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Ballot measure signature costs, 2016
| 2016 U.S. State Ballot Measures | |
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This Ballotpedia report is an in-depth look at the total signature gathering costs and the cost-per-required-signature for measures that qualified for state ballots in 2016.
A total of at least $79.5 million[1] was spent on signature gathering efforts across 17 states to put 76 citizen-initiated measures on statewide ballots in 2016—more than in any year since 2006. A total of 13,677,856 valid signatures were required to qualify 2016's initiatives and veto referendums for the ballot.[2] This report is an in-depth analysis of the cost of the signature petition campaigns used to qualify citizen-initiated measures for the ballot in 2016, including information about the total cost of petition efforts and the cost per required signature (CPRS).
Highlights:
- Among the 71 citizen initiatives and five veto referendums put on the ballot in 2016, the most expensive signature gathering campaign cost $6.6 million[3] and the cheapest were the volunteer efforts on which no money was spent.
- $44.7 million was spent in California on successful petition campaigns. This is more than was spent on the cost of signature collection than in all of the other states combined.
- The highest CPRS for initiatives and veto referendums in 2016 was $56, which is the highest CPRS Ballotpedia has recorded since beginning CPRS analysis in 2010 and is likely the highest CPRS in the history of direct democracy in the U.S. to date.
- This CPRS was for an initiative to regulate interest rates in South Dakota, and it was more than five times higher than the next highest CPRS in South Dakota. Both of the two most expensive initiative petitions in South Dakota were run by the same petition company.
- Florida had the highest average petition cost at $4,148,108.04; California had the second highest at $2,980,806.20.
- Arkansas had the highest median CPRS at $6.93, while California came in second with a median CPRS of $5.84.
- The average cost of a successful initiative or veto referendum petition drive was $1,027,890.77 across the 17 states featuring such measures in 2016.
- The average CPRS across the 17 states with initiatives or referendums was $5.63.
Map of average CPRS in 2016:
Measuring the cost
This report uses two ways to measure the cost of an initiative or veto referendum petition drive.
- According to the total cost of gathering the required signatures to put the initiative or veto referendum on the ballot
- According to the total cost divided by the number of signatures required to qualify the measure for the ballot or Cost Per Required Signature (CPRS)
Cost Per Required Signature (CPRS):
The cost per required signature cuts out the variable of a state's signature requirements and shows the cost for each signature needed to qualify the measure for the ballot. This second measurement is a better indication of how difficult it is to run a signature petition campaign in a given state. California Proposition 51 featured a CPRS of $3.42, while required signatures for Nevada Question 1 cost $12.22 each.
The cost of a petition campaign
Rules and regulations
- See also: Laws governing the initiative process
The cost of getting an initiative before voters varies widely by state and by initiative proposal. The requirements and restrictions imposed by state law form a major factor in the expense of an initiative signature petition effort.
Higher signature requirements are a straightforward example of a reason an initiative petition campaign might be more expensive in one state than in another. Other restrictions that can make a difference in the cost of a petition campaign include:
- Distribution requirements - It is easier and less expensive to collect a lot of signatures in one very populous area than a small number of signatures from lots of smaller, less-populated areas.
- Pay-per-signature bans - Paying signature gatherers by signature is one of the most cost-efficient ways to fund signature gathering efforts.
- Bans on out-of-state circulators - Restricting who can collect signatures limits competition between petition companies and professional signature gatherers.
- Initiative petition circulation periods - If proponents have less time to collect signatures, the process can be more expensive.
Petition company
The number of professional signature petition companies in the state and the way those companies operate can also make a difference in the CPRS. If more petition companies are active in a state, there will be more competition. Likewise, if more petitions are being circulated, demand could be higher in some years than in others.
Topic
Another factor is the topic of the proposed initiative or referendum. Some laws are more compelling to voters and easier to collect signatures for than others.
