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Ballot measure petition deadlines and requirements, 2021
| 2021 U.S. state ballot measures | |
|---|---|
2022 »
« 2020
| |
 | |
| Overview | |
| 2021 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.
Ballot measures in odd-numbered years
Four of the 26 states with a process for citizen-initiated measures allow for ballot initiatives or veto referendums on ballots for elections in any odd-numbered years: Colorado, Maine, Ohio, and Washington. Legislatively-referred measures can also go on the ballot in these states in 2021. Other states that frequently feature statewide measures referred to the ballot by the legislature in odd-numbered years include Louisiana, New Jersey, New York, and Texas.
An average of 31 measures appeared on state ballots during odd-numbered years between 2009 and 2019. An average of 165 measures appeared on state ballots during even-numbered years between 2010 and 2020.
2021 ballot initiative requirements
| 2021 deadlines and requirements | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Signature deadlines | Signatures for statutes | Signatures for referendums | Signatures for constitutional amendments |
| Colorado |
|
124,632 | 124,632 | 124,632 |
| Maine |
|
63,067 | 63,067 | N/A |
| Ohio |
|
132,887 for indirect; 265,774 for direct[1] | 265,774 | 442,958 |
| Washington |
|
259,622 for ITLs; 324,516 for ITPs[2] | 162,258[3] | N/A |
Key terms
See also
- State ballot measure websites
- 2021 ballot measures
- Colorado 2021 ballot measures
- Ohio 2021 ballot measures
- Maine 2021 ballot measures
- Washington 2021 ballot measures
- Signature requirements for ballot measures
- Initiative signature requirement changes caused by 2020 voter turnout
Footnotes
- ↑ Ohio allows for indirect initiated statutes. For the Ohio Legislature to consider an indirect statute, 132,887 signatures are needed, which equals 3 percent of the total number of ballots cast in the 2018 gubernatorial election. If the legislature fails to qualify the statute, sponsors must collect an additional 132,887 signatures for the measure to proceed to the ballot as a direct initiated statute.
- ↑ Estimated number based on votes cast for the office of governor in the 2020 election (4,056,454)
- ↑ Estimated number based on votes cast for the office of governor in the 2020 election (4,056,454)
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Signature requirements |
|---|---|
| Signature requirements |
Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming |
| 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 |
