2016 ballot measures

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• PUBLIC POLICY
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2016 U.S. State Ballot Measures
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Ballot Measure Monthly
Signature requirements
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In 2016, 162 statewide ballot measures have been certified for the ballot in 35 states. Of these measures, 71 were put on the ballot by citizens through signature petitions, rather than by state legislatures. Eight measures were on pre-november elections, leaving 154 measures for statewide ballots in November.

Note: 165 measures had qualified for the ballot. The Arkansas Supreme Court, however, removed two certified measures from the ballot on October 13, 2016, and another on October 27, reducing to 162 the number of measures voters will consider.

HIGHLIGHTS

Measures related to marijuana, gun control, universal healthcare, minimum wage, and other controversial topics have been certified for 2016 ballots.

Low 2014 voter turnout lowered many states' signature requirements for 2016; more than twice as many citizen initiatives qualified for the ballot this year than in 2014.

In 2016, 71 citizen initiatives were certified for the ballot; this is the highest number of citizen initiatives to go before voters since 2006.

Overview

Over 205 million residents will be affected by the results of ballot measure elections in November.

Notable topics on the ballot

Ballot measures often touch on hot-button issues. The 2016 ballot will not be an exception; it will include measures about marijuana, gun control, universal healthcare, minimum wage, and other controversial topics, as well as a referendum on California's first-in-the-nation, statewide plastic bag ban, an initiative for a new system of voting in Maine, and an initiative in California designed to require condoms to be used in pornographic films.

Populations affected

Below is a breakdown of notable issues on the November ballot according to the populations that will be affected by certain ballot measure topics:

• Marijuana - 82.0 million residents live in states that could loosen rules on marijuana in November.
• Minimum wage - 21.6 million residents live in states that could increase minimum wages in November.
• Gun control - 50.5 million residents could be subject to additional gun control regulations.
• Tobacco - 51.4 million residents could see tobacco taxes increase after the November election.
• Taxes - 123.3 million residents could see changes in tax policy in their states in November, including issues like tax increases, tax revenue allocation, and tax exemptions.

Elections and deadlines in 2016

Eight of 2016's measures were scheduled for a pre-November ballot; the first was approved on March 1, 2016, in Alabama. Voters in Florida approved Amendment 4, a measure to provide property tax exemptions for solar equipment, on August 30, 2016. Most of the measures will be decided on November 8, 2016.

States allowing initiatives and referendums have different filing deadlines for initiative and referendum signature petitions. South Dakota had the earliest filing deadline on November 9, 2015. Colorado had the second-to-last filing deadline on August 8, 2016. Oklahoma had the last deadline on September 7, 2016.

Historical context for 2016 elections

This year continued a two-decade-long trend of a decreasing number of ballot measures.

• In 2016, 162 statewide ballot measures are certified to appear before voters.
• In 1998, the number of measures peaked at 274.
• The average number of measures that appeared on the ballot during even-numbered years between 2008-2014 is 175.
• The average from 1980 through 2014 is 194.

This year, there was a spike, however, in the number of measures put on the ballot through citizen initiative petitions rather than by state legislatures.

• In 2016, 71 citizen initiatives are certified for the ballot.
• From 1980 through 2014, an average of 54 citizen initiatives appeared on the ballot during even-numbered years.
• From 2008 through 2014, this average decreased to 49.

Notable topics in 2016

See also: List of ballot measures by topic

Topic	On the ballot	a Approved	d Defeated
Marijuana	9	0	0
Minimum wage	5	0	0
Healthcare	5	0	0
Gun laws	4	0	0
All[1]	162	7	1

Marijuana

A record number of measures to legalize or decriminalize marijuana were proposed for 2016. The chart below shows the measures that qualified for the ballot in 2016.

• The proposal in California would affect the largest population and will likely feature the most expensive campaigns in support and opposition.
• The medical marijuana amendment in Florida and Nevada's marijuana legalization initiative could boost voter turnout, making the issue an important aspect of the presidential race in these two swing states.
• 2015 saw a high-profile marijuana measure defeated in Ohio.

Minimum wage

Measures aiming to increase the minimum wage have been popular proposals in 2016. South Dakotans will vote on a veto referendum to do the opposite by lowering, rather than raising, the minimum wage for minors.

