Ballot initiative

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Types of ballot measures
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Initiated
• Initiated constitutional amendment
• Initiated state statute
• Veto referendum
Legislative
• Legislative constitutional amendment
• Legislative state statute
• Legislative bond issue
• Advisory question
Other
• Automatic ballot referral
• Commission-referred measure
• Convention-referred amendment
Select a state from the menu below to learn more about that state's types of ballot measures.

A ballot initiative is a citizen-initiated ballot measure. The ballot initiative process allows citizens to propose statutes or constitutional amendments, depending on the state, and collect signatures to place their proposals on the ballot for voters to decide. Some states have an indirect process in which legislatures have the option to approve the proposals outright.

Other names for ballot initiatives include popular initiatives, citizen initiatives, and citizen referendums.

A citizen-initiated ballot measure can be an initiated state statute, initiated constitutional amendment, or a veto referendum. A veto referendum is a citizen-initiated ballot measure that asks voters whether to uphold or repeal an enacted law.

There are 26 states that allow for citizen-initiated ballot measures.

Legislatures can also put laws on the ballot for voters to decide. These ballot measures are called legislative referrals.

Initiatives on the ballot

Current year

See also: 2024 ballot measures

The following is a list of citizen-initiated ballot measures certified for the current year:


Next year

See also: 2025 ballot measures

The following is a list of citizen-initiated ballot measures certified for next year:

There are no ballot initiatives certified for next year's ballot.

States with initiative or veto referendum processes

See also: States with initiative or referendum

There are 26 states that provide for at least one type of citizen-initiated ballot measure at the state level. Washington, D.C., also has an initiative and referendum process.

List of states

The following is a list of the 26 states and the different types of citizen-initiated measures in these states:

States that provide for citizen-initiated ballot measures
State Types Year adopted Constitutional provisions
Alaska • Initiated state statute (indirect)
• Veto referendum		 1956 Article 11, Alaska Constitution
Arizona • Initiated constitutional amendment
• Initiated state statute
• Veto referendum		 1911 Article 4 and Article 21, Arizona Constitution
Arkansas • Initiated constitutional amendment
• Initiated state statute
• Veto referendum		 1910 Article 5, Arkansas Constitution
California • Initiated constitutional amendment
• Initiated state statute
• Veto referendum		 1911 Article 2, California Constitution
Colorado • Initiated constitutional amendment
• Initiated state statute
• Veto referendum		 1910 Article 5, Colorado Constitution
Florida • Initiated constitutional amendment 1968 Article 11, Florida Constitution
Idaho • Initiated state statute
• Veto referendum		 1912 Article 3, Idaho Constitution
Illinois • Initiated constitutional amendment 1970 Article 14, Illinois Constitution
Maine • Initiated state statute (indirect)
• Veto referendum		 1908 Article 4, Pt. 3rd, Maine Constitution
Maryland • Veto referendum 1915 Article 16, Maryland Constitution
Massachusetts • Initiated constitutional amendment (indirect)
• Initiated state statute (indirect)
• Veto referendum		 1918 Article 48 and Article 74, Massachusetts Constitution
Michigan • Initiated constitutional amendment
• Initiated state statute (indirect)
• Veto referendum		 1908 Article 2 and Article 12, Michigan Constitution
Mississippi[1] • Initiated constitutional amendment (indirect) 1992 Article 15, Mississippi Constitution
Missouri • Initiated constitutional amendment
• Initiated state statute
• Veto referendum		 1908 Article 3, Missouri Constitution
Montana • Initiated constitutional amendment
• Initiated state statute
• Veto referendum		 1906 Article 3 and Article 14, Montana Constitution
Nebraska • Initiated constitutional amendment
• Initiated state statute
• Veto referendum		 1912 Article 3, Nebraska Constitution
Nevada • Initiated constitutional amendment
• Initiated state statute (indirect)
• Veto referendum		 1905 Article 19, Nevada Constitution
New Mexico • Veto referendum 1911 Article 4, New Mexico Constitution
North Dakota • Initiated constitutional amendment
• Initiated state statute
• Veto referendum		 1914 Article 3, North Dakota Constitution
Ohio • Initiated constitutional amendment
• Initiated state statute (indirect)
• Veto referendum		 1912 Article 2, Ohio Constitution
Oklahoma • Initiated constitutional amendment
• Initiated state statute
• Veto referendum		 1907 Article 5, Oklahoma Constitution
Oregon • Initiated constitutional amendment
• Initiated state statute
• Veto referendum		 1902 Article 4, Oregon Constitution
South Dakota • Initiated constitutional amendment
• Initiated state statute
• Veto referendum		 1898 and 1972[2] Article 3 and Article 23, South Dakota Constitution
Utah • Initiated state statute (direct and indirect)
• Veto referendum		 1900 Article 6, Utah Constitution
Washington • Initiated state statute (direct and indirect)
• Veto referendum		 1912 Article 2, Washington Constitution
Wyoming • Initiated state statute (indirect)
• Veto referendum		 1968 Article 3, Wyoming Constitution

Current signature requirements for citizen-initiated measures

There are 26 states that provide citizens with the power of initiative, referendum, or both. The following table shows the type of citizen-initiated ballot measures in each of those states. The table also provides the signature requirements for each type of measure for the 2023-2024 election cycle.

