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Ballot measure petition deadlines and requirements, 2017
| 2017 U.S. state ballot measures | |
|---|---|
2018 »
« 2016
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 | |
| Overview | |
| 2017 ballot measures | |
| Scorecard | |
| Tuesday Count | |
| Initiatives filed | |
In order to land an initiative or referendum on a statewide ballot, supporters must collect enough valid signatures from voters. The required number of signatures, the allowable methods of collection, and the dates by which they are due to state election officials vary by state. For initiated constitutional amendments, Ohio had the highest number of required signatures at 305,591. Washington had the highest number of signatures required for initiated state statutes at 259,622. Ohio also had the highest signature threshold for veto referendums, requiring at least 183,355. Maine had the lowest signature thresholds for statutes and referendums, requiring 61,123 for both. Colorado had the lowest number of required signatures for amendments at 98,492. Both Colorado and Ohio have distribution requirements for initiated constitutional amendments, and Ohio also has a distribution requirement for initiated state statutes.
For the 2017 ballot measure cycle, Ohio and Washington had the earliest filing deadlines, on December 30, 2016. Colorado had the latest deadline on August 7, 2017.
Legend:
= A deadline that has passed. Some states have more than one deadline, with differing deadlines depending on the type of ballot measure or because there are multiple stages in the petition submission process.
| 2017 deadlines and requirements | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Deadlines | Signatures for statutes | Signatures for referendums | Signatures for constitutional amendments |
| Colorado | August 7, 2017, was the deadline for initiatives; law sets the deadline for referendums as 90 days after the legislature's adjournment.[1] |
98,492 | 98,492 | 98,492 |
| Maine | January 26, 2017, was the deadline for initiatives; 90 days after the legislature's adjournment is the deadline for referendums.[2] |
61,123 | 61,123 | N/A |
| Ohio | December 30, 2016, was the deadline for initiated statutes; July 5, 2017, was the deadline for initiated amendments; 90 days after the legislature's adjournment is the deadline for referendums.[3] |
91,677[4] | 183,355 | 305,591 |
| Washington | December 30, 2016, was the deadline for Initiatives to the Legislature; July 7, 2017, was the deadline for Initiatives to the People; July 22, 2017, was the deadline for referendums.[5] |
246,372 for ITLs; 259,622 for ITPs | 129,811 | N/A |
Key terms
See also
- State ballot measure websites
- Initiative frequency of constitutional amendments related to time for signature collection
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Colorado Secretary of State, "2017 Election Calendar," accessed January 17, 2017
- ↑ Maine Secretary of State, "Deadlines for Current Citizen Initiatives," accessed October 24, 2016
- ↑ Ohio Secretary of State, "2017 Ohio Elections Calendar," accessed January 17, 2017
- ↑ Ohio uses both direct and indirect initiated statutes. For the Ohio Legislature to consider an indirect statute, 91,677 signatures are needed, which equals three percent of the total number of ballots cast in the 2014 gubernatorial election. If the Legislature fails to qualify the statute, sponsors must collect an additional 91,677 signatures for the measure to become direct.
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "2016 Elections Calendar," accessed October 24, 2016
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Signature requirements |
|---|---|
| Signature requirements |
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| Petition companies |
American Petition Consultants • Arno Political Consultants • Bader & Associates, Inc. • Canvasser Services • Capitol Assets • Democracy Direct • Democracy Resources • Discovery Petition Management • FieldWorks • JSM, Inc. • Kimball Petition Management • LAMM Political Partners, LLC • Masterson & Wright • National Ballot Access • National Petition Management • National Solutions • National Voter Outreach • PCI Consultants, Inc. |
| Terms |
Approved for circulation • Initiative petition circulation periods • Circulator • Circulator affidavit • Forged signature • Fraudulent signature • Invalid signature • Paid circulator • Petition • Random sampling • Registered voter • Signature certification • Signer • Signer intent • Valid signature • Volunteer circulator • Signature transcription |
| Petition drive deadlines |
2008 deadlines • 2009 deadlines • 2010 deadlines • 2011 deadlines • 2012 deadlines • 2013 deadlines • 2014 deadlines • 2015 deadlines • 2016 deadlines • 2017 deadlines • 2018 deadlines • 2019 deadlines • 2020 deadlines • 2021 deadlines • 2022 deadlines • 2023 deadlines • 2024 deadlines • 2025 deadlines |
| Signature law |
States where signature requirements are based on votes cast for governor |
