In 2025, voters in California decided on 42 ballot measures across eight elections and 17 counties.

The total number of local ballot measures in California in 2025 was the lowest in at least a decade, with three fewer measures than in 2023, even as the number of local ballot measures in the nation’s largest cities increased overall.

This decline in odd-numbered years reflects the California Voter Participation Rights Act (CVPRA), passed in 2015, which required many local jurisdictions to consolidate their regular elections with even-numbered year statewide elections unless they met voter turnout thresholds. Affected jurisdictions were required to adopt transition plans by 2022.

In 2025, the elections with the most measures were held on March 4 and Nov. 4, both featuring 12 questions for voters' consideration. The election with the second most measures was on May 6, 2025, with five measures on the ballot.

Out of the 42 local measures on the ballot, voters approved 32 (76.2%) and defeated 10 (23.8%) of them. In the previous odd-numbered year, 2023, voters approved 34 (76%) measures and defeated 11 (24%).

Voters in 17 of 58 counties decided on local measures in 2025, with Los Angeles County voting on the most, with 11 measures on the ballot. The county with the second-most ballot measures was Marin County, with five.

Of the 42 local ballot measures, 27 were tax-related, accounting for approximately 64% of all local ballot measures in California in 2025. Out of the other measures, nine (21%) were related to charter amendments, three (7%) were related to housing, two (5%) were related to local spending limits, and one (2%) was related to bonds.

The most common type of tax measure was a parcel tax, with 17 appearing on local ballots, followed by sales taxes (9). Voters approved eight parcel tax measures and rejected nine. For sales tax measures, voters approved eight and rejected one.