Analysis, averages, and highlights
Cumulative signature gathering costs
The following table shows the total amount spent on all signature drives in each state.
| State | Cumulative signature drive cost in state |
|---|---|
| Alaska | $117,427.20 |
| Arizona | $1,563,640.75 |
| Arkansas | $588,166.35 |
| California | $44,712,092.93 |
| Colorado | $3,900,702.19 |
| Florida | $8,296,216.08 |
| Maine | $1,450,232.49 |
| Massachusetts | $1,260,873.18 |
| Missouri | $3,147,494.86 |
| Montana | $714,911.02 |
| Nebraska | $597,144.25 |
| Nevada | $1,872,274.47 |
| North Dakota | $224,219.01 |
| Oklahoma | $2,606,858.97 |
| Oregon | $1,231,689.55 |
| South Dakota | $650,889.92 |
| Washington | $5,069,910.17 |
According to total cost
In general, more money is spent in California during even-numbered years to qualify initiatives for the ballot than in any other state. This year was no exception. Among the top 10 most expensive initiative petition campaigns in 2016, all but one was for propositions in California. The exception was the signature petition for Florida's solar energy-related Amendment 1, on which utility companies spent a little over $4.8 million. The most expensive petition campaign was for California's Proposition 54, which cost sponsors about $6.6 million, nearly $2 million more expensive than the runner-up. Five initiative petition campaigns cost more than $4 million each, and 21 cost more than $1 million.
Volunteer-only signature gathering efforts were responsible for six measures on ballots in 2016. Five of the petitions costing $0 were in South Dakota, and the sixth was for a veto referendum concerning corporate farming that was on the ballot in North Dakota in June 2016.
| State | Number of measures | Lowest | Median | Highest | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 1 | $117,427.20 | $117,427.20 | $117,427.20 | $117,427.20 |
| Arizona | 2 | $662,658.95 | $781,820.38 | $900,981.80 | $781,820.38 |
| Arkansas | 1 | $588,166.35 | $588,166.35 | $588,166.35 | $588,166.35 |
| California | 15 | $1,252,534.01 | $2,669,093.95 | $6,622,935.93 | $2,980,806.20 |
| Colorado | 7 | $283,250.00 | $544,401.43 | $915,175.81 | $633,194.17 |
| Florida | 2 | $2,773,476.49 | $4,148,108.04 | $5,522,739.59 | $4,148,108.04 |
| Maine | 5 | $49,577.35 | $343,875.16 | $572,094.87 | $338,086.94 |
| Massachusetts | 4 | $102,103.18 | $372,385.00 | $414,000.00 | $315,218.30 |
| Missouri | 4 | $546,785.27 | $768,185.30 | $1,064,338.99 | $786,873.72 |
| Montana | 4 | $70,291.02 | $91,310.00 | $462,000.00 | $178,727.76 |
| Nebraska | 1 | $597,144.25 | $597,144.25 | $597,144.25 | $597,144.25 |
| Nevada | 4 | $110,125.00 | $260,129.98 | $1,241,889.51 | $468,068.62 |
| North Dakota | 4 | $0.00 | $2,734.50 | $218,750.00 | $56,054.75 |
| Oklahoma | 3 | $544,706.05 | $1,031,076.46 | $1,517,446.87 | $868,952.99 |
| Oregon | 4 | $110,244.00 | $262,923.00 | $595,599.54 | $307,922.39 |
| South Dakota | 9 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $1,553,405.58 | $244,241.17 |
| Washington | 6 | $129,337.47 | $862,500.90 | $1,407,967.00 | $844,985.03 |
According to CPRS
The initiative petition with the highest cost per required signature was for South Dakota Amendment U, an initiative concerning interest rates for loans. The parent company of LoanMax, a payday loan company, paid $1,553,405.58 to Silverbullet Group, Inc to collect the 27,740 signatures required to put Amendment U before voters, amounting to a cost of $56 per required signature. This is many times higher than the CPRS of any citizen initiative since Ballotpedia began tracking petition costs in 2010 and is likely the highest CPRS in the history of initiative petitions in the country. Petitioners collected nearly three times the required number of signatures, providing a large cushion in case of invalid or incorrect signatures.