States that provide for types of citizen-initiated measures and current signature requirements
State Constitutional Signatures Statute Signatures Referendum Signatures
Alaska No N/A Yes 26,705 Yes 26,705
Arizona Yes 383,923 Yes 255,949 Yes 127,975
Arkansas Yes 90,704 Yes 72,563 Yes 54,422
California Yes 874,641 Yes 546,651 Yes 546,651
Colorado Yes 124,238 Yes 124,238 Yes 124,238
Florida Yes 891,589 No N/A No N/A
Idaho No N/A Yes 62,895 Yes 62,895
Illinois Yes 328,371 No N/A No N/A
Maine No N/A Yes 67,682 Yes 67,682
Maryland No N/A No N/A Yes 60,157
Massachusetts Yes 74,490 Yes 74,490 Yes 37,245[3]
Michigan Yes 446,198 Yes 356,958 Yes 223,099
Mississippi[4] Yes 106,190 No N/A No N/A
Missouri Yes 171,592[5] Yes 107,246[5] Yes 107,246[5]
Montana Yes 60,359 Yes 30,179 Yes 30,179
Nebraska Yes 126,838 Yes 88,787 Yes 63,419[6]
New Mexico No N/A No N/A Yes 71,475[7]
Nevada Yes 102,362 Yes 135,561 Yes 102,362
North Dakota Yes 31,164 Yes 15,582 Yes 15,582
Ohio Yes 413,487 Yes 248,092[8] Yes 248,093
Oklahoma Yes 172,993 Yes 92,263 Yes 57,664
Oregon Yes 156,231 Yes 117,173 Yes 78,115
South Dakota Yes 35,017 Yes 17,508 Yes 17,508
Utah No N/A Yes 134,298 Yes 134,298
Washington No N/A Yes 324,516 Yes 162,258
Wyoming No N/A Yes 29,730 Yes 29,730

List of state ballot measures to provide for an initiative or referendum process

List of state ballot measures to provide an initiative or referendum process
State Year Status Yes (votes) Yes (percent) No (votes) No (percent)
South Dakota 1898 Approved 23,816 59% 16,483 41%
Utah 1900 Approved 19,219 71% 7,786 29%
Oregon 1902 Approved 62,024 92% 5,688 8%
Illinois[9] 1902 Approved 428,469 83% 87,654 17%
Missouri 1904 Defeated 115,741 41% 169,281 59%
Nevada 1905 Approved 4,393 85% 792 15%
Montana 1906 Approved 36,374 85% 6,616 15%
Delaware[10] 1906 Approved 17,405 89% 2,135 11%
Oklahoma 1907 Approved 180,333 71% 73,059 29%
Missouri 1908 Approved 177,615 55% 147,290 45%
Maine 1908 Approved 51,991 69% 23,712 31%
Michigan[11] 1908 Approved 244,705 65% 130,783 35%
Illinois 1910 Approved 443,505 63% 127,751 37%
Colorado 1910 Approved 89,141 76% 28,698 24%
Arkansas 1910 Approved 91,363 70% 39,680 30%
California 1911 Approved 138,181 75% 44,850 25%
Arizona 1911 Approved 12,534 76% 3,920 24%
New Mexico[12] 1911 Approved 31,724 70% 13,399 30%
Nebraska 1912 Approved 189,200 93% 15,315 7%
Idaho (I)[13] 1912 Approved 38,918 72% 15,195 28%
Idaho (PR) 1912 Approved 43,658 76% 13,490 24%
Nevada[14] 1912 Approved 9,956 91% 1,027 8%
Ohio 1912 Approved 312,592 57% 231,312 43%
Washington 1912 Approved 110,110 71% 43,905 29%
Wyoming[15] 1912 Defeated 20,579 86% 3,446 14%
Mississippi[15] 1912 Defeated 25,153 65% 13,383 35%
Michigan (C) 1913 Approved 204,796 56% 162,392 44%
Michigan (S) 1913 Approved 219,057 59% 152,388 41%
Mississippi 1914 Approved 19,118 69% 8,718 31%
North Dakota 1914 Approved 43,111 66% 21,815 44%
North Dakota 1914 Approved 48,783 71% 19,964 29%
Minnesota[15] 1914 Defeated 162,951 77% 47,906 23%
Wisconsin 1914 Defeated 84,934 36% 148,536 64%
Texas 1914 Defeated 62,371 48% 66,785 52%
Maryland 1915 Approved 33,150 77% 10,022 23%
Minnesota[15] 1916 Defeated 187,713 78% 51,546 22%
Massachusetts 1918 Approved 170,646 51% 162,103 49%
North Dakota 1918 Approved 47,447 59% 32,598 41%
Alaska 1956 Approved 17,447 68% 8,180 32%
Florida 1968 Approved 645,233 55% 518,940 45%
Wyoming 1968 Approved 72,009 75% 24,299 25%
Illinois 1970 Approved 1,122,425 57% 838,168 43%
Washington, DC 1977 Approved 27,094 83% 5,627 17%
Minnesota[16] 1980 Defeated 970,407 53% 854,164 47%
Rhode Island[17] 1986 Defeated 129,309 48% 139,294 52%
Mississippi 1992 Approved 592,536 70% 251,276 30%
Rhode Island 1996 Approved 165,347 53% 145,808 47%

