2016 ballot measures
- Ballotpedia's Election Analysis in 2016
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- Public policy in the 2016 elections
| 2016 U.S. State Ballot Measures | |
|---|---|
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| |
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| Part 1: Overview | |
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| Scorecard | |
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| Part 2: Campaigns | |
| Polls | |
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| Part 3: Finances | |
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| Signature costs | |
| Ballot Measure Monthly | |
| Signature requirements | |
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- 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 considered.
For election results for all statewide ballot measures, click here.
| HIGHLIGHTS | |
November election results summary
Of the 162 statewide measures decided in 2016, 154 of them were on the ballot on November 8, 2016.
| Topic | On the ballot |  Approved
|
 Defeated
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Marijuana | 9 | 8 | 1 |
| Minimum wage | 5 | 4 | 1 |
| Healthcare | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| Gun laws | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| All[1] | 154 | 110 | 44 |
Marijuana:
Notably, the number of U.S. residents living in a state with legal recreational marijuana nearly quadrupled from 17.4 million to 66.2 million, with another 1.3 million residents in Maine awaiting the completion of a recount of election results for Question 1.
Arizona voters rejected marijuana legalization, but voters in the following states approved it:
Medical marijuana measures were approved in Arkansas, Florida, and North Dakota, and the program in Montana was expanded by removing the three-patient limit for providers.
Minimum wage:
All four minimum wage initiatives on the ballot were approved, increasing the minimum wage in the following states:
- Arizona - Proposition 206 - $12 per hour by 2020 (with paid time off)
- Colorado - Amendment 70 - $12 per hour by 2020
- Maine - Question 4 - $12 per hour by 2020
- Washington - Initiative 1433 - $13.50 by 2020
Also, voters in South Dakota overturned the state legislature's attempt to decrease the minimum wage for those under 18 through the veto referendum Referred Law 20. Thus, the minimum wage for youth in South Dakota will be $8.50 per hour according to the will of the voters instead of $7.50 per hour as state legislators wanted.
Gun Control:
Gun control expansion was defeated in Maine and approved in the following three states:
- California Proposition 63: Background Checks for Ammunition Sales
- Nevada Question 1: Background Checks for Gun Sales
- Washington Initiative 1491: Individual Gun Access Prevention by Court Order
Death penalty:
Electors in all three states featuring death penalty-related measures voted in favor of the death penalty and against efforts to repeal it:
- California Proposition 62, which would have repealed the death penalty in California was defeated.
- Nebraska voters chose to overturn the state legislature's effort to end the death penalty by voting "repeal" on Referendum 426. Thus, the death penalty will remain in Nebraska according to the will of the voters instead of being repealed as the state legislature wanted.
- Oklahoma State Question 776 was approved, constitutionally protecting the death penalty in the state.
Moreover, a proposition in California to speed up the appeals process for death row inmates was approved.
Notable measures:
- Oklahoma Question 780, Drug Crime Penalty Reduction and Oklahoma Question 781, Prison Savings Allocation
- Marsy's Laws (three states):
Overview
Over 205 million residents were affected by the results of ballot measure elections in November.
Ballot measures often touch on hot-button issues. The 2016 ballot was not an exception; it included 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 were affected by certain ballot measure topics:
- Marijuana - 82.0 million residents live in states that featured ballot measures to loosen rules on marijuana.
- Minimum wage - 21.6 million residents live in states that featured measure to increase minimum wages.
- Gun control - 50.5 million residents live in states that featured measure to provide additional gun control regulations.
- Tobacco - 51.4 million residents live in states that featured measures to increase tobacco taxes.
- Taxes - 123.3 million residents live in states that featured ballot measures concerning tax policy, 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 were 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 were 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 or veto referendum petitions rather than by state legislatures.
