Of the 26 states that allow for citizen-initiated ballot measures, 18 states will feature citizen initiatives on the ballot this year. Thirteen of these states had a higher-than-average number of initiatives certified for their respective statewide ballots this year as compared to even-year election cycles between 2010 and 2022.
A total of 931 ballot initiatives were filed this election cycle, and 57 were certified for the ballot. 2024 will feature the most initiatives since 2016 when there were 76 on the ballot.
Nebraska has the most initiatives above average out of the 13 states. Over the last seven even-year election cycles, the state averaged about one initiative per cycle. On Nov. 5, Nebraskans will decide on six citizen initiatives related to abortion, medical marijuana, paid sick leave, and private education scholarships.
Arkansas, which still has an initiative pending signature verification as of Sept. 20, California, Maine, and Oregon ballots will all feature a lower-than-average number of initiatives this year. California averages about nine initiatives certified per cycle. In 2024, 12 of the 43 ballot initiatives filed qualified for the ballot, but in California, initiative sponsors have until 131 days before the election to withdraw their measure after it has qualified. By the June 27 deadline, six of the 12 initiatives were withdrawn due to legislative compromises being reached or campaign strategy changes. One initiative was removed from the ballot by the California Supreme Court, which ruled that the initiative was unconstitutional because the proposed changes amounted to a revision of the state constitution. Voters will only see five initiatives on their ballots in addition to six legislatively referred measures this year in California.
The average number of initiatives certified between 2010 and 2022 and the number of initiatives on the ballot in 2024 in North Dakota is the same at three initiatives. The state also had a 100% initiative certification rate with all three initiatives filed qualifying for the ballot.
Three states—Maryland, Michigan, and Oklahoma—did not have any initiatives qualify for the 2024 ballot and were below the average in each respective state. Three states—Illinois, New Mexico, and Wyoming—also did not have any initiatives qualify for the 2024 ballot. However, the average in each of the three states over the last seven election cycles was zero. Mississippi’s initiative process was suspended by a state Supreme Court ruling in 2021 that determined because the state’s distribution requirement was based on five congressional districts and the state only has four, no petition can qualify for the ballot.
The types of initiatives allowed and the process for placing them on the ballot varies by each state from the number of required signatures to subject requirements/limitations to signature submission deadlines.
2024 statewide ballots will also feature 103 referred measures, which were placed on the ballot by either the state legislature or automatically referred by the state constitution, bringing the total number of statewide ballot measures to 160. From 2010 to 2022, the average number of statewide ballot measures in an even-numbered year was 161.
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