Author: Victoria Antram
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Closest and widest vote margins for state ballot measure elections in California
There were 23 state ballot measures decided by less than a percentage point in California between 1910 and 2022. The ballot measure with the closest vote margin percentage during that period was Proposition 74, which was defeated with a vote margin of 50.01% ‘No’ to 49.99% ‘Yes’ in 1988. The margin in absolute votes was…
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2022 statewide ballot measures written at graduate school reading level
The ballot language for the 140 statewide ballot measures on the ballot in 38 states in 2022 is written at an average reading level of 19 (graduate school reading level), up from 18 in 2021. Ballotpedia identified 66 measures with a ballot summary that was set to appear alongside the ballot question on the ballot.…
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Campaigns supporting and opposing Massachusetts ballot questions report over $57.2 million in contributions
The campaigns registered to support and oppose the four ballot questions in Massachusetts reported over $57.2 million in cash and in-kind contributions as of Oct. 20. With $24.7 million raised by support committees and $13.7 million raised by the opposition, Massachusetts Question 1 is the most expensive legislative referral of the 2022 election cycle with…
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Rhode Island voters to decide three bond measures totaling $400 million in November
On Nov. 8, voters in Rhode Island will be deciding on three bond measures totaling $400 million. Question 1 would issue $100 million in bonds for the University of Rhode Island Narragansett Bay Campus’ marine discipline education and research needs. The University of Rhode Island is leading the Vote Yes on 1 campaign in support…
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Kansas Amendment 2 would require most county sheriffs to be elected
On Nov. 8, Kansas voters will decide on a ballot measure, Amendment 2, to require the election of county sheriffs in counties that had not abolished the office as of January 2022 and provide that sheriffs may be recalled from office or removed by a writ of quo warranto initiated by the attorney general. Currently,…
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California ballot measure committees report $618.3 million in contributions
As of Sept. 24, 2022, ballot measure committees registered to support or oppose the seven ballot propositions on California’s November ballot reported receiving $618.3 million in contributions. Campaigns surrounding Propositions 26 and 27 reported the highest amount of contributions in recent California history with $427 million. The total nearly doubles the amount of the next…
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Voters will decide on 14 statewide ballot measures related to elections, voting, campaign finance, and term limits in 2022
Voters in 10 states will decide on 14 ballot measures related to elections, voting, campaign finance, and term limits in 2022. Elections and voting policy measures Ten ballot measures address electoral systems and voting policies. On Nov. 8, Nevadans will decide whether to join Maine and Alaska in using a form of ranked-choice voting for…
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Referendum to repeal a Massachusetts law related to driver’s license applications qualifies for the November ballot
On Sept. 9, the Massachusetts Elections Division announced that a veto referendum to repeal House Bill 4805 (H 4805) had qualified for the November ballot as Question 4. H 4805 would prohibit registrars from inquiring about an applicant’s citizenship or immigration status when applying for driver’s licenses and motor vehicle registrations. It would also authorize…
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Reclaim Idaho withdraws Proposition 1 from the ballot; Idaho legislature sends an advisory question on income and corporate taxes and education funding to voters
On Sept. 7, Reclaim Idaho withdrew Proposition 1 from the November ballot after the state Legislature passed House Bill 1 (HB 1) during its special legislative session on Sept. 1. Proposition 1 qualified for the 2022 ballot on July 22. It would have increased the tax on income above $250,000 for individuals, trusts, and estates…
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Voter photo ID and minimum wage initiatives make the ballot in Nebraska
On Sept. 6, the Nebraska secretary of state announced that two ballot initiatives had qualified for the November ballot. Voters will decide on a constitutional amendment to require photo ID to vote and a new law that would incrementally increase the state’s minimum wage from $9 to $15 by 2026 and annually adjust for the…