- In 2016, 71 citizen initiatives and five veto referendums were 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 | Approved
|
Defeated
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Marijuana | 9 | 8 | 1 |
| Minimum wage | 5 | 4 | 1 |
| Healthcare | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| Gun laws | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| All[2] | 162 | 117 | 45 |
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 affected the largest population and featured the most expensive campaigns in support and opposition.
- The medical marijuana amendment in Florida and Nevada's marijuana legalization initiative could have boosted 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 were popular proposals in 2016. South Dakotans voted on a veto referendum to do the opposite by lowering, rather than raising, the minimum wage for minors.
Healthcare
Several notable healthcare-related measures were certified for 2016 ballots, including California's Drug Price Standards Initiative, Prop. 61, and Colorado Amendment 69, which was designed to 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 was the most expensive ballot measure battle in 2016.
Gun control
Death penalty
| Death penalty measures on the ballot in 2016 | |
|---|---|
| State | Measures |
| California | California Proposition 62, Repeal of the Death Penalty
|
| California | California Proposition 66, Death Penalty Procedures
|
| Nebraska | Nebraska Death Penalty Repeal, Referendum 426
|
| Oklahoma | Oklahoma Death Penalty, State Question 776 |
Interesting and unusual
Porn actors in California could have been required to wear condoms during filming if Proposition 60 were approved. Californians also decided another measure to ban plastic shopping bags, which was on the ballot as Proposition 67. Electors in Maine decided 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. An unusually low number of measures qualified, only 158, in 2014. 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.
| HIGHLIGHTS | |
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 were certified for the ballot. This means that 2016 saw at least twice as many initiated measures as 2014.
Nevertheless, 2016 still had a lower-than-average number of statewide ballot measures. This is because the number of measures referred to the ballot by state legislatures was lower than average.
- See also: Ballotpedia's Tuesday Count for 2016
Lower signature requirements
Lowered signature requirements indicated that we would see an increase in the number of citizen-initiated measures on the ballot.
| HIGHLIGHTS | |
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, which base signature requirements on the number of registered voters or the state's population.
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.[3][4]
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 had 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 would 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.[5][6]
The drop was even more pronounced in Nevada, where signature requirements fell by 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.
About 1,000 initiatives were filed for circulation with state officials across the nation. This compares to approximately 616 initiatives filed in 2014.
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Types 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.
| Type of ballot measure | 2016 | 2014 | 2012 | 2010 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legislatively referred amendments | 69 | 91 | 99 | 106 |
| Initiatives | 71 | 35 | 50 | 46 |
| Veto referendums | 5 | 5 | 13 | 4 |
| Legislatively referred state statutes | 2 | 20 | 20 | 23 |
| Automatic ballot referrals | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| Commission-referred ballot measures | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Advisory questions | 3 | 5 | 3 | 1 |
| Bond issues | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 162 | 158 | 188 | 184 |
By date
March 1
March 15
April 26
May 17
- Arizona Education Finance Amendment, Proposition 123
- Arizona Public Retirement Benefits Amendment, Proposition 124
June 7
June 14
August 30
November 8
By state
Alabama
March 1:
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LRCA | Amendment 1 | Wages and pay | Changes retirement plans for Alabama judicial officials |
|
November 8:
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LRCA | Amendment 1 | Education | Auburn University's Board of Trustees | |
