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Initiative and referendum
 |
| Initiated |
| • Initiated constitutional amendment |
| • Initiated state statute |
| • Veto referendum |
| Legislative |
| • Legislative constitutional amendment |
| • Legislative state statute |
| • Legislative bond issue |
| • Advisory question |
| Other |
| • Automatic ballot referral |
| • Commission-referred measure |
| • Convention-referred amendment |
| Select a state from the menu below to learn more about that state's types of ballot measures. |
In the U.S., the initiative and referendum refers to state processes that allow citizens to collect signatures to place legislation on the ballot for voters to decide. These types of ballot measures are known as citizen-initiated ballot measures. There are 26 states that provide for a statewide initiative or referendum process.
- The initiative process allows citizens to collect signatures to place a new statute or constitutional amendment on the ballot.
- The referendum process, also called a veto referendum or citizen's veto, allows citizens to collect signatures to ask voters whether to uphold or repeal an enacted law.
There is no federal initiative and referendum process in the U.S.
States with initiative and referendum
- See also: States with initiative or referendum
The following 26 states have an initiative process, referendum process, or both at the statewide level. Washington, D.C. also has an initiative and referendum process.
Note on Mississippi:
Mississippi has an initiated constitutional amendment process, including a signature distribution requirement based on five congressional districts. However, the requirements cannot be met, according to the Mississippi Supreme Court, because the state has four congressional districts following reapportionment in 2001. As a result, the process remains part of the state constitution but cannot be carried out in practice.[1]
Map of states
The following is a map of the 26 states and information on the different types of citizen-initiated measures in these states:
List of states
The following is a list of the 26 states and information on the different types of citizen-initiated measures in these states:
Types of ballot measures
- See also: Ballot measure
Most ballot measures are placed on the ballot through citizen initiatives or legislative processes. Others are placed on the ballot automatically, by a special commission, or by a state constitutional convention. The following is a list of different types of state ballot measures:
See also
- Forms of direct democracy in the American states
- States with initiative or referendum
- States without initiative or referendum
- Laws governing ballot measures
Footnotes
- ↑ Mississippi Supreme Court, "In Re Initiative Measure No. 65: Mayor Mary Hawkins Butler V Michael Watson, in His Official Capacity as Secretary of State for the State of Mississippi," May 14, 2021
- ↑ Mississippi has an initiated constitutional amendment process, including a signature distribution requirement based on five congressional districts. However, the requirements cannot be met, according to the Mississippi Supreme Court, because the state has four congressional districts following reapportionment in 2001. As a result, the process remains part of the state constitution but cannot be carried out in practice.
- ↑ In 1898, voters approved an amendment providing for initiated state statutes and veto referendums. In 1972, voters approved a revised constitution, which included a process for initiated constitutional amendments.
