Ballot measure petition deadlines and requirements, 2025
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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 2025.
- See also: 2025 ballot measures
Requirements
The tables below provide information on signature deadlines and dates for citizen-initiated ballot measures in 2025.
Notes:
- The following dates are projections based on legal requirements. The dates for veto referendums are often dependent on when legislative sessions adjourn.
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 2025.
| State | Type | Deadlines | Explanation | Signatures |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | CICA |  08/04/2025 | Signatures must be submitted at least three months before the general election | 124,238 |
| Colorado | CISS | 08/04/2025 | Signatures must be submitted at least three months before the general election | 124,238 |
| Maine | IndISS | 01/23/2025 | Signatures must be submitted within 50 days after the convening of the state legislature's legislative session | 67,682 |
| Mississippi | IndICA | 10/09/2024 | Signatures must be submitted within 90 days before the start of the legislative session | 106,190 |
| Ohio | CICA | 07/02/2025 | Signatures must be submitted at least 125 days before the general election | 413,488 |
| Ohio | IndISS | 12/27/2024 (Round 1) 07/02/2025 (Round 2) | Signatures must be submitted at least 10 days before the legislative session begins | 124,046 (Round 1) 124,046 (Round 2) |
| Washington | CISS | 07/03/2025 | Signatures must be submitted at least four months before the general election | 308,911 |
| Washington | IndISS | 01/03/2025 | Signatures must be submitted at least 10 days before the legislative session | 324,516 |
Referendums
The tables below provide information on signature deadlines and dates for veto referendums in 2025.
| State | Type | Deadlines | Explanation | Signatures |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | VR | 08/05/2025 | Signatures must be submitted within 90 days after the legislative session adjourns | 124,238 |
| Maine | VR | 06/19/2025 | Signatures must be submitted within 90 days after the legislative session adjourns | 67,682 |
| Ohio | VR | 08/06/2025 | Signatures must be submitted within 125 days after the legislation is signed and verified at least 90 days before the general election | 248,092 |
| Washington | VR | 07/26/2025 | Signatures must be submitted within 90 after the legislative session adjourns | 154,455 |
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