| LRCA | Amendment 2 | Forests and parks | Prohibit reallocation of state park funds for other uses | |
| LRCA | Amendment 3 | Local gov't | Rules governing local constitutional amendments | |
| LRCA | Amendment 4 | Local gov't | Administration of county affairs | |
| LRCA | Amendment 5 | Constitution | Separation of powers | |
| LRCA | Amendment 6 | Legislature | Establish new rules for impeachment | |
| LRCA | Amendment 7 | Law enforcement | Supervision of Etowah County Sheriff employees | |
| LRCA | Amendment 8 | Labor and unions | A "right-to-work" amendment | |
| LRCA | Amendment 9 | Judges | Pickens County Judge of Probate maximum qualifying age | |
| LRCA | Amendment 10 | Local gov't | Police and planning jurisdiction over Calhoun County land | |
| LRCA | Amendment 11 | Taxes, local gov't | Manufacturing Zone Tax Revenue | |
| LRCA | Amendment 12 | Transportation, bonds | Toll bridge and toll road districts | |
| LRCA | Amendment 13 | Civil service | Age restrictions for government officials | |
| LRCA | Amendment 14 | Budget | Budget isolation resolution on local laws | |
Alaska
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IndISS | Measure 1 | Suffrage | Ability to register to vote when applying for permanent fund dividend | |
| LRCA | Measure 2 | Gov't finance | Allows state debt to be contracted for postsecondary student loans | |
Arizona
May 17:
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LRCA | Proposition 123 | Education | Increase education funding by $3.5 billion over 10 years |
|
| LRCA | Proposition 124 | Salaries | Retirement benefits of public employees |
|
November 8:
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CISS | Proposition 205 | Marijuana | Legalize marijuana for individuals older than 21 years of age | |
| CISS | Proposition 206 | Minimum wage | Minimum wage increase; paid sick time | |
Arkansas
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LRCA | Issue 1 | Local Gov't | Rules governing certain county officials | |
| LRCA | Issue 2 | State Exec | Role of governor when absent from the state | |
| LRCA | Issue 3 | Bonds | Removes the cap on the amount of bonds the state is allowed to issue | |
| CICA | Issue 6 | Marijuana | Legalize medical marijuana | |
California
June 7:
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LRCA | Proposition 50 | Legislature | Require a two-thirds majority to suspend a state legislator | |
November 8:
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CISS | Proposition 51 | Education | $9 billion in bonds for education and schools | |
| CICA/SS | Proposition 52 | Healthcare | Voter approval of changes to the hospital fee program | |
| CICA | Proposition 53 | Elections/Bonds | Projects that cost more than $2 billion | |
| CICA/SS | Proposition 54 | Accountability | Conditions under which legislative bills can be passed | |
| CICA | Proposition 55 | Taxes | Extension of personal income tax on incomes over $250,000 | |
| CICA | Proposition 56 | Tobacco | Increase the cigarette tax by $2.00 per pack | |
| CICA/SS | Proposition 57 | Trials | Felons convicted of non-violent crimes and juvenile trials | |
| LRSS | Proposition 58 | Education | Bilingual education in public schools | |
| AQ | Proposition 59 | Campaign finance | State's position on Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission | |
| CISS | Proposition 60 | Movies | Require the use of condoms in pornographic films | |
| CISS | Proposition 61 | Healthcare | Prescription drug price regulations | |
| CISS | Proposition 62 | Death penalty | Repeal the death penalty | |
| CISS | Proposition 63 | Firearms | Background checks for ammunition purchases | |
| CISS | Proposition 64 | Marijuana | Legalization of marijuana and hemp | |
| CISS | Proposition 65 | Environment | Grocery and retail carry-out bags | |
| CISS | Proposition 66 | Death penalty | Death penalty procedures | |
| VR | Proposition 67 | Business reg | Prohibition on plastic single-use carryout bags | |
Colorado
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LRCA | Amendment T | Civil rights | Exception to slavery prohibition for criminals | |
| LRCA | Amendment U | Taxes | Property tax exemption for possessory interests of $6,000 or less | |
| CICA | Amendment 69 | Healthcare | ColoradoCare, a new state healthcare system | |
| CICA | Amendment 70 | Minimum wage | Increase in minimum wage | |
| CICA | Amendment 71 | Initiatives | Distribution and supermajority requirements for initiatives | |