Healthcare

Several notable healthcare-related measures have been certified for 2016 ballots, including California's Drug Price Standards Initiative, Prop. 61, and Colorado Amendment 69, which would create the nation's first single-payer healthcare system. As of October 2016, the opposition campaign for California Proposition 61 had campaign contributions totalling nearly $109 million, while the support campaign for another California initiative, Proposition 52, which was designed to extend and earmark hospital fees and matching federal funds, raised over $60 million. Proposition 61 could be the most expensive ballot measure battle in 2016.

Gun control

Interesting and unusual

Porn actors in California could be required to wear condoms during filming if Proposition 60 is approved. Californians will also decide another measure to ban plastic shopping bags, which is on the ballot as Proposition 67. Electors in Maine will decide on an overhaul of their voting system.

Context of the 2016 elections

Fewer measures on the ballot

The total number of statewide measures on the ballot has declined in recent years. 2014 saw an unusually low number qualified, at only 158 measures. The last time the number of statewide ballot measures dipped below 160 was in 1988; the recent high point was in 1998, with 272 measures.

In 2014, only 35 initiated measures went before voters. This was an unusually low number of initiated measures; the last time the number dipped below 36 was in 1974.

However, in 2016, 71 initiated measures are certified for the ballot. This means that 2016 will see at least twice as many initiated measures as 2014.

Nevertheless, 2016 may still have a lower-than-average number of statewide ballot measures. If this happens, it is because the number of measures referred to the ballot by state legislatures will be unusually low.

See also: Ballotpedia's Tuesday Count for 2016

Lower signature requirements

Lowered signature requirements indicated that we could see an increase in the number of citizen-initiated measures on the ballot.

The number of signatures required to get an initiative on a ballot is based on a percentage of votes cast in an election in all but three of the states offering citizens the power of initiative; the three states with different requirements are North Dakota, Idaho, and Nebraska.

Voter turnout for the 2014 general election was the lowest since World War II, which caused signature requirements to drop by an average of 10.5 percent in the 15 states basing their requirements on the 2014 general election.^[2][3]

In California, for example, signature requirements plunged 27.5 percent to 585,407 for initiated constitutional amendments and 365,880 for initiated state statutes. Signature requirements have not been set this low in California since 1979, when the state's population was only 60 percent of what it was in 2014. This led commentators to speculate that 2016 will be an "initiative avalanche" or "initiative carnival," at least in California. Ultimately, 15 measures were put on the ballot in California through citizen petitions. This compares to four in 2014, 13 in 2012, and 11 in 2010.^[4][5]

The drop was even more pronounced in Nevada, where signature requirements tumbled 45.7 percent. Nevada is unique, however, because the state's signature requirements are based on votes cast in the general election; therefore, requirements fluctuate every two years.

Only Arkansas, Colorado, Maine, and Oregon saw signature requirements for 2016 initiatives increase relative to 2014 requirements.

Over 900 initiatives were filed for circulation with state officials across the nation. This compares to approximately 616 initiatives filed in 2014.

Signature requirements for initiated statutes by state, 2014 to 2016 2014 requirements 2016 requirements Percent change Alaska 30,169 28,545 -5.38% Arizona 172,809 150,642 -12.83% Arkansas 62,507 67,887 8.61% California 504,760 365,880 -27.51% Colorado 86,105 98,492 14.39% Illinois 298,399 290,216 -2.74% Maine 57,277 61,123 6.71% Massachusetts 68,911 64,750 -6.04% Michigan 258,087 252,523 -2.16% Nevada 101,666 55,237 -45.67% Ohio 115,574 91,677 -20.68% Oklahoma 82,782 65,987 -20.29% Oregon 116,284 117,578 1.11% South Dakota 15,854 13,870 -12.51% Wyoming 37,606 25,673 -31.73%

Type of measures

The chart below breaks out the statewide ballot measures certified for the 2016 ballot by type and compares these numbers to data from previous even-numbered years.

