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Ballot measure campaign finance, 2016

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In 2016, 162 statewide ballot measures were certified for the ballot in 35 states. Of these measures, 76 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 considered.

For election results for all statewide ballot measures, click here.


Ballotpedia identified $886.2 million in contributions to support or oppose statewide measures on ballots in 2016.

In 2014, for comparison, $467 million was raised through to support or oppose 158 statewide ballot measures across 42 states.

Overview

Ballot measure contributions, 2016-2024

The following graph shows the total contributions to state ballot measure committees in 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2024. California, as the state that often has the most committee contributions, is highlighted.

States with most contributions

For 2016, the following 10 states had the most ballot measure campaign contributions:

State Measures Contributions
California 18 $480,225,990
Colorado 9 $61,176,834
Massachusetts 4 $60,615,255
Oregon 4 $55,021,968
Nevada 4 $39,292,624
Missouri 2 $27,101,155
New Jersey 2 $25,101,545
Arizona 4 $23,268,432
Oklahoma 7 $22,695,334
Maine 6 $20,791,871

Measures with most contributions

For 2016, campaigns surrounding the following 10 ballot measures had received the most contributions:

Measure Support Opposition Total Outcome
California Proposition 61 $19,302,196.55 $109,106,160.61 $128,408,357.16
Defeatedd
California Proposition 56 $34,507,787.21 $70,978,345.45 $105,486,132.66 Approveda
California Proposition 52 $60,282,906.94 $11,563,131.05 $71,846,037.99 Approveda
California Proposition 55 $59,420,917.59 $3,000.00 $59,423,917.59 Approveda
Oregon Measure 97 $18,789,009.33 $28,132,809.64 $46,921,818.97
Defeatedd
Massachusetts Question 2 $25,791,310.35 $17,228,189.61 $43,019,499.96
Defeatedd
Florida Amendment 1 $25,944,125.13 $2,294,938.87 $28,239,064.00
Defeatedd
California Proposition 64 $26,550,422.44 $1,152,623.80 $27,703,046.24 Approveda
California Proposition 53 $5,039,605.42 $22,332,198.67 $27,371,804.09
Defeatedd
Nevada Question 1 $19,847,006.84 $6,656,042.51 $26,503,049.35 Approveda

2016 ballot measure contributions

The following tables list statewide measures on ballots in 2016, support and opposition contributions for each measure, and the outcome of each measure. The charts and separated by citizen-initiated measures and referred ballot measures.

Citizen-initiated ballot measures

The following table lists citizen-initiated ballot measures that were placed on the ballot through a signature drive. The following table lists citizen-initiated ballot measures, including veto referendums, that were placed on the ballot through a signature drive.