| State | Number of measures | Lowest | Median | Highest | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 1 | $4.11 | $4.11 | $4.11 | $4.11 |
| Arizona | 2 | $4.40 | $5.19 | $5.98 | $5.19 |
| Arkansas | 1 | $6.93 | $6.93 | $6.93 | $6.93 |
| California | 15 | $2.72 | $5.84 | $11.31 | $6.20 |
| Colorado | 7 | $2.88 | $5.53 | $9.29 | $6.43 |
| Florida | 2 | $4.06 | $6.07 | $8.08 | $6.07 |
| Maine | 5 | $0.81 | $5.63 | $9.36 | $5.53 |
| Massachusetts | 4 | $1.35 | $5.36 | $6.39 | $6.24 |
| Missouri | 4 | $3.47 | $4.22 | $7.62 | $5.71 |
| Montana | 4 | $2.91 | $3.77 | $9.56 | $5.01 |
| Nebraska | 4 | $5.24 | $5.24 | $5.24 | $5.24 |
| Nevada | 4 | $1.13 | $4.66 | $12.22 | $5.67 |
| North Dakota | 4 | $0.00 | $0.20 | $8.13 | $2.14 |
| Oklahoma | 3 | $8.25 | $10.26 | $12.26 | $9.59 |
| Oregon | 4 | $1.25 | $2.98 | $6.75 | $3.49 |
| South Dakota | 9 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $56.00 | $8.80 |
| Washington | 6 | $0.52 | $3.50 | $5.71 | $3.43 |
Petition costs by initiative topic
| Topic | Number of initiatives | Average CPRS |
|---|---|---|
| Governance | 1 | $5.71 |
| Adult entertainment | 1 | $3.85 |
| Assisted death | 1 | $7.00 |
| Banking | 2 | $28.00 |
| Bond issues | 2 | $3.75 |
| Business regulation | 2 | $2.89 |
| Campaign finance | 2 | $3.38 |
| Trials | 2 | $6.58 |
| Death penalty | 2 | $7.45 |
| Definition of a corporation | 1 | $0.52 |
| Direct democracy | 1 | $3.89 |
| Education | 2 | $4.10 |
| Elections | 5 | $18.56 |
| Energy | 2 | $7.71 |
| Environment | 1 | $5.84 |
| Firearms | 4 | $8.31 |
| Food and agriculture | 2 | $0.68 |
| Gambling | 2 | $7.75 |
| Gov. accountability | 1 | $11.31 |
| Healthcare | 3 | $2.99 |
| Hunting and fishing | 1 | $2.91 |
| Law enforcement | 6 | $9.62 |
| Lottery | 1 | $6.75 |
| Marijuana | 10 | $3.67 |
| Minimum wage | 5 | $4.29 |
| Redistricting | 1 | $5.38 |
| Budgets and spending | 1 | $4.56 |
| Suffrage | 1 | $4.11 |
| Taxes | 8 | $4.08 |
| Tobacco | 4 | $5.03 |
| Tort law | 1 | $9.52 |
| Treatment of animals | 1 | $4.16 |
Petition company breakdown
By petition company
The table below shows each petition company that was active in initiative and veto referendum petition campaigns for the 2016 election cycle, how many petition drives each company was involved in, the average CPRS accross all petition drives for which the company was involved, and the states in which the company was active. Many petition campaigns this year utilized multiple signature gathering companies. Thus, the sum of the petition drives listed below is more than the total number of initiatives and veto referendums on the ballot.
