Ballot measure petition deadlines and requirements, 2024

2024 U.S. state ballot measures
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A ballot initiative is a citizen-initiated ballot measure. The ballot initiative process allows citizens to propose statutes or constitutional amendments, depending on the state, and collect signatures to place their proposals on the ballot for voters to decide. Some states have an indirect process in which legislatures have the option to approve the proposals outright.

Other names for ballot initiatives include popular initiatives, citizen initiatives, and citizen referendums.

A citizen-initiated ballot measure can be an initiated state statute, initiated constitutional amendment, or a veto referendum. A veto referendum is a citizen-initiated ballot measure that asks voters whether to uphold or repeal an enacted law.

There are 26 states that allow for citizen-initiated ballot measures, although the process has been suspended in Mississippi due to a court ruling.

Signatures must be collected for citizen-initiated ballot measures. Requirements related to signatures and deadlines are state-specific. This page provides information on these requirements for 2024.

See also: 2024 ballot measures

Requirements

The tables below provide information on signature deadlines and dates for citizen-initiated ballot measures in 2024.

Notes:

• This symbol signifies that a signature deadline has passed for a type of ballot measure in a state.

Initiatives

The tables below provide information on signature deadlines and dates for initiatives, including initiated constitutional amendments and initiated statutes, in 2024.

Deadlines and signature requirements for initiatives, 2024

State	Type	Deadlines	Explanation	Signatures
Alaska	IndISS	01/15/2024	Signatures must be submitted before the start of the legislative session	26,705
Arizona	CICA	07/03/2024	Signatures must be submitted at least four months before the general election	383,923
Arizona	CISS	07/03/2024	Signatures must be submitted at least four months before the general election	255,949
Arkansas	CICA	07/05/2024	Signatures must be submitted at least four months before the general election	90,704
Arkansas	CISS	07/05/2024	Signatures must be submitted at least four months before the general election	72,563
California	CICA	06/27/2024	Signatures must be verified at least 131 days before general election	874,641
California	CISS	06/27/2024	Signatures must be verified at least 131 days before general election	546,651
Colorado	CICA	08/05/2024	Signatures must be submitted at least three months before the general election	124,238
Colorado	CISS	08/05/2024	Signatures must be submitted at least three months before the general election	124,238
Florida	CICA	02/01/2024	Signatures must be verified on or before February 1	891,523
Idaho	CISS	05/01/2024	Signatures must be verified on or before May 1	62,895
Illinois	CICA	05/05/2024	Signatures must be submitted at least six months before the general election	328,371
Maine	IndISS	01/29/2024	Signatures must be submitted within 25 days after the convening of the state legislature's legislative session	67,682
Massachusetts	IndICA	11/22/2023	Signatures must be submitted two weeks before the first Wednesday in December	74,574
Massachusetts	IndISS	11/22/2023 (Round 1) 06/18/2024 (Round 2)	Signatures must be submitted two weeks before the first Wednesday in December	74,574 (Round 1) 12,429 (Round 2)
Michigan	CICA	07/08/2024	Signatures must be submitted at least 120 days before the general election	446,198
Michigan	IndISS	05/29/2024	Signatures must be submitted at least 160 days before the general election	356,958
Mississippi	IndICA	10/04/2023	Signatures must be submitted at least 90 days before the next regular legislative session	106,190
Missouri	CICA	05/05/2024	Signatures must be submitted at least six months before the general election	171,592
Missouri	CISS	05/05/2024	Signatures must be submitted at least six months before the general election	107,246
Montana	CICA	06/21/2024	Signatures must be verified on or before the third Friday of June	60,359
Montana	CISS	06/21/2024	Signatures must be verified on or before the third Friday of June	30,180
Nebraska	CICA	07/03/2024	Signatures must be submitted at least four months before the general election	122,595
Nebraska	CISS	07/03/2024	Signatures must be submitted at least four months before the general election	85,817
Nevada	CICA	06/26/2024	Signatures must be filed by 15 days after the primary election	102,362
Nevada	IndISS	11/23/2022	Signatures must be filed by 15 days after the general election	135,561
North Dakota	CICA	07/08/2024	Signatures must be submitted at least 120 days before the general election	31,164
North Dakota	CISS	07/08/2024	Signatures must be submitted at least 120 days before the general election	15,582
Ohio	CICA	07/03/2024	Signatures must be submitted at least 125 days before the general election	413,487
Ohio	IndISS	12/23/2023 (Round 1) 07/03/2024 (Round 2)	Signatures must be submitted at least 10 days before the legislative session begins	124,046 (Round 1) 124,046 (Round 2)
Oklahoma	CICA	08/27/2024	Signatures must be verified at least 70 days before the general election	172,993
Oklahoma	CISS	08/27/2024	Signatures must be verified at least 70 days before the general election	92,263
Oregon	CICA	07/05/2024	Signatures must be submitted at least four months before the general election	160,551
Oregon	CISS	07/05/2024	Signatures must be submitted at least four months before the general election	120,413
South Dakota	CICA	05/07/2024	Signatures must be verified on or before the first Tuesday of May	35,017
South Dakota	CISS	05/07/2024	Signatures must be verified on or before the first Tuesday of May	17,508
Utah	CISS	02/15/2024	Signatures must be submitted on or before February 15	134,298
Utah	IndISS	11/15/2023 (Round 1) 02/15/2024 (Round 2)	Signatures must be submitted on or before November 15	67,149 (Round 1) 67,149 (Round 2)
Washington	CISS	07/05/2024	Signatures must be submitted at least four months before the general election	324,516
Washington	IndISS	12/29/2023	Signatures must be submitted at least 10 days before the legislative session	324,516
Wyoming	IndISS	02/09/2024	Signatures must be submitted before the legislative session	29,730

