Shall Chapter 202 of the Nevada Revised Statutes be amended in order to prohibit smoking tobacco in certain public places, in all bars with a food-handling license, but excluding gaming areas of casinos and certain other locations?
YES - 54%
NO - 46%
