
Between 1889, when Montana became a state, and 2025, Montana voters decided on 266 ballot measures. Of those, 165 (62%) were approved, and 101 (38%) were defeated. The Montana State Legislature voted to refer 163 ballot measures to the state ballot between 1889 and 2025, while 99 citizen initiatives were on the statewide ballot. Additionally,…

The Louisiana State Legislature referred a constitutional amendment related to the use of public funds for drinking water service lines to the Nov. 3, 2026, statewide general election ballot. Legislators passed the amendment on May 31, 2026. In Louisiana, a two-thirds vote is required during a single session to place a constitutional amendment on the…

Michiganders for Money Out of Politics, a campaign supporting a ballot initiative that would prohibit certain organizations and individuals from making campaign contributions, submitted an estimated 562,000 signatures to the Michigan secretary of state's office on May 27, 2026. The campaign needs 356,958 valid signatures to qualify for the November 2026 ballot. Christy McGillivray, the…

In Colorado, signatures were submitted to the secretary of state on May 26, 2026, for a ballot initiative related to funding road transportation expenses. More specifically, the measure — referred to as Initiative 175 — would add a new section to Article X of the Colorado Constitution to require both the state and local governments…

The campaign behind a ballot initiative to criminalize hunting, fishing, and any intentional injury to animals in Oregon submitted over 120,000 signatures as of May 20. The initiative, referred to by the sponsors as the People for the Elimination of Animal Cruelty Exemptions (PEACE) Act, would amend Chapter 167 of the Oregon Revised Statutes to…

In states across the country, groups are gathering signatures to place initiatives or referendums on the 2026 ballot. Of the 26 states that allow citizen initiatives, 21 have at least one law setting requirements for petition circulators. Six states have laws requiring signature gatherers to be state residents. Nine states have laws directly or indirectly…

A ballot initiative to require nonprofit federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) and FQHC Look-Alikes to spend at least 90% of their annual total revenue on expenses that advance the health center's mission qualified for the general election in California. The initiative defines the spending requirement as a mission spend ratio. A FQHC is defined in…

The Colorado General Assembly referred a state statute to the Nov. 3, 2026, ballot that would allow the state to retain and spend revenue collected above constitutional limits to fund K-12 education programs and operating costs. Legislators passed the statute on May 12, 2026. Senate Bill 135 Introduced as Senate Bill 135 (SB 135) on…

A California ballot initiative to establish a $450,000 compensation limit for healthcare executives qualified for the 2026 ballot on May 12. The limit would be increased by 3.5% or the annual rate of change in the U.S. Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (U.S. CPI-W), whichever is lower. The initiative would…

Steve Maviglio, a Democratic political consultant and strategist known for his work on California ballot measure campaigns, filed a ballot initiative on May 8 for the 2028 ballot proposing to repeal the top-two primary system adopted with the approval of Proposition 14 in June 2010. The top-two system provides that all candidates are listed on…