Idaho Gov. Brad Little, a Republican, signed a bill on Saturday raising the bar for ballot initiatives that effectively give rural residents a greater say in shaping the state’s legal landscape. By signing Senate Bill 110, Little implemented a change to Idaho’s ballot initiative framework, which previously required signatures from six percent of voters in 18 legislative districts but now needs six percent from all 35 of the state’s districts for new legislation to be placed on the ballot for a popular vote. While the the overall number of signatures needed to get an initiative on the ballot remains the same, they will need to be collected from a much wider area, effectively giving urban centers less clout. In a transmittal letter (pdf) explaining his decision, Little expressed his support for legislation that has the “goal of ensuring that the rights of all Idahoans—not just those in urban areas—have a …