What is the purpose of a straw ballot, such as the one proposed in Hillsborough County this year concerning sexually oriented businesses? 

Thank you,
Lindsey Baker
Brandon, FL

The non-binding/no legal effect question that Hillsborough County voters will be asked on the November 7 ballot is: “Should the local governments within the borders of Hillsborough County regulate sexually oriented businesses to the fullest extent allowed by law?”

Elected officials are increasingly using straw ballots to gauge public opinion on “hot button” issues—the ones to which voters give the most attention. Typically, these are propositions related to morality or money (taxes, spending, and borrowing). In a way, using straw ballot questions is equivalent to conducting a public opinion survey (at taxpayer expense) before making a binding decision. “Let the people decide” on controversial issues is the premise.

Some see such tactics as purely political. Use of straw ballots can be used as a “get out the vote” mechanism.  If you put a controversial-enough topic on the ballot, you may draw more people to the polls.

What creates the most chaos and political backlash is when elected officials ignore the results of these non-binding straw ballots.

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