| Signature collection company | Petition drives | Average CPRS | States involved |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCI Consultants | 11 | $6.28 | California, Florida, Oklahoma, and Washington |
| FieldWorks | 9 | $7.30 | Colorado, Maine, Missouri, Nevada, and Oregon |
| National Petition Management, Inc. | 7 | $6.11 | California and Missouri |
| Kimball Petition Management, Inc. | 4 | $7.23 | California |
| Kennedy Enterprises | 4 | $4.94 | Colorado |
| Lincoln Strategy Group | 3 | $6.50 | Colorado, Missouri, and Nebraska |
| J.E.F. Associates | 3 | $5.71 | Massachusetts |
| The Monaco Group | 3 | $4.98 | California |
| National Ballot Access | 3 | $8.09 | Arkansas and Missouri |
| Advanced Micro Targeting | 2 | $8.85 | Montana and North Dakota |
| Arno Political Consultants | 2 | $5.17 | California and Missouri |
| Olympic Consulting | 2 | $6.74 | Maine |
| Washington Community Action Network | 2 | $5.22 | Washington |
| Direct Action Partners Inc. | 1 | $1.80 | Oregon |
| 3.0 LLC | 1 | $9.29 | Colorado |
| Your Choice Petitions, LLC | 1 | $1.80 | Washington |
| Spoonworks | 1 | $4.65 | Massachusetts |
| Scott Kohlhaas | 1 | $4.11 | Alaska |
| Revolution Strategies | 1 | $4.08 | Montana |
| Nevada Petition Management | 1 | $1.13 | Nevada |
| Campaign Audit & Trust LLC | 1 | $6.73 | Florida |
| M+R Strategic Services | 1 | $3.47 | Montana |
| Groundwork Campaigns, Inc. | 1 | $8.23 | California |
| Grassroots Campaigns, Inc. | 1 | $7.00 | Colorado |
| ERH Solutions | 1 | $6.93 | Arkansas |
| Boven Consulting | 1 | $7.73 | California |
| Bridge Street, Inc. | 1 | $7.73 | California |
| Bockwinkle Communications | 1 | $0.52 | Washington |
| Washington Signatures Now | 1 | $0.52 | Washington |
| Axiom Strategies | 1 | $7.62 | Missouri |
| Arizona Petition Partners | 1 | $4.40 | Arizona |
| Blitz Canvassing, LLC | 1 | $3.89 | Colorado |
| TPM, LLC | 1 | $3.89 | Colorado |
| Education Petition Campaign, Inc. | 1 | $12.26 | Oklahoma |
Signature petition costs by state
Alaska
| Ballot Measure | Topic | Petition Companies | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Voter Registration via the Permanent Fund Dividend Application, Ballot Measure 1 (2016) | Voter registration | Scott Kohlhaas | $117,427.20 | 28,545 | $4.11 |
Arizona
| Ballot Measure | Topic | Petition Companies | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona Marijuana Legalization, Proposition 205 (2016) | Marijuana laws | Arizona Petition Partners | $662,658.95 | 150,642 | $4.40 |
| Arizona Minimum Wage and Paid Time Off, Proposition 206 (2016) | Minimum wage laws | Sign Here Petitions | $900,981.80 | 150,642 | $5.98 |
Arkansas
| Ballot Measure | Topic | Petition Companies | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment, Issue 6 (2016) | Marijuana laws | National Ballot Access, ERH Solutions | $588,166.35 | 84,859 | $6.93 |
California
Colorado
Florida
| Ballot Measure | Topic | Petition Companies | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida Medical Marijuana Legalization, Amendment 2 (2016) | Marijuana laws | PCI Consultants, Inc., Abrams Harrigan Consulting, LLC | $2,773,476.49 | 683,149 | $4.06 |
| Florida Solar Energy Subsidies and Personal Solar Use, Amendment 1 (2016) | Energy | National Voter Outreach, Inc, Silver Bullet, Inc, Campaign Audit & Trust LLC | $5,522,739.59 | 683,149 | $8.08 |
Maine
| Ballot Measure | Topic | Petition Companies | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maine Background Checks for Gun Sales, Question 3 (2016) | Firearms policy | Fieldworks LLC | $572,094.87 | 61,123 | $9.36 |
| Maine Marijuana Legalization, Question 1 (2016) | Marijuana laws | Fieldworks LLC, Olympic Consulting | $343,875.16 | 61,123 | $5.63 |