Referendums

The tables below provide information on signature deadlines and dates for veto referendums in 2024.

Deadlines and signature requirements for veto referendums, 2024

State	Type	Deadlines	Explanation	Signatures
Alaska	VR	08/13/2024	Signatures must be submitted within 90 days after the end of the legislative session	26,705
Arizona	VR	09/13/2024	Signatures must be submitted within 90 days after the end of the legislative session	127,975
Arkansas	VR	08/07/2024	Signatures must be submitted within 90 days after the end of the legislative session	54,422
California	VR	10/05/2024	Signatures must be verified within 31 days before the general election	546,651
Colorado	VR	08/06/2024	Signatures must be submitted within 90 days after the end of the legislative session	124,238
Idaho	VR	06/09/2024	Signatures must be submitted within 60 days after the end of the legislative session	62,895
Maine	VR	07/16/2024	Signatures must be submitted within 90 days after the end of the legislative session	67,682
Maryland	VR	06/30/2024	Signatures must be filed on or before June 30	60,157
Massachusetts	VR	09/06/2024	Deadline for the inclusion of referendums on the ballot is 60 days before the election	37,287
Michigan	VR	02/12/2024	Signatures must be submitted within 90 days after the end of the legislative session	223,099
Missouri	VR	08/15/2024	Signatures must be submitted within 90 days after the end of the legislative session	107,246
Montana	VR	11/02/2023	Signatures must be submitted within six months after the end of the legislative session	30,180
Nebraska	VR	07/17/2024	Signatures must be submitted within 90 days after the end of the legislative session	61,299
Nevada	VR	06/26/2024	Signatures must be filed by 15 days after the primary election	102,362
New Mexico	VR	07/05/2024	Signatures must be submitted within four months before the general election	71,475
North Dakota	VR	07/28/2023	Signatures must be submitted within 90 days after the legislation is signed	15,582
Ohio	VR	07/03/2024	Signatures must be verified at least 90 days before the general election	248,092
Oklahoma	VR	08/28/2024	Signatures must be submitted within 90 days after the end of the legislative session	57,664
Oregon	VR	06/05/2024	Signatures must be submitted within 90 days after the end of the legislative session	80,276
South Dakota	VR	06/24/2024	Signatures must be submitted within 90 days after the end of the legislative session	17,508
Utah	VR	04/10/2024	Signatures must be submitted within 40 days after the end of the legislative session	134,298
Washington	VR	06/05/2024	Signatures must be submitted within 90 days after the end of the legislative session	162,258
Wyoming	VR	06/06/2024	Signatures must be submitted within 90 days after the end of the legislative session	29,730

See also

• States with initiative or referendum
• Laws governing the initiative process
• Signature requirements for ballot measures
• Length of signature gathering periods for ballot initiatives
• Ballot initiative

Footnotes

2024 ballot measures

State ballot measures

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Local ballot measures

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Analyses

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