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Laws governing local ballot measures in Kansas

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Laws governing ballot measures in the U.S.
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Laws governing ballot measures in the U.S.

Changes to laws governing ballot measures

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Select a state from the dropdown to learn more about laws governing ballot measures in that state.

This page describes the state constitutional provisions and statutes that govern local ballot measures in Kansas. Jurisdictions often establish additional rules within the parameters of state law; those can be found in local ordinances and home-rule charters.

Explore the links below for more information:

Law

The Kansas Constitution and Kansas Statutes Annotated establish the rules that govern local ballot measures in the state.

General

The following outlines the general rules that govern local ballot measures in Kansas, including both citizen-initiated measures and referred measures from local government bodies.

  • Election timing: The timing of elections is prescribed by state law and varies by the type of measure.
    • Initiatives must appear on the next primary or general election in which the political or taxing subdivision is participating in, unless the political subdivision calls for a special election.[1]
    • Charter resolution elections shall be called within 30 days and held within 90 days after the first publication of the charter resolution.[2]
    • Bond questions can be placed on the ballot at general, primary, or special elections. School districts can call only one bond election per year, unless it's held on the date of a special, primary, general, or school board election.[3][4]
  • Vote requirements: Local ballot measures require a simple majority vote for approval.[5]
  • Required ballot measures: State law requires bond issues to be placed on the ballot and be approved by a majority of voters if the bond proceeds would be used for public infrastructure, parks, sewage, and utility plants.[6]

Initiatives

The following outlines additional rules that govern local citizen-initiated ballot measures in Kansas.

  • Authority: Section 5 of Article 12, Kansas Constitution provides citizens of home rule cities the power of referendum for all city ordinances. Chapter 12, Article 30, Section 13 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated authorizes cities to provide an initiative process to propose ordinances and to force a vote on an ordinance or tax passed by the local governing board.[7]
  • Signatures: The number of signatures required depends on the type of initiative and the class of city.
    • Veto referendums in home rule counties: 2% of the number of voters who voted at the last preceding November general election or 100 voters, whichever is greater.[8]
    • Initiated general ordinances:[7]
      • 25% of the electors who voted at the last preceding regular city election in first-class cities that have a population of 15,000 or more.
      • 40% of the electors who voted at the last preceding regular city election in second and third class cities that have populations less than 15,000 or 2,000 inhabitants, respectively.
    • Initiated sales tax measures:[9]
      • 10% of the county voters who voted at the last preceding general election for the office of secretary of state
    • Initiated gross earnings tax repeal:[10]
      • 5% of the qualified voters of a county, city or township levying the tax
    • Require vote on city tax for law enforcement tax:
      • 5% of the qualified electors of the city[11]
    • Petition forcing a vote on a county sales tax measure:[9]
      • Receive resolutions from at least two-thirds of the membership of the governing body of each of one or more cities within such county that has a population of at least 25% of the entire population of the county or resolutions from at least two-thirds of the membership of the governing body of each of one or more taxing subdivisions within such county that levy at least 25% of the property taxes levied by all taxing subdivisions within the county.
    • Petition forcing a vote on a bond question where sales tax revenue would be used to repay the bonds:[12]
      • 4% of city or county voters who voted in the last Secretary of State general election
      • Petitions can be filed 30 days after the resolution has been published in the local newspaper
  • Deadlines:
    • The circulation deadline for initiated ordinances, veto referendums, or charter amendments is 180 days from the date of the first signature.[13]
    • The local governing body has 20 days to pass initiated ordinance without change or to send it to voters.[14]

Referrals

The following outlines additional rules that govern local referred ballot measures in Kansas.

  • Authority:
    • Charter amendments can be referred to the ballot by county boards.
    • School districts are authorized to submit questions to voters.[15]
  • Vote requirements for charter amendments: Majority vote of commissioners[2]
  • Deadlines: For county charter amendments, elections must be called within 30 days and held within 90 days after the first publication of the charter resolution.[2]

Laws governing local ballot measures in the U.S.

Laws governing local ballot measures in the United States

As state laws govern ballot measures, the rules are different from state to state. Click on a state below to explore that state's laws on local ballot measures.

http://ballotpedia.org/Laws_governing_local_ballot_measures_in_STATE

See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Kansas Revisor of Statutes, "KSA 25-3602," accessed November 21, 2025
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 'Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes, "19-101b," accessed November 21, 2025
  3. ↑ Kansas Revisor of Statutes, "KSA 10-120," accessed November 21, 2025
  4. ↑ Kansas Revisor of Statutes, "KSA 25-2019," accessed November 21, 2025
  5. ↑ Kansas Revisor of Statutes, "KSA 12-3013," accessed November 21, 2025
  6. ↑ Kansas Revisor of Statutes, "KSA 12-3013," accessed November 21, 2025
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes, "KSA 12-3013," accessed November 21, 2025
  8. ↑ Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes, "KSA 12-3013," accessed November 21, 2025
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes, "KSA 12-187.," accessed November 21, 2025
  10. ↑ Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes, "KSA 12-1,101," accessed November 21, 2025
  11. ↑ Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes, "KSA 12-110b," accessed November 21, 2025
  12. ↑ Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes, "12-195," accessed November 21, 2025
  13. ↑ Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes, "KSA 25-3602," accessed November 21, 2025
  14. ↑ Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes, "KSA 12-3013," accessed November 21, 2025
  15. ↑ Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes, "25-2010," accessed November 21, 2025
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