| Maine Minimum Wage Increase, Question 4 (2016) | Minimum wage laws | Maine People's Alliance | $244,930.53 | 61,123 | $4.01 |
| Maine Question 5, Ranked-Choice Voting Initiative (2016) | Ranked-choice voting | various individuals | $49,577.35 | 61,123 | $0.81 |
| Maine Tax on Incomes Exceeding $200,000 for Public Education, Question 2 (2016) | Taxes | Fieldworks LLC, Olympic Consulting, various individuals, Maine People's Alliance | $239,754.58 | 61,123 | $3.92 |
Massachusetts
| Ballot Measure | Topic | Petition Companies | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Question 1, Authorization of a Second Slots Location (2016) | Gambling policy | JEF Associates | $393,370.00 | 64,750 | $6.08 |
| Massachusetts Question 2, Annual Charter School Expansion Initiative (2016) | School choice policy | JEF Associates | $414,000.00 | 64,750 | $6.39 |
| Massachusetts Question 3, Minimum Size Requirements for Farm Animal Containment (2016) | Agriculture policy | volunteers, various individuals | $102,103.18 | 75,542 | $1.35 |
| Massachusetts Question 4, Marijuana Legalization (2016) | Marijuana laws | Spoonworks Inc., JEF Associates | $351,400.00 | 75,542 | $4.65 |
Missouri
| Ballot Measure | Topic | Petition Companies | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missouri 23 Cent Cigarette Tax, Proposition A (2016) | Tobacco laws | Axiom Strategies, Arno Petition Consultants | $750,996.50 | 98,618 | $7.62 |
| Missouri 60 Cent Cigarette Tax, Constitutional Amendment 3 (2016) | Tobacco and cigarette taxes | Fieldworks LLC, National Petition Management, Inc. | $546,785.27 | 157,788 | $3.47 |
| Missouri Prohibition on Extending Sales Tax to Previously Untaxed Services, Constitutional Amendment 4 (2016) | Sales taxes | Lincoln Strategy Group | $785,374.10 | 157,788 | $4.98 |
| Missouri State and Judicial Campaign Contribution Limits, Constitutional Amendment 2 (2016) | Campaign finance | National Ballot Access | $1,064,338.99 | 157,788 | $6.75 |
Montana
| Ballot Measure | Topic | Petition Companies | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montana Bonds to Fund Biomedical Research Authority, I-181 (2016) | Bond issues | Revolution Strategie | $98,620.00 | 24,175 | $4.08 |
| Montana I-177, Animal Trap Restrictions on Public Land Initiative (2016) | Hunting regulations | an unknown petition company | $70,291.02 | 24,175 | $2.91 |
| Montana Marsy's Law Crime Victims Rights Initiative, CI-116 (2016) | Crime victims' rights | Advanced Micro Targeting | $462,000.00 | 48,349 | $9.56 |
| Montana Medical Marijuana Initiative, I-182 (2016) | Marijuana laws | M&R Strategic Services | $84,000.00 | 24,175 | $3.47 |
Nebraska
| Ballot Measure | Topic | Petition Companies | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nebraska Referendum 426, Death Penalty Measure (2016) | Death penalty | Lincoln Strategy Group | $597,144.25 | 113,883 | $5.24 |
Nevada
| Ballot Measure | Topic | Petition Companies | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada Background Checks for Gun Purchases, Question 1 (2016) | Firearms policy | Fieldworks LLC | $1,241,889.51 | 101,667 | $12.22 |
| Nevada Legislature to Minimize Regulations on the Energy Market and Eliminate Legal Energy Monopolies, Question 3 (2016) | Energy market regulations | Fieldworks LLC | $405,259.96 | 55,234 | $7.34 |
| Nevada Marijuana Legalization, Question 2 (2016) | Marijuana laws | Nevada Petition Management | $115,000.00 | 101,666 | $1.13 |
| Nevada Medical Equipment Sales Tax Exemption, Question 4 (2016) | Taxes | Bennett Medical Services | $110,125.00 | 55,234 | $1.99 |
North Dakota
{