Ballot Measure Support Contributions Oppose Contributions Outcome
Alaska Voter Registration via the Permanent Fund Dividend Application, Ballot Measure 1 (2016) $1,425,059.98 $0.00 Approved
Arizona Marijuana Legalization, Proposition 205 (2016) $6,547,688.96 $6,368,195.67 Defeated
Arizona Minimum Wage and Paid Time Off, Proposition 206 (2016) $4,358,473.97 $46,676.80 Approved
Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment, Issue 6 (2016) $1,137,910.18 $292,265.98 Approved
California Proposition 51, Public School Facility Bonds (2016) $12,150,508.46 $0.00 Approved
California Proposition 52, Continued Hospital Fee Revenue Dedicated to Medi-Cal Unless Voters Approve Changes (2016) $60,282,906.94 $11,563,131.05 Approved
California Proposition 53, Voter Approval Requirement for Revenue Bonds above $2 Billion (2016) $5,039,605.42 $22,332,198.67 Defeated
California Proposition 54, Public Display of Legislative Bills Prior to Vote (2016) $10,710,640.20 $27,303.65 Approved
California Proposition 55, Extension of the Proposition 30 Income Tax Increase (2016) $59,420,917.59 $3,000.00 Approved
California Proposition 56, Tobacco Tax Increase (2016) $34,507,787.21 $70,978,345.45 Approved
California Proposition 57, Parole for Non-Violent Criminals and Juvenile Court Trial Requirements (2016) $12,578,974.23 $1,830,991.96 Approved
California Proposition 60, Condoms in Pornographic Films (2016) $4,665,698.96 $555,353.85 Defeated
California Proposition 61, Drug Price Standards (2016) $19,302,196.55 $109,106,160.61 Defeated
California Proposition 62, Abolition of Death Penalty Measure (2016) $10,092,215.84 $5,057,042.94 Defeated
California Proposition 63, Background Checks for Ammunition Purchases and Large-Capacity Ammunition Magazine Ban (2016) $4,560,484.08 $1,060,023.71 Approved
California Proposition 64, Marijuana Legalization (2016) $26,550,422.44 $1,152,623.80 Approved
California Proposition 65, Dedication of Revenue from Disposable Bag Sales to Wildlife Conservation Fund (2016) $2,888,883.25 $0.00 Defeated
California Proposition 66, Death Penalty Procedures Measure (2016) $6,037,993.44 $11,581,106.63 Approved
California Proposition 67, Plastic Bag Ban Veto Referendum (2016) $1,978,223.60 $2,888,883.25 Approved
Colorado $12 Minimum Wage, Amendment 70 (2016) $5,409,354.00 $2,273,681.63 Approved
Colorado Amendment 71, 55% Vote Requirement and Signature Distribution Requirement for Constitutional Amendments Measure (2016) $5,747,335.50 $2,018,738.09 Approved
Colorado Creation of ColoradoCare System, Amendment 69 (2016) $488,268.80 $5,182,985.83 Defeated
Colorado Presidential Primary Election, Proposition 107 (2016) $5,296,070.97 $71,481.21 Approved
Colorado Proposition 106, Physician-Assisted Death Initiative (2016) $11,685,654.46 $2,795,666.00 Approved
Colorado Tobacco Tax Increase, Amendment 72 (2016) $2,501,995.86 $18,246,004.65 Defeated
Colorado Unaffiliated Elector, Proposition 108 (2016) $5,296,070.97 $71,083.21 Approved
Florida Medical Marijuana Legalization, Amendment 2 (2016) $6,208,366.05 $3,474,735.76 Approved
Florida Solar Energy Subsidies and Personal Solar Use, Amendment 1 (2016) $25,944,125.13 $2,294,938.87 Defeated
Maine Background Checks for Gun Sales, Question 3 (2016) $7,335,275.23 $1,275,290.48 Defeated
Maine Marijuana Legalization, Question 1 (2016) $3,444,892.94 $294,282.06 Approved
Maine Minimum Wage Increase, Question 4 (2016) $2,375,877.47 $136,725.00 Approved
Maine Question 5, Ranked-Choice Voting Initiative (2016) $2,944,419.44 $0.00 Approved
Maine Tax on Incomes Exceeding $200,000 for Public Education, Question 2 (2016) $4,722,106.74 $501,162.95 Approved
Massachusetts Question 1, Authorization of a Second Slots Location (2016) $3,775,671.71 $73,250.00 Defeated
Massachusetts Question 2, Annual Charter School Expansion Initiative (2016) $25,791,310.35 $17,228,189.61 Defeated
Massachusetts Question 3, Minimum Size Requirements for Farm Animal Containment (2016) $3,453,019.51 $330,737.29 Approved
Massachusetts Question 4, Marijuana Legalization (2016) $6,885,273.93 $3,077,802.52 Approved
Missouri 23 Cent Cigarette Tax, Proposition A (2016) $5,697,725.09 $0.00 Defeated