| CICA | Amendment 72 | Tobacco, Taxes | Increase tax on cigarettes by $1.75 per pack of 20 | |
| CISS | Proposition 106 | Assisted death | Make assisted death legal under some circumstances | |
| CISS | Proposition 107 | Elections | Open presidential primary elections | |
| CISS | Proposition 108 | Elections | Unaffiliated electors voting in primaries | |
Florida
August 30:
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LRCA | Amendment 4 | Energy | Provides property tax exemptions for renewable energy devices | |
November 8:
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CICA | Amendment 1 | Energy | Equipment that produces solar energy for personal use | |
| CICA | Amendment 2 | Marijuana | Physician-prescribed marijuana | |
| LRCA | Amendment 3 | Taxes | Property tax exemptions for first responders | |
| LRCA | Amendment 5 | Taxes | Property tax breaks for senior citizens | |
Georgia
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LRCA | Amendment 1 | Education | State intervention in “chronically failing” public schools | |
| LRCA | Amendment 2 | Gov't finances | Revenue for the Safe Harbor for Sexually Exploited Children Fund | |
| LRCA | Amendment 3 | State judiciary | Judicial Qualifications Commission | |
| LRCA | Amendment 4 | Taxes | Use of tax revenue from fireworks | |
Hawaii
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LRCA | Amendment 1 | Trials | Increases the threshold value in controversy requirement for jury trials | |
| LRCA | Amendment 2 | Gov't Finances | Add alternatives for the disposition of excess general fund revenues | |
Idaho
November 8:
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LRCA | HJR 5 | Legislature | Allow state legislature to review administrative rules | |
Illinois
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LRCA | Transportation Lockbox | Budget | Lockbox on transportation funds | |
Indiana
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LRCA | Public Question 1 | Hunt & Fish | Establish a constitutional right to hunt and fish | |
Kansas
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LRCA | Constitutional Amendment 1 | Hunting and fishing | Ensures the right to hunt, fish, and trap wildlife | |
Louisiana
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LRCA | Amendment 1 | Admin of gov't | Parish Registrars of Voters | |
| LRCA | Amendment 2 | Education | Tuition set by postsecondary education boards | |
| LRCA | Amendment 3 | Taxes | Eliminate federal income tax deductibility | |
| LRCA | Amendment 4 | Taxes | Property tax exemptions for surviving spouses of first responders | |
| LRCA | Amendment 5 | Taxes | Establishes the Revenue Stabilization Trust Fund | |
| LRCA | Amendment 6 | Budget | Set-aside funds for future possible budget deficits | |
Maine
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IndISS | Question 1 | Marijuana | Legalizes, regulates, and taxes marijuana as an agricultural product | |
| IndISS | Question 2 | Taxes | Establishes a 3 percent tax on household income over $200,000 | |
| IndISS | Question 3 | Firearms | Requires specific background checks for gun sales and transfers | |
| IndISS | Question 4 | Min Wage | Increases minimum wage to $12 per hour by 2020 | |
| IndISS | Question 5 | Elections | Establishes statewide ranked-choice voting | |
| BI | Question 6 | Bonds | Issues $100 million in bonds for transportation projects | |
Maryland
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LRCA | Question 1 | Executives | How to fill vacancies for some statewide elected offices | |
Massachusetts
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IndISS | Question 1 | Gambling | Additional slots-only casino license | |
| IndISS | Question 2 | Education | Authorization of up to 12 new charter schools per year | |
| IndISS | Question 3 | Animals | Prohibit certain methods of farm animal containment | |
| IndISS | Question 4 | Marijuana | Legalize recreational marijuana for individuals at least 21 years old | |
Minnesota
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LRCA | Amendment 1 | Salaries | Creates an independent board that sets the pay of legislators | |
Missouri
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ABR | Amendment 1 | Taxes | Continue existing sales and use tax for 10 years | |
| CICA | Amendment 2 | Elections | Regulations on campaign contributions | |
| CISS | Amendment 3 | Taxes, Tobacco | Increase the tax on cigarettes by 60 cents | |