Types of ballot measures

See also: Ballot measure

Most ballot measures are placed on the ballot through citizen initiatives or legislative processes. Others are placed on the ballot automatically, by a special commission, or by a state constitutional convention. The following is a list of different types of state ballot measures:

Types of state ballot measures
Citizen-initiated ballot measure
• Initiated constitutional amendment
• Direct initiated constitutional amendment
• Indirect initiated constitutional amendment
• Initiated state statute
• Direct initiated state statute
• Indirect initiated state statute
• Combined initiated constitutional amendment and state statute
• Veto referendum
• Statute affirmation (Nevada)
Legislatively referred ballot measure
• Legislatively referred constitutional amendment
• Legislatively referred state statute
• Legislatively referred bond measure
• Advisory question
Other type of state ballot measure
• Automatic ballot referral
• Constitutional convention question
• Commission-referred ballot measure
• Convention-referred constitutional amendment

See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Mississippi has an initiated constitutional amendment process, including a signature distribution requirement based on five congressional districts. However, the requirements cannot be met, according to the Mississippi Supreme Court, because the state has four congressional districts following reapportionment in 2001.
  2. ↑ In 1898, voters approved an amendment providing for initiated state statutes and veto referendums. In 1972, voters approved a revised constitution, which included a process for initiated constitutional amendments.
  3. ↑ This was the number of signatures required to put a targeted law before voters. To suspend the enactment of the targeted law until the election, the requirement was 49,660 valid signatures.
  4. ↑ On May 14, 2021, the Mississippi Supreme Court issued a 6-3 decision stating that it is impossible for any petition to meet the state's distribution requirement and has been impossible since congressional reapportionment in 2001. The six justices wrote, "... Whether with intent, by oversight, or for some other reason, the drafters of [the constitutional signature distribution requirement] wrote a ballot initiative process that cannot work in a world where Mississippi has fewer than five representatives in Congress. To work in today’s reality, it will need amending—something that lies beyond the power of the Supreme Court."
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 This is the minimum required if signatures are collected in the congressional districts with the lowest numbers of votes cast in 2020. The signature requirement varies based on what districts are targeted for signature collection.
  6. ↑ To suspend the enactment of the targeted law until the election, the requirement is 126,838 valid signatures.
  7. ↑ This was the number of signatures required to put a targeted law before voters. To suspend the enactment of the targeted law until the election, the requirement was 178,689 valid signatures.
  8. ↑ This is the requirement for two rounds of signatures to get an initiated statute on the ballot; half the number of signatures—124,046—is required to place the initiative before the legislature.
  9. ↑ Illinois’ 1902 and 1910 votes were advisory—not binding on the legislature. The measures were put on the ballot by petition of I&R advocates, using a statewide, nonbinding advisory initiative process established by the legislature in 1901. The legislature never followed the people’s mandate. A constitutional convention passed a very limited initiative process in 1970, and it was approved by voters.
  10. ↑ Delaware voted on an advisory referendum, placed on the ballot by the legislature, asking voters whether they wanted the initiative process. Their reply was overwhelmingly "yes," as shown here, but the legislature never followed that mandate. Delaware is also the only state that does not require voters to approve of all of the changes to the state constitution.
  11. ↑ The initiative procedures put in place in Michigan in 1908 were complex, making it difficult for citizens to put initiatives on the ballot. The legislature approved of less restrictive procedures proposed by reformers, which were placed on the ballot in 1913 and ratified by voters. There were two separate initiative amendments on the ballot: one giving voters the power to propose and enact initiative statutes (laws) and the other giving voters the power to propose and enact initiative amendments to the state constitution.
  12. ↑ New Mexico’s constitution was ratified by the voters in a single vote—not provision by provision—and included the popular referendum process, but not the initiative process.
  13. ↑ There were separate amendments for initiative and popular referendum in Idaho.
  14. ↑ Nevada’s 1905 amendment secured only the popular referendum process. The initiative process was secured by Nevada’s 1912 amendment.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 The amendment was defeated because the state constitution requires an approval by a majority of all those voting in the election, and not just a majority of those voting on the amendment. Blank votes count as a no vote against the amendment.
  16. ↑ The amendment was defeated because the state constitution requires an approval by a majority of all those voting in the election and not just a majority of those voting on the amendment. Blank votes count as a no vote against the amendment.
  17. ↑ An amendment establishing statewide I&R was approved in Rhode Island’s 1986 Constitutional Convention, but when placed on the ballot, it was narrowly defeated by voters. In 1996, the legislature put a non-binding advisory question on the ballot asking voters if they would like to adopt I&R. Voters said "yes," but no change was made by the legislature.
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