By date

March 1

• Alabama Judicial Retirement Measure, Amendment 1 (March 2016) a

March 15

• North Carolina Connect NC Public Improvement Bond a

April 26

• Pennsylvania Proposed Amendment 2 a

May 17

• Arizona Education Finance Amendment, Proposition 123 a
• Arizona Public Retirement Benefits Amendment, Proposition 124 a

June 7

• California Suspension of Legislators Amendment a

June 14

• North Dakota Corporate Dairy and Swine Farming Referendum d

August 30

• Florida Tax Exemptions for Renewable Energy Equipment, Amendment 4 a

November 8

• See 2016 Ballot Measure Scorecard

By state

Alabama

Alabama 2016 ballot measures

March 1:

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Amendment 1	Wages and pay	Changes retirement plans for Alabama judicial officials	a

November 8:

Alaska

Alaska 2016 ballot measures

Arizona

Arizona 2016 ballot measures

May 17:

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Proposition 123	Education	Increase education funding by $3.5 billion over 10 years	a
LRCA	Proposition 124	Salaries	Retirement benefits of public employees	a

November 8:

Arkansas

Arkansas 2016 ballot measures

California

California 2016 ballot propositions

June 7:

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Proposition 50	Legislature	Require a two-thirds majority to suspend a state legislator	a

November 8:

Colorado

Colorado 2016 ballot measures

Florida

Florida 2016 ballot measures

August 30:

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Amendment 4	Energy	Provides property tax exemptions for renewable energy devices	a

November 8:

Georgia

Georgia 2016 ballot measures

Hawaii

Hawaii 2016 ballot measures

Idaho

Idaho 2016 ballot measures

November 8:

Illinois

Illinois 2016 ballot measures

Indiana

Indiana 2016 ballot measures

Kansas

Kansas 2016 ballot measures

Louisiana

Louisiana 2016 ballot measures

Maine

Maine 2016 ballot measures

Maryland

Maryland 2016 ballot measures

Massachusetts

Massachusetts 2016 ballot measures

Minnesota

Minnesota 2016 ballot measures

Missouri

Missouri 2016 ballot measures

Montana

Montana 2016 ballot measures

Nebraska

Nebraska 2016 ballot measures

Nevada

Nevada 2016 ballot measures

New Jersey

New Jersey 2016 ballot measures

New Mexico

New Mexico 2016 ballot measures

North Carolina

North Carolina 2016 ballot measures

March 15

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
BI	Public Improvement Bond	Bonds	Authorized $2 billion in bonds for public improvements	a

North Dakota

North Dakota 2016 ballot measures

June 14, 2016

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
VR	Measure 1	Agriculture	Allow a corporation to own a dairy or swine production facility	d

November 8, 2016

Oklahoma

Oklahoma 2016 ballot measures

Oregon

Oregon 2016 ballot measures

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania 2016 ballot measures

April 26:

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Amendment 2	State judiciary	Abolish the Traffic Court in the City of Philadelphia	a

November 8:

Rhode Island

Rhode Island 2016 ballot measures

South Dakota

South Dakota 2016 ballot measures

Utah

Utah 2016 ballot measures

Virginia

Virginia 2016 ballot measures

Washington

Washington 2016 ballot measures

Wyoming

Wyoming 2016 ballot measures

Local ballot measures

What we cover

See also: Local ballot measure elections in 2016

Ballotpedia provides comprehensive coverage of local ballot measures in California. Ballotpedia covers a selection of local ballot measures based on widespread interest in the issues at stake and the size of the population affected by the measure. Some of the topics that receive the most coverage are listed below:

The big picture

Statewide and national agendas

See also: Using local measures to advance national agendas

Local politics has always been affected by larger agendas and issues, as well as outside interests and funding. In local ballot measure races, the influence of state or national interests on local issues has been brought into sharp relief when advocates for certain statewide and national agendas or outside corporations back local measures. As this occurs more frequently and in races that garner national attention, the use of local ballot measures to advance a statewide or national agenda has become an important narrative in U.S. politics.

For examples of and details about this important aspect of local ballot measures, see this page.

State vs. Local

See also: Power struggle between state and local government

As activists have turned to local ballot measures to push agendas such as bans on genetically modified organisms (GMOs), higher minimum wages, LGBT anti-discrimination ordinances, marijuana legalization, and anti-fracking restrictions, advocates of opposing agendas have teamed up with some who think that power over certain issues should belong exclusively to state governments to diminish the authority of local government entities. In some states, opposition to local ballot measures concerning contentious issues has been shown by officials at the state level, and conflict between the authority of local government entities and state governments has become an important narrative in U.S. politics.

For examples of and details about this important aspect of local ballot measures, see this page.

