For 2024, 110 statewide ballot measures have been certified for the ballot in 35 states, five more measures than the average (105) for this point in the election cycle from 2012 to 2022. The average number of statewide ballot measures certified for an even-numbered year during this period was 157.

Here’s an update on the ballot measure activity during the past two weeks.

Seven ballot measures were certified in California, Colorado, Louisiana, Missouri, and South Dakota:

• California Require Certain Participants in Medi-Cal Rx Program to Spend 98% of Revenues on Patient Care Initiative
• Colorado Right to Abortion and Health Insurance Coverage Initiative
• Louisiana Allow Legislature to Extend Regular Sessions to Pass Appropriations Bills Amendment
• Louisiana 48-Hour Waiting Period for Concurrence on Appropriation Bills Amendment
• Missouri Levying of Fees to Support Salaries of Law Enforcement Personnel Amendment
• Missouri Require Citizenship to Vote and Prohibit Ranked-Choice Voting Amendment
• South Dakota Constitutional Amendment H, Top-Two Primary Elections Initiative

One ballot measure was removed from the ballot in Nebraska. The legislature repealed the legislation the veto referendum was targeting and passed a new bill.

• Nebraska Education Scholarships Tax Credit Referendum

Signatures have been submitted and are pending verification for 10 initiatives, three in California, one in Idaho, four in Missouri, one in Nevada, and one in South Dakota.

• California Changes to the State Children’s Services Program Initiative
• California Drug and Theft Crime Penalties and Treatment-Mandated Felonies Initiative
• California Managed Care Organization Tax Authorization Initiative
• Idaho Top-Four Ranked-Choice Voting Initiative
• Missouri Minimum Wage and Earned Paid Sick Time Initiative
• Missouri Osage River Gambling Boat License Amendment
• Missouri Right to Reproductive Freedom Amendment
• Missouri Sports Betting Amendment
• Nevada Right to Reproductive Freedom Amendment
• South Dakota Marijuana Legalization Initiative

In Massachusetts, enough signatures were verified for six indirect ballot initiatives for them to appear before state legislatures:

• Massachusetts App-Based Drivers as Contractors and Labor Policies Initiative
• Massachusetts Authorization of State Auditor to Audit General Court Initiative
• Massachusetts Minimum Wage for Tipped Employees Initiative
• Massachusetts Regulated Access to Psychedelic Substances Initiative
• Massachusetts Repeal Competency Assessment Requirement for High School Graduation Initiative
• Massachusetts Unionization and Collective Bargaining for Transportation Network Drivers Initiative

In Massachusetts, initiated state statutes are indirect. This means the legislature had the option to pass the initiatives outright. The deadline was May 1, 2024. As the legislature did not pass any of the initiatives, campaigns must gather a second round of 12,429 signatures by July 3, 2024.

The most recent signature deadline for citizen-initiated ballot measures was May 7, 2024, in South Dakota. Signatures were filed for four initiatives, three of which have been certified and one of which is pending signature verification.

The next signature deadline is May 29, 2024, in Michigan, for indirect initiated state statutes. There are four potential initiated statutes in Michigan. Additionally, petitions for one initiative that were submitted in 2022 were rejected by the Board of State Canvassers, but the campaign is appealing the order. The potential initiatives address minimum wage, sentencing credits, renewable energy standards, solar installations and zoning, and public information requests.

The following chart shows the number of ballot measures certified each week of an even-numbered year.