Fifteen of the 24 states that allow
ballot initiatives use the vote cast for governor in the most recent election to determine the number of signatures required on initiative petitions.
One state that allows only the veto referendum also uses the gubernatorial vote as a benchmark for determining the required number of signatures:
2010 gubernatorial elections
- See also: Gubernatorial elections, 2010
Of the 16 states where the vote cast for governor in the most recent election is relevant for determining the number of signatures that will be required for initiative petitions or veto referenda, 12 held elections in 2010. Those states were:
Year-to-year comparisons
| State
|
Votes cast for governor
|
| 2012
|
2011
|
2010
|
2009
|
2008
|
2007
|
2006
|
| Arizona
|
|
|
1,728,081
|
|
|
|
1,156,609
|
| Arkansas
|
|
|
781,333
|
|
|
|
759,918
|
| California
|
|
|
10,158,139
|
|
|
|
8,679,416
|
| Illinois
|
|
|
3,729,987
|
|
|
|
3,486,671
|
| Maine
|
|
|
580,538
|
|
|
|
544,573
|
| Maryland
|
|
|
1,857,885
|
|
|
|
1,651,259
|
| Massachusetts
|
|
|
2,319,963
|
|
|
|
2,206,916
|
| Michigan
|
|
|
3,226,088
|
|
|
|
3,796,449
|
| Mississippi
|
|
TBD
|
|
|
|
715,590
|
|
| Missouri
|
TBD
|
|
|
|
2,877,778
|
|
|
| Montana
|
TBD
|
|
|
|
486,734
|
|
|
| Ohio
|
|
|
3,852,453
|
|
|
|
3,820,795
|
| Oregon
|
|
|
1,453,548
|
|
|
|
1,283,262
|
| South Dakota
|
|
|
317,083
|
|
|
|
335,527
|
| Utah
|
TBD
|
|
643,306
|
|
946,525
|
|
|
| Washington
|
TBD
|
|
|
|
3,002,862
|
|
|