See also

• Potential 2016 ballot measures
• Polls, 2016 ballot measures
• Calendar
• Petition drive deadlines, 2016
• 2016 ballot measure media endorsements
• How to find campaign finance information about ballot measure campaigns
• Local ballot measure elections in 2016

Footnotes

v • e Statewide ballot measures State A • Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • C • California • Colorado • Connecticut • F • Florida • G • Georgia • H • Hawaii • I • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • K • Kansas • Kentucky • L • Louisiana • M • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • N • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • O • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • P • Pennsylvania • R • Rhode Island • S • South Carolina • South Dakota • T • Tennessee • Texas • U • Utah • V • Vermont • Virginia • W • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming By topic A • Abortion • Admin of gov't • Affirmative action • Alcohol • Animal rights • Assisted death • B • Bonds • Budgets • Business regulation • C • Campaigns • Civil rights • Constitutional conventions • Constitutional language • County government • D • Daylight Saving Time • Death penalty • Direct democracy • E • Earthquakes • Education • Elections • Eminent domain • English • Environment • Executives • F • Federal constitutional issues • Firearms • G • Gambling • Government accountability • H • Healthcare • Housing • Hunting • I • Immigration • Insurance • J • State judiciary • L • LGBT • Labor • Law enforcement • Legislatures • M • Marijuana • Marriage • Minimum wage • Mottos • Municipal government • N • Natural resources • P • Pensions • Property • Public finance • R • Recall • Redistricting • Religion • Rules about Sunday • S • Salaries of elected officials • Smoking bans • State budgets • State executives • State judiciary • State legislatures • Stem cells • Supermajority requirements • Sundays • T • Taxes • Tobacco • Transportation • U • Unions • Utilities • V • Veterans • W • Wages • War and peace • Water • Welfare By type Advisory vote • Automatic referral • Bond measure • Commission referral • Constitutional amendment (by initiative) • Constitutional amendment (referred by legislature) • Grand Jury Panels • State statute (by initiative) • State statute (referred by legislature) • Veto referendums Forms of direct democracy in the American states By year 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011 • 2010 • 2009 • 2008 • 2007 • 2006 • 2005 • 2004 • 2003 • 2002 • 2001 • 2000 1999 • 1998 • 1997 • 1996 • 1995 • 1994 • 1993 • 1992 • 1991 • 1990 • 1989 • 1988 • 1987 • 1986 • 1985 • 1984 • 1983 • 1982 • 1981 • 1980 1979 • 1978 • 1977 • 1976 • 1975 • 1974 • 1973 • 1972 • 1971 • 1970 • 1969 • 1968 • 1967 • 1966 • 1965 • 1964 • 1963 • 1962 • 1961 • 1960 1959 • 1958 • 1957 • 1956 • 1955 • 1954 • 1953 • 1952 • 1951 • 1950 • 1949 • 1948 • 1947 • 1946 • 1945 • 1944 • 1943 • 1942 • 1941 • 1940 1939 • 1938 • 1937 • 1936 • 1935 • 1934 • 1933 • 1932 • 1931 • 1930 • 1929 • 1928 • 1927 • 1926 • 1925 • 1924 • 1923 • 1922 • 1921 • 1920 1919 • 1918 • 1917 • 1916 • 1915 • 1914 • 1913 • 1912 • 1911 • 1910 • 1909 • 1908 • 1907 • 1906 • 1905 • 1904 • 1903 • 1902 • 1901 • 1900 Other Tuesday Count reports • Features of official voter guides • Ballot measure campaign websites by year • Ballot measure endorsements • How to find campaign finance information about ballot measure campaigns

v • e Ballotpedia's Election Analysis in 2016 Main Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2016 • Terms and concepts: Partisan Risk Federal Desk • U.S. House battlegrounds • U.S. Senate battlegrounds • Presidential battleground states • The 2016 Senate races • The post-2016 federal government scenarios • Impact of the 2016 election on the United States Supreme Court • Policy positions of the 2016 candidates State Desk • Gubernatorial and legislative party control of state government • State government trifectas •State executive official elections • State legislative elections • State judicial elections •State supreme court partisanship, 2016 • State supreme court changes, 2016 •2016 ballot measures • State legislative battleground chambers, 2016 Local Desk • Partisanship in local elections • Money in local elections • Partisanship in United States mayoral elections • Race, law enforcement, and the ballot box • Education reform at the state and local levels • Battles over school governance • State funding battles and local responses • The fight to shape public school curriculum Policy Desk • Education policy disputes in the 2016 elections • Healthcare policy disputes in the 2016 elections • Environmental policy disputes in the 2016 elections • Election policy disputes in the 2016 elections • Energy policy disputes in the 2016 elections • Budget policy disputes in the 2016 elections • Public policy in the 2016 elections