| CICA | Amendment 4 | Taxes | Prohibition on some new state sales or use taxes | |
| LRCA | Amendment 6 | Elections | Empower legislature to require voter IDs in public elections | |
| CISS | Proposition A | Taxes, Tobacco | Increase the tax on cigarettes by 23 cents | |
Montana
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CICA | CI-116 | Law enforcement | Specification of specific rights for crime victims | |
| CISS | I-177 | Animals | Prohibition on using animal traps and snares on state lands | |
| CISS | I-181 | Bond issues | Bonds to establish a Montana Biomedical Research Authority | |
| CISS | I-182 | Marijuana | Medical marijuana | |
Nebraska
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VR | Referendum 426 | Death Penalty | Asks voters whether to repeal or maintain LB 268, which eliminated the state's death penalty | |
Nevada
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IndISS | Question 1 | Firearms | Background checks for gun purchases | |
| IndISS | Question 2 | Marijuana | Legalization of marijuana | |
| CICA | Question 3 | Energy | Regulations on the energy market | |
| CICA | Question 4 | Taxes, Healthcare | Sales tax exemption for medical equipment | |
New Jersey
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LRCA | Public Question 1 | Gambling | Allows for two new casinos in northern New Jersey | |
| LRCA | Public Question 2 | Budgets | Dedicates all revenue from gas taxes to transportation projects | |
New Mexico
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LRCA | Amendment 1 | Bail | Grants courts the authority to deny bail in some felony cases | |
| BI | Bond Question A | Bond issues | Issues bonds for senior citizen facility improvements | |
| BI | Bond Question B | Bond issues | Issues bonds for academic and public library resource acquisitions | |
| BI | Bond Question C | Bond issues | Issues bonds for higher education and school improvements | |
| BI | Bond Question D | Bond issues | Issues bonds for public safety improvements | |
North Carolina
March 15
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BI | Public Improvement Bond | Bonds | Authorized $2 billion in bonds for public improvements |
|
North Dakota
June 14, 2016
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VR | Measure 1 | Agriculture | Allow a corporation to own a dairy or swine production facility | |
November 8, 2016
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LRCA | Measure 1 | Legislature | Residency requirement for state legislators | |
| LRCA | Measure 2 | Taxes, Budget | Allocation of some extraction tax revenue to schools | |
| CICA | Measure 3 | Law enforcement | Expand the rights of crime victims | |
| CISS | Measure 4 | Tobacco | Increase the tax on tobacco products | |
| CISS | Measure 5 | Marijuana | Allow individuals to use medical marijuana | |
Oklahoma
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LRCA | SQ 776 | Death Penalty | Provides constitutional justification for death penalty statutes | |
| LRCA | SQ 777 | Agriculture | Adds a "right to farm" to the state constitution | |
| CICA | SQ 779 | Taxes | Increases the state sales tax by 1 percent | |
| CISS | SQ 780 | Law enforcement | Reclassifies some drug and property crimes as misdemeanors | |
| CISS | SQ 781 | Law enforcement | Funds rehabilitation programs with funds from SQ 780 | |
| LRCA | SQ 790 | Religion | Repeals prohibition on public money being spent for religious purposes | |
| LRCA | SQ 792 | Alcohol | Allows grocery and convenience stores to sell full-strength beer and wine | |
Oregon
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LRCA | Measure 94 | Judiciary | Repeal the judicial retirement age for state court judges | |
| LRCA | Measure 95 | Budget | Allow public state universities to invest in equities | |
| LRCA | Measure 96 | Lottery | Devote 1.5 percent of state lottery net proceeds to veteran services | |
| CISS | Measure 97 | Taxes | Increase taxes on businesses with annual sales over $25 million | |
| CISS | Measure 98 | Education | Require state funding for dropout prevention | |
| CISS | Measure 99 | Lottery | Create an "Outdoor School Education Fund" | |
| CISS | Measure 100 | Animals | Prohibit the sale of products from 12 species of endangered animals | |
Pennsylvania
April 26:
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LRCA | Amendment 2 | State judiciary | Abolish the Traffic Court in the City of Philadelphia |
