BallotMeasureContest

The BallotMeasureContest provides information about a ballot measure before the voters, including summary statements on each side. Extends ContestBase.

Tag	Data Type	Required?	Repeats?	Description	Error Handling
ConStatement	InternationalizedText	Optional	Single	Specifies a statement in opposition to the referendum. It does not necessarily appear on the ballot.
EffectOfAbstain	InternationalizedText	Optional	Single	Specifies what effect abstaining (i.e. not voting) on this proposition will have (i.e. whether abstaining is considered a vote against it).
FullText	InternationalizedText	Optional	Single	Specifies the full text of the referendum as it appears on the ballot.
InfoUri	xs:anyURI	Optional	Single	Specifies a URI that links to additional information about the referendum.
PassageThreshold	InternationalizedText	Optional	Single	Specifies the threshold of votes that the referendum needs in order to pass. The default is a simple majority (i.e. 50% plus one vote). Other common thresholds are “three-fifths” and “two-thirds”. If there are competing initiatives, information about their effect on the passage of the BallotMeasureContest would go here.
ProStatement	InternationalizedText	Optional	Single	Specifies a statement in favor of the referendum. It does not necessarily appear on the ballot.
SummaryText	InternationalizedText	Optional	Single	Specifies a short summary of the referendum that is on the ballot, below the title, but above the text.
Type	BallotMeasureType	Optional	Single	Specifies the particular type of ballot measure. Must be one of the valid BallotMeasureType options.
OtherType	xs:string	Optional	Single	Allows for cataloging a new BallotMeasureType option, when Type is specified as “other.”

<BallotMeasureContest id="bmc30001">
   <BallotSelectionIds>bms30001a bms30001b</BallotSelectionIds>
   <BallotTitle>
      <Text language="en">State of the State</Text>
      <Text language="es">Estado del Estado.</Text>
   </BallotTitle>
   <ElectoralDistrictId>ed60129</ElectoralDistrictId>
   <Name>Referendum on Virginia</Name>
   <ConStatement label="bmc30001con">
      <Text language="en">This is no good.</Text>
      <Text language="es">Esto no es bueno.</Text>
   </ConStatement>
   <EffectOfAbstain label="bmc30001abs">
      <Text language="en">Nothing will happen.</Text>
      <Text language="es">Nada pasará.</Text>
   </EffectOfAbstain>
   <ProStatement label="bmc30001pro">
      <Text language="en">Everything will be great.</Text>
      <Text language="es">Todo va a estar bien.</Text>
   </ProStatement>
   <Type>referendum</Type>
</BallotMeasureContest>

ContestBase

A base model for all Contest types: BallotMeasureContest, CandidateContest, PartyContest, and RetentionContest (NB: the latter because it extends BallotMeasureContest).

Tag	Data Type	Required?	Repeats?	Description	Error Handling
Abbreviation	xs:string	Optional	Single	An abbreviation for the contest.
BallotSelectionIds	xs:IDREFS	Optional	Single	References a set of BallotSelections, which could be of any selection type that extends BallotSelectionBase.
BallotSubTitle	InternationalizedText	Optional	Single	Subtitle of the contest as it appears on the ballot.
BallotTitle	InternationalizedText	Optional	Single	Title of the contest as it appears on the ballot.
ElectoralDistrictId	xs:IDREF	Required	Single	References an ElectoralDistrict element that represents the geographical scope of the contest.
ElectorateSpecification	InternationalizedText	Optional	Single	Specifies any changes to the eligible electorate for this contest past the usual, “all registered voters” electorate. This subtag will most often be used for primaries and local elections. In primaries, voters may have to be registered as a specific party to vote, or there may be special rules for which ballot a voter can pull. In some local elections, non-citizens can vote.
ExternalIdentifiers	ExternalIdentifiers	Optional	Single	Other identifiers for a contest that links to another source of information.
HasRotation	xs:boolean	Optional	Single	Indicates whether the selections in the contest are rotated.
Name	xs:string	Required	Single	Name of the contest, not necessarily how it appears on the ballot (NB: BallotTitle should be used for this purpose).
SequenceOrder	xs:integer	Optional	Single	Order in which the contests are listed on the ballot. This is the default ordering, and can be overrides by data in a BallotStyle element.
VoteVariation	VoteVariation	Optional	Single	Vote variation associated with the contest (e.g. n-of-m, majority, et al).
OtherVoteVariation	xs:string	Optional	Single	If “other” is selected as the VoteVariation, the name of the variation can be specified here.