Missouri 60 Cent Cigarette Tax, Constitutional Amendment 3 (2016) $13,751,743.94 $5,697,725.09 Defeated
Missouri Prohibition on Extending Sales Tax to Previously Untaxed Services, Constitutional Amendment 4 (2016) $5,444,067.00 $0.00 Approved
Missouri State and Judicial Campaign Contribution Limits, Constitutional Amendment 2 (2016) $1,553,000.00 $0.00 Approved
Montana Bonds to Fund Biomedical Research Authority, I-181 (2016) $330,468.17 $0.00 Defeated
Montana I-177, Animal Trap Restrictions on Public Land Initiative (2016) $164,352.07 $521,717.38 Defeated
Montana Marsy's Law Crime Victims Rights Initiative, CI-116 (2016) $2,445,925.32 $0.00 Approved
Montana Medical Marijuana Initiative, I-182 (2016) $349,369.07 $181,100.00 Approved
Nebraska Referendum 426, Death Penalty Measure (2016) $1,461,487.00 $3,130,194.00 Defeated
Nevada Background Checks for Gun Purchases, Question 1 (2016) $19,847,006.84 $6,656,042.51 Approved
Nevada Legislature to Minimize Regulations on the Energy Market and Eliminate Legal Energy Monopolies, Question 3 (2016) $3,435,000.00 $910,000.00 Approved
Nevada Marijuana Legalization, Question 2 (2016) $4,283,348.75 $3,773,000.00 Approved
Nevada Medical Equipment Sales Tax Exemption, Question 4 (2016) $388,226.27 $0.00 Approved
North Dakota Corporate Dairy and Swine Farming Referendum, Referred Measure 1 (June 2016) $6,382.62 $810,300.00 Defeated
North Dakota Marsy's Law Crime Victim Rights, Initiated Constitutional Measure 3 (2016) $2,377,803.00 $18,445.00 Approved
North Dakota Medical Marijuana Legalization, Initiated Statutory Measure 5 (2016) $33,395.54 $0.00 Approved
North Dakota Tobacco Tax Increase, Initiated Statutory Measure 4 (2016) $22,086.26 $3,929,620.83 Defeated
Oklahoma One Percent Sales Tax, State Question 779 (2016) $7,156,573.52 $911,274.21 Defeated
Oklahoma Reclassification of Some Drug and Property Crimes as Misdemeanors, State Question 780 (2016) $4,727,620.48 $4,290.00 Approved
Oklahoma Rehabilitative Programs Fund Initiative, State Question 781 (2016) $4,727,620.48 $0.00 Approved
Oregon Measure 100, Wildlife Trafficking Prevention Initiative (2016) $3,562,622.22 $0.00 Approved
Oregon Measure 97, Business Tax Increase Initiative (2016) $18,789,009.33 $28,132,809.64 Defeated
Oregon Measure 98, State Funding for Dropout Prevention and College Readiness Initiative (2016) $8,347,175.89 $0.00 Approved
Oregon Measure 99, Outdoor School Lottery Fund Initiative (2016) $2,560,954.14 $0.00 Approved
South Dakota Amendment V, Top-Two Primary Amendment (2016) $1,867,162.98 $300,091.00 Defeated
South Dakota Decreased Youth Minimum Wage Veto Referendum, Referred Law 20 (2016) $456.82 $0.00 Defeated
South Dakota Independent Candidates Election Law Referendum, Referred Law 19 (2016) $0.00 $375.22 Defeated
South Dakota Initiated Measure 23, Right for Unions and Organizations to Charge Fees for Services Measure (2016) $990,642.07 $334,301.63 Defeated
South Dakota Limit on Statutory Interest Rates for Loans, Constitutional Amendment U (2016) $1,879,622.61 $24,349.10 Defeated
South Dakota Marsy's Law Crime Victim Rights, Constitutional Amendment S (2016) $2,091,698.15 $6,277.00 Approved
South Dakota Payday Lending Initiative, Initiated Measure 21 (2016) $86,798.94 $1,362,364.52 Approved
South Dakota Redistricting Commission, Constitutional Amendment T (2016) $549,326.53 $1,500.01 Defeated
South Dakota Revision of State Campaign Finance and Lobbying Laws, Initiated Measure 22 (2016) $1,834,653.16 $669,613.66 Approved
Washington Advisory Question about the Rights of Corporations and Money as Free Speech, Initiative 735 (2016) $547,405.10 $0.00 Approved
Washington Carbon Emission Tax and Sales Tax Reduction, Initiative 732 (2016) $3,045,854.58 $1,419,900.50 Defeated
Washington Increased Penalties for Crimes Against Vulnerable Individuals, Initiative 1501 (2016) $2,229,989.88 $0.00 Approved
Washington Individual Gun Access Prevention by Court Order, Initiative 1491 (2016) $4,235,396.01 $0.00 Approved
Washington Minimum Wage Increase, Initiative 1433 (2016) $4,386,615.83 $84,894.59 Approved
Washington State-Provided Campaign Financing Funded by a Non-Resident Sales Tax, Initiative 1464 (2016) $4,266,095.40 $28,122.62 Defeated


