ANALYSIS: Uber Suit Highlights Limits of Voter Coercion Laws

Uber drivers are claiming that the company unlawfully pressured them to start each ride by electronically stating support for California’s Proposition 22, a ballot initiative that would classify drivers as independent contractors, according to a lawsuit filed Oct. 22. If the lawsuit is successful, it will represent a rare instance of state voter coercion law limiting how a business influences, persuades, or lobbies its workforce.

Federal law doesn’t place many limitations on employer influence. The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling Citizens United cemented a corporation’s right to free speech, and federal voting law prohibits only intimidation or coercion. While the law ...