| Ballot Measure | Topic | Petition Companies | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota Corporate Dairy and Swine Farming Referendum, Referred Measure 1 (June 2016) | Agriculture policy | volunteers | $0.00 | 13,452 | $0.00 |
| North Dakota Marsy's Law Crime Victim Rights, Initiated Constitutional Measure 3 (2016) | Crime victims' rights | Advanced Micro Targeting | $218,750.00 | 26,904 | $8.13 |
| North Dakota Medical Marijuana Legalization, Initiated Statutory Measure 5 (2016) | Marijuana laws | volunteers | $0.00 | 13,452 | $0.00 |
| North Dakota Tobacco Tax Increase, Initiated Statutory Measure 4 (2016) | Tobacco laws | volunteers, various individuals | $5,469.01 | 13,452 | $0.41 |
Oklahoma
| Ballot Measure | Topic | Petition Companies | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma One Percent Sales Tax, State Question 779 (2016) | Sales taxes | Education Petition Campaign, Inc | $1,517,446.87 | 123,725 | $12.26 |
| Oklahoma Reclassification of Some Drug and Property Crimes as Misdemeanors, State Question 780 (2016) | Drug crime policy | PCI Consultants, Inc. | $544,706.05 | 65,987 | $8.25 |
| Oklahoma Rehabilitative Programs Fund Initiative, State Question 781 (2016) | Drug crime policy | PCI Consultants, Inc. | $544,706.05 | 65,987 | $8.25 |
Oregon
| Ballot Measure | Topic | Petition Companies | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon Measure 100, Wildlife Trafficking Prevention Initiative (2016) | Animal treatment laws | Fieldworks LLC, Defend Oregon | $367,060.00 | 88,184 | $4.16 |
| Oregon Measure 97, Business Tax Increase Initiative (2016) | Taxes | Our Oregon | $110,244.00 | 88,184 | $1.25 |
| Oregon Measure 98, State Funding for Dropout Prevention and College Readiness Initiative (2016) | Public education funding | Direct Action Partners | $158,786.01 | 88,184 | $1.80 |
| Oregon Measure 99, Outdoor School Lottery Fund Initiative (2016) | Gambling policy | Fieldworks LLC | $595,599.54 | 88,184 | $6.75 |
South Dakota
Washington
Citizen initiative petition gathering costs, 2016
Comparison (2016-2024)
By CPRS
The chart below shows the lowest non-zero CPRS, the average CPRS, and the largest CPRS for even-numbered years from 2016 through 2024:
| Year | Lowest (non-zero) CPRS | Average CPRS[4] | Highest CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $0.93 | $15.45 | $48.21 |
| 2022 | $0.08 | $12.97 | $25.44 |
| 2020 | $1.30 | $8.09 | $24.20 |
| 2018 | $0.07 | $6.52 | $25.86 |
| 2016 | $0.41 | $5.63 | $56.00 |
Average CPRS across initiative states, 2016-2024
| State | 2016 | 2018 | 2020 | 2022 | 2024 | State avg across all years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $4.11 | $6.10 | $7.01 | No initiatives | $13.79 | $7.75 |
| Arizona | $5.19 | $10.58 | $11.36 | $15.29 | $20.63 | $12.61 |
| Arkansas | $6.93 | $12.11 | None | $25.28 | $41.34 | $21.42 |
| California | $6.20 | $6.07 | $7.22 | $16.18 | $15.08 | $10.15 |
| Colorado | $6.43 | $8.35 | $7.37 | $9.84 | $12.02 | $8.80 |
| Florida | $6.07 | $5.99 | $8.80 | None | $23.13 | $11.00 |
| Idaho | No initiatives | $11.14 | No initiatives | No initiatives | $0.00 | $5.57 |
| Maine | $5.53 | $1.57 | $1.72 | No initiatives | $15.17 | $6.00 |
| Massachusetts | $6.24 | $3.77 | $3.69 | $4.83 | $14.80 | $6.67 |
| Michigan | No initiatives | $3.42 | No initiatives | $20.47 | No initiatives | $11.95 |
| Mississippi | No initiatives | No initiatives | No initiatives | No initiatives | No initiatives | N/A |
| Missouri | $5.71 | $7.19 | $1.30 | $21.33 | $20.17 | $11.14 |
| Montana | $5.01 | $9.21 | $24.02 | No initiatives | $27.42 | $16.42 |
| Nebraska | $5.24 | $8.56 | $5.07 | $15.67 | $15.82 | $10.07 |