|
November 8:
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LRCA | Retirement Age | State judiciary | Raises the state judicial retirement age from 70 to 75 years of age | |
Rhode Island
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LRSS | Question 1 | Gambling | Approves a casino to be built in the town of Tiverton | |
| LRCA | Question 2 | Gov't accountability | Give state ethics commission authority to investigate legislators | |
| BI | Question 3 | Bond issue | Issues bonds for a new Veterans Home and existing facilities | |
| BI | Question 4 | Bond issue | Issues bonds to invest in higher education projects | |
| BI | Question 5 | Bond issue | Issues bonds for port infrastructure projects | |
| BI | Question 6 | Bond issue | Issues bonds for environmental projects | |
| BI | Question 7 | Bond issue | Issues bonds for affordable housing projects | |
South Dakota
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LRCA | Amendment R | Education | Governance of postsecondary technical education institutes | |
| CICA | Amendment S | Crime | Expands crime victims' rights | |
| CICA | Amendment T | Redistricting | Redistricting commission created to make redistricting decisions | |
| CICA | Amendment U | Banking | Statutory interest rates for loans | |
| CICA | Amendment V | Elections | Establish nonpartisan elections | |
| VR | Referred Law 19 | Elections | Regulations on who may sign petitions for independent candidates | |
| VR | Referred Law 20 | Min Wage | Decrease the minimum wage for those under age 18 | |
| CISS | Measure 21 | Banking | Cap interest rates for short-term loans at 36 percent | |
| CISS | Measure 22 | Campaigns | Revise campaign finance and lobbying laws | |
| CISS | Measure 23 | Business | Nonprofit organizations allowed to charge a fee for services | |
Utah
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LRCA | Amendment A | Constitution | Oath of office taken by all state elected and appointed officials | |
| LRCA | Amendment B | Budget | Investment, distribution, and expenditures for the State School Fund | |
| LRCA | Amendment C | Property | Exemption on personal property leased by the State | |
Virginia
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LRCA | Question 1 | Labor | Makes mandatory membership in a labor union illegal | |
| LRCA | Question 2 | Taxes | Tax exemption for spouses of public employees killed in line of duty | |
Washington
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ITL | Initiative 732 | Taxes | Carbon emission tax | |
| ITL | Initiative 735 | Federal | Rights of corporations | |
| ITP | Initiative 1433 | Minimum wage | Increase the state minimum wage to $13.50 by 2020 | |
| ITP | Initiative 1464 | Admin of gov't | New campaign finance laws and regulations | |
| ITP | Initiative 1491 | Firearms | Risk protection orders regarding firearms access | |
| ITP | Initiative 1501 | Trials | Increase criminal identity theft penalties | |
| AQ | Advisory Vote 14 | Taxes | Status of taxes on certain dental plans | |
| AQ | Advisory Vote 15 | Taxes | Sales taxes on alternative fuel vehicles | |
| LRCA | SJR 8210 | Redistricting | Requirements placed on state redistricting commission | |
Wyoming
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LRCA | Amendment A | Budget | Rules governing investment of state funds | |
Local ballot measures
2017 →
← 2015
| ||
| • Power struggle between state and local governments | ||
| • Using local measures to advance national agendas | ||
|
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
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
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
- ↑ The total will not be a sum of the sub-categories, since some measures do not fall under the featured sub-categories and some measures could fall under more than one sub-category.
- ↑ The total will not be a sum of the sub-categories, since some measures do not fall under the featured sub-categories and some measures could fall under more than one sub-category.
- ↑ Washington Post, "Voter turnout in 2014 was the lowest since WWII," November 10, 2014
- ↑ Al Jazeera America, "Actual election turnout far lower than reported," November 5, 2015
- ↑ San Francisco Chronicle, "2016 election poised for initiative avalanche," December 11, 2014
- ↑ Los Angeles Daily News, "Expect a ballot initiative carnival in 2016: Thomas Elias," February 16, 2015
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