Category: Ballot measures
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Florida abortion rights initiative surpasses signature requirement to appear on 2024 ballot pending state supreme court approval
Floridians Protecting Freedom has submitted 911,169 valid signatures to place an initiative on the Nov. 2024 ballot that would prohibit any state laws that restrict, delay, penalize, or ban abortion before fetal viability. To qualify for the ballot, 891,523 valid signatures (equal to 8% of the total votes cast in the last presidential election) were…
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More legislative changes to the ballot measure process and direct democracy in 2023 than previous five years
Legislatures enacted more pieces of legislation related to direct democracy—ballot initiatives, referendums, and recall petitions—in 2023 than the previous five years. In 2023, 45 bills and resolutions were enacted, which exceeds the annual average of 32 for this period. The previous largest number of bills enacted was 44 in 2019. While there was an increase…
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Number of California local ballot measures during odd-numbered years continues downward trend
California voters decided on 45 local ballot measures in 2023. These local ballot measures included county measures, city or town measures, or measures from local school districts or special districts. In 2023, there was one less measure than in the previous odd-numbered election year in 2021, when California voters decided on 46 local ballot measures.…
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Initiative that would limit campaign contributions to super PACs may appear on Maine 2024 ballot
In Maine, a campaign supporting a ballot initiative to limit the amount of campaign contributions to independent expenditure-only political action committees says that it has collected enough signatures to make the 2024 ballot. Cara McCormick, chairperson of the Maine Citizens to End Super PACs, the campaign behind the initiative, said, “While we are still waiting…
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Two 2024 ballot initiative campaigns report reaching the 25% signature threshold in California
The California secretary of state reported on Dec. 13 that two California ballot initiatives campaigns had collected at least 25% of the required number of signatures needed to qualify for the ballot in 2024. Protect Patients Now, sponsored by the California Apartment Association, is gathering signatures for an initiated state statute to require healthcare providers…
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Signatures submitted for Washington initiative to remove restrictions on police officers’ ability to engage in vehicular pursuits
Let’s Go Washington, a committee sponsoring six citizen-initiated ballot measures for 2024, submitted signatures for a third initiative—Initiative 2113—on Dec. 14. State Rep. Jim Walsh (R-19) sponsors the six initiatives, along with Let’s Go Washington. Let’s Go Washington was founded by Brian Heywood, a Republican donor and the CEO of Taiyo Pacific Partners. Initiative 2113…
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Signatures submitted for Washington initiative to allow parents to review educational materials and opt child out of sexual-health education
Let’s Go Washington, a committee sponsoring six citizen-initiated ballot measures for 2024, submitted signatures for a second initiative—Initiative 2081—on Dec. 12. State Rep. Jim Walsh (R-19) sponsors the six initiatives, along with Let’s Go Washington. Initiative 2081 would allow parents to review educational materials, receive certain notifications, and opt their children out of sexual health…
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Update on this year’s and next year’s ballot measure certifications
In 2023, 41 statewide measures were certified for the ballot in eight states, 10 more measures than the average number certified in other odd-numbered years from 2011 to 2021. There are no more pending state ballot measures for 2023. The final election for state ballot measures was on Sat., Nov. 18 in Louisiana, where voters approved…
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Four state constitutions provide for the right to an abortion. Here are the states that may vote on abortion constitutional amendments in 2024
Four states—California, Michigan, Ohio, and Vermont—have constitutions that explicitly provide for a right to an abortion. Most recently, Ohio voters approved Issue 1 on Nov. 7, 2023, which established a state constitutional right to “make and carry out one’s own reproductive decisions,” including decisions about abortion, contraception, fertility treatment, miscarriage care, and continuing pregnancy. Following…
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2023 had the most state ballot measures for an odd-numbered year since 2007
In 2023, voters in eight states decided on 41 statewide ballot measures—the highest number of state ballot measures for an odd-numbered year since 2007. Voters approved 33 (80.49%) and rejected eight (19.51%). The average number of statewide measures on the ballot in odd-numbered years from 2011 to 2021 was 33. The approval rate for legislative…