| Nevada | $5.67 | $7.07 | $12.46 | $14.75 | $17.27 | $11.44 |
| North Dakota | $2.14 | $4.73 | No initiatives | $9.61 | $3.74 | $5.06 |
| Oklahoma | $9.59 | $0.21 | $9.13 | No initiatives | No initiatives | $6.31 |
| Ohio | No initiatives | $11.97 | No initiatives | No initiatives | 17.26 | $14.62 |
| Oregon | $3.49 | $5.67 | $8.66 | $5.14 | $13.39 | $7.27 |
| South Dakota | $8.80 | $4.20 | $16.22 | $4.02 | $0.00 | $6.65 |
| Utah | No initiatives | $8.38 | No initiatives | No initiatives | No initiatives | $8.38 |
| Washington | $3.43 | $8.08 | $0.00 | No initiatives | $4.51 | $4.01 |
By total cost
The chart below shows the number of initiatives, the number of states featuring initiatives, the total cost of signature drives for the year, and the average total cost each year.
| Year | # of initiatives | # of states featuring initiatives | total cost of signature gathering campaigns in year | average state signature gathering cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 53 | 18 | $172.15 million | $3.25 million |
| 2022 | 30 | 12 | $118.29 million | $4.08 million |
| 2020 | 43 | 16 | $87.23 million | $2.1 million |
| 2018 | 68 | 21 | $74.4 million | $1.15 million |
| 2016 | 76 | 17 | $78.12 million | $1.03 million |
| 2014 | 40 | 15 | $16.9 million | $608,516 |
| 2012 | 61 | 17 | $51.9 million | $850,936 |
| 2010 | 50 | 14 | $36 million | $720,000 |
Methodology
This analysis uses the following general methodology:
- All data are compiled from data made available through each state's respective campaign finance website.
- Individual initiative data are obtained from available reports from the main committee believed to have been in charge of the petition effort.
- All costs that could be directly related to petitions, including petition gathering and petition printing, were accumulated. When a petition company is used, the company is listed even though all costs may not be directly associated.
- All averages are calculated using only available data. When an initiative did not have available data, it was excluded from such calculations.
- All averages are averages of totals, not averages of averages.
See also
Other petition cost reports
- 2012 ballot measure petition signature costs
- 2013 ballot measure petition signature costs
- 2014 ballot measure petition signature costs
- Ballot measure signature costs, 2015
- Ballot measure signature costs, 2017
- Ballot measure signature costs, 2018
- Ballot measures cost per required signatures analysis
- Ballot measure signature costs, 2019
- Ballot measure signature costs, 2020
- Ballot measure signature costs, 2021
- Ballot measure signature costs, 2022
- Ballot measure signature costs, 2023
- Ballot measure signature costs, 2024
- User:Jackie Mitchell/CPRS 2024
2015
Though there were 28 total measures on statewide ballots in 2015, only five measures in four states—Maine, Mississippi, Ohio, and Washington—were initiatives that required signatures to be collected to be put on the ballot.
Of the five measures, Ohio's Issue 3 had the highest CPRS at $8.13, while Maine's Question 1 and Mississippi's Initiative 42 both had the lowest CPRS at $0 because the campaigns enlisted volunteers to collect signatures instead of hiring a company. The average CPRS for the 2015 measures was $6.49.
Footnotes
- ↑ The exact figure was $79,558,148.97.
- ↑ Note: Many more than that were collected. 13.7 million is the minimum number of valid signatures that were required.
- ↑ The exact figure is $6,622,935.93.
- ↑ If the average is lower than the lowest non-zero figure listed for a given year, it means that there were successful volunteer petitions drives with $0 CPRS.
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