Referred ballot measures

The following table lists referred ballot measures. Legislatures voted to place these measures on the ballot, or the measures, such as constitutional convention questions, were put on the ballot through an automatic legal process.

Ballot Measure Support Contributions Oppose Contributions Outcome
Alabama Approval of Budget Isolation Resolution Proposing a Local Law, Amendment 14 (2016) $35,000.00 $0.00 Approved
Alabama Auburn University Board of Trustees, Amendment 1 (2016) $0.00 $0.00 Approved
Alabama Authorization of Toll Districts and Toll District Revenue Bond Debt in Baldwin County, Amendment 12 (2016) $0.00 $0.00 Defeated
Alabama County Affairs Administration, Amendment 4 (2016) $0.00 $0.00 Approved
Alabama Impeachment, Amendment 6 (2016) $0.00 $0.00 Approved
Alabama Increase of Maximum Qualifying Age for Pickens County Judges, Amendment 9 (2016) $0.00 $0.00 Defeated
Alabama Judicial Retirement Measure, Amendment 1 (March 2016) $0.00 $0.00 Approved
Alabama Removal of Age Restriction for Government Officials, Amendment 13 (2016) $0.00 $0.00 Approved
Alabama Restriction of Police and Planning Jurisdiction in Calhoun County, Amendment 10 (2016) $0.00 $0.00 Approved
Alabama Right to Work, Amendment 8 (2016) $0.00 $0.00 Approved
Alabama Rules Governing Allocation of State Park Funds, Amendment 2 (2016) $62,084.53 $0.00 Approved
Alabama Rules for Determining a Local Constitutional Amendment, Amendment 3 (2016) $0.00 $0.00 Approved
Alabama State Constitutional Language Governing Separation of Powers, Amendment 5 (2016) $0.00 $0.00 Approved
Alabama Supervision of Employees in the Etowah County Sheriff's Department, Amendment 7 (2016) $0.00 $0.00 Approved
Alabama Use of City Manufacturing Zone Tax Revenue to Incentivize Manufacturing, Amendment 11 (2016) $0.00 $0.00 Approved
Alaska State Government Debt for Postsecondary Student Loans, Ballot Measure 2 (2016) $0.00 $0.00 Defeated
Arizona Education Finance Amendment, Proposition 123 (May 2016) $5,428,255.27 $20,253.50 Approved
Arizona Public Retirement Benefits Amendment, Proposition 124 (May 2016) $498,888.29 $0.00 Approved
Arkansas Gubernatorial Power When Governor is Absent from State, Issue 2 (2016) $29,000.00 $0.00 Approved
Arkansas Increase in Length of Term in Office for Some County Officials, Issue 1 (2016) $23,425.00 $29,000.00 Approved
Arkansas Removal of Cap on State-Issued Bonds, Issue 3 (2016) $386,495.00 $29,000.00 Approved
California Proposition 50, Legislator Suspension Amendment (June 2016) $0.00 $0.00 Approved
California Proposition 58, Non-English Languages Allowed in Public Education (2016) $5,680,777.44 $0.00 Approved
Colorado Property Tax Exemption for Some Possessory Interests, Amendment U (2016) $0.00 $0.00 Defeated
Colorado Removal of Exception to Slavery Prohibition for Criminals, Amendment T (2016) $91,008.00 $0.00 Defeated
Florida Property Tax Exemptions for Renewable Energy Equipment, Amendment 4 (August 2016) $2,385,438.87 $4,828.02 Approved
Florida Property Tax Exemptions for Senior Citizens, Amendment 5 (2016) $0.00 $0.00 Approved
Florida Tax Exemptions for Disabled First Responders, Amendment 3 (2016) $0.00 $0.00 Approved
Georgia Additional Penalties for Sex Crimes to Fund Services for Sexually Exploited Children, Amendment 2 (2016) $568,064.93 $0.00 Approved
Georgia Authorization of the State Government to Intervene in Failing Local Schools, Amendment 1 (2016) $3,420,000.00 $3,025,625.36 Defeated
Georgia Replacement of the Judicial Qualifications Commission, Amendment 3 (2016) $0.00 $6,550.00 Approved
Georgia Uses of Revenue from Taxes on Fireworks, Amendment 4 (2016) $0.00 $0.00 Approved
Hawaii General Fund Revenues Spent On Pension Liabilities and Bond Repayments, Amendment 2 (2016) $0.00 $0.00 Approved
Hawaii Threshold of Financial Damage Required to Establish the Right to a Trial by Jury, Amendment 1 (2016) $0.00 $0.00 Defeated
Idaho Veto-Proof State Legislative Oversight of Administrative Rules and Regulations, HJR 5 (2016) $129,000.00 $0.00 Approved
Illinois Transportation Taxes and Fees Lockbox Amendment (2016) $3,780,860.62 $0.00 Approved
Indiana Right to Hunt and Fish, Public Question 1 (2016) $0.00 $0.00 Approved
Kansas Right to Hunt and Fish, Constitutional Amendment 1 (2016) $0.00 $0.00 Approved
Louisiana Appointment and Qualifications of Registrars of Voters, Amendment 1 (2016) $0.00 $0.00 Approved
Louisiana Authority of College Boards to Establish Tuition and Fees without Legislative Approval, Amendment 2 (2016) $0.00 $0.00 Defeated
Louisiana Property Tax Exemptions for Widowed Spouses of First Responders and Military Personnel, Amendment 4 (2016) $0.00 $0.00 Approved
Louisiana Removal of Federal Income Tax Deduction from State Corporate Income Tax Calculation, Amendment 3 (2016) $0.00 $0.00 Defeated
Louisiana Transportation Fund and Revenue Allocation, Amendment 5 (2016) $0.00 $0.00 Approved
Louisiana Use of Restricted Funds to Eliminate Future Deficits upon Projected Revenue Reduction, Amendment 6 (2016) $0.00 $0.00 Defeated
Maine Transportation Bond, Question 6 (2016) $0.00 $0.00 Approved
Maryland Appointments to Fill Vacancies Required to Preserve Political Party Affiliation, Question 1 (2016) $0.00 $0.00 Approved
Minnesota Board to Set State Legislative Salaries, Amendment 1 (2016) $0.00 $0.00 Approved
Missouri Sales Tax for Parks and Conservation, Amendment 1 (2016) $195,056.89 $0.00 Approved
Missouri Voter ID Requirement, Constitutional Amendment 6 (2016) $3,554.93 $380,630.13 Approved
New Jersey Allowance for Casinos in Two Additional Counties, Public Question 1 (2016) $9,498,544.92 $14,597,000.00 Defeated
New Jersey Dedication of All Gas Tax Revenue to Transportation, Public Question 2 (2016) $1,006,000.00 $0.00 Approved
New Mexico Capital Expenditures for Higher, Special, and Tribal Education, Bond Question C (2016) $299,980.27 $0.00 Approved
New Mexico Capital Expenditures for Libraries, Bond Question B (2016) $3,050.00 $0.00 Approved
New Mexico Changes in Regulations Governing Bail, Constitutional Amendment 1 (2016) $0.00 $0.00 Approved
New Mexico Public Safety Facilities, Bond Question D (2016) $0.00 $0.00 Approved
New Mexico Senior Citizen Facilities, Bond Question A (2016) $0.00 $0.00 Approved
North Carolina Connect NC Public Improvement Bond (March 2016) $2,155,576.72 $2,809.17 Approved
North Dakota Allocation of Oil Extraction Taxes, Constitutional Measure 2 (2016) $0.00 $0.00 Approved
North Dakota Residency Requirement for State Legislators, Constitutional Measure 1 (2016) $0.00 $0.00 Approved
Oklahoma Regulations Governing the Sale of Wine and Beer, State Question 792 (2016) $5,520,766.12 $12,486.72 Approved
Oklahoma Right to Farm Amendment, State Question 777 (2016) $1,701,745.34 $2,466,687.50 Defeated
Oklahoma State Question 776, Allow State to Impose Death Penalty Amendment (2016) $0.00 $21,323.00 Approved
Oklahoma State Question 790, Repeal of Ban on Public Funding for Religious Institutions Amendment (2016) $172,566.85 $0.00 Defeated
Oregon Measure 94, Elimination of Mandatory Judicial Retirement Age Amendment (2016) $2,121,316.44 $0.00 Defeated
Oregon Measure 95, Public University Diversification of Investments Amendment (2016) $2,121,316.44 $3,327.00 Approved
Oregon Measure 96, Portion of Lottery Proceeds for Support of Veterans Amendment (2016) $2,121,316.44 $0.00 Approved
Pennsylvania Judicial Retirement Age Amendment (2016) $49,025.00 $0.00 Approved
Pennsylvania Philadelphia Traffic Court Abolition Amendment, Proposed Constitutional Amendment 2 (April 2016) $0.00 $0.00 Approved
Rhode Island Affordable Housing Bonds, Question 7 (2016) $164,400.00 $0.00 Approved
Rhode Island Environmental and Recreational Improvement Bonds, Question 6 (2016) $4,459.27 $0.00 Approved
Rhode Island Ethics Commission Amendment, Question 2 (2016) $60,190.00 $0.00 Approved
Rhode Island Higher Education Bonds, Question 4 (2016) $405,000.00 $0.00 Approved
Rhode Island Port Infrastructure Bonds, Question 5 (2016) $439,654.80 $0.00 Approved
Rhode Island Twin River Casino in Tiverton, Question 1 (2016) $4,952,620.91 $0.00 Approved
Rhode Island Veterans Home Bonds, Question 3 (2016) $0.00 $0.00 Approved
South Dakota Governance of Technical Education Institutes, Constitutional Amendment R (2016) $485,750.00 $0.00 Approved
Utah Amendment A, Amend the Oath of Office Measure (2016) $0.00 $0.00 Approved
Utah Amendment B, Modify School Funds Distribution Measure (2016) $0.00 $0.00 Approved
Utah Amendment C, Tax Exemptions for Property Leased By State Measure (2016) $0.00 $0.00 Defeated
Virginia Property Tax Exemption for Surviving Spouses of Police and Service Personnel Amendment, Question 2 (2016) $0.00 $0.00 Approved
Virginia Right to Work Amendment, Question 1 (2016) $36,770.05 $51,837.34 Defeated
Washington Advancement of Date for Completion of Redistricting Plan, Senate Joint Resolution No. 8210 (2016) $0.00 $0.00 Approved
Wyoming Investment of Funds in Equities, Constitutional Amendment A (2016) $58,376.00 $0.00 Approved