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Ballot measure signature costs, 2024
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Ballotpedia's cost-per-required-signature (CPRS) report analyzes the signature-gathering costs of ballot initiative campaigns. In 2024, 57 citizen-initiated measures were on the ballot—one on June 11, and 56 on November 5.
- Note: Signature gathering costs were unavailable for four South Dakota initiatives and are thus excluded from the report.
Proponents of these initiatives conducted initiative petition signature drives, and the initiatives qualified to appear on the state's statewide ballot. Requirements differ from state to state, such as the number of signatures required, circulation period length, and other requirements.
CPRS is calculated as a campaign's total spending on signature gathering relative to the number of valid signatures required. You can read more about how we measure signature gathering costs below.
The 53 initiative campaigns with available signature drive data, including two campaigns that utilized volunteers for a total cost of $0, spent a combined $172 million[1] on signature gathering. The average petition drive cost was $3,248,171.02, and the average CPRS was $14.87.
HIGHLIGHTS
See the sections below for further information on the following topics:
- Defining signature drive costs and CPRS
- Findings by costs, issues, and petition companies
- Total cost of signature drives
- Data on CPRS
- List of initiatives and signature drive costs
- Signature costs by state
- Signature costs compared to previous years
- Factors affecting signature costs
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)
The total cost depends on all of the factors that can make a petition effort more or less expensive, including the population of the state and the state's signature requirements. This measurement does not necessarily indicate how difficult it is to run a signature petition campaign in a state relative to other states or how hard and expensive it is to collect a given valid signature. It takes into consideration the population and signature requirements for a state. For example, the average total cost of a successful initiative petition drive in California in 2016 was just over $2.9 million, while in Oklahoma the average total cost was about $870,000. Initiatives in California, however, require over four times as many signatures and affect 10 times as many people.
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 relative to other states. For example, the average CPRS in California in 2016 was $6.20 while the average CPRS in Oklahoma was $9.59, but the average total petition cost was $2.9 million in California and about $870,000 in Oklahoma.
From the perspective of a national organization or proponents of a national agenda, this means that a lower CPRS generally means that a campaign could potentially affect more people and achieve more political influence per dollar spent, while the total petition cost might dictate in which states the campaign could actually afford to launch a successful petition drive.
Analysis, averages, and highlights
Across the five election years from 2016 to 2024, there were a total of 270 initiatives on the ballot. Campaigns for these initiatives spent a cumulative $533 million[7] on signature gathering drives.
Total costs and averages, 2024
| State | Number of initiatives | Average CPRS | Average cost | Cumulative cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 2 | $13.79 | $368,215.89 | $736,431.77 |
| Arizona | 2 | $20.63 | $7,917,850.00 | $15,835,700.00 |
| Arkansas | 1 | $41.34 | $3,750,123.01 | $3,750,123.01 |
| California | 5 | $15.08 | $8,463,663.80 | $42,318,318.99 |
| Colorado | 7 | $12.02 | $1,493,177.78 | $10,452,244.44 |
| Florida | 2 | $23.13 | $20,618,458.66 | $41,236,917.31 |
| Idaho | 1 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Maine | 1 | $15.17 | $1,026,720.00 | $1,026,720.00 |
| Massachusetts | 5 | $14.80 | $1,287,546.16 | $6,437,730.79 |
| Missouri | 4 | $20.17 | $3,445,840.54 | $13,783,362.14 |
| Montana | 3 | $27.42 | $1,654,734.00 | $4,964,202.00 |
| Nebraska | 6 | $15.82 | $1,580,283.46 | $9,481,700.76 |
| Nevada | 3 | $17.27 | $1,931,486.58 | $5,794,459.75 |
| North Dakota | 3 | $3.74 | $70,051.57 | $210,154.72 |
| Ohio | 1 | $17.26 | $7,137,500.00 | $7,137,500.00 |
| Oregon | 2 | $13.39 | $1,568,322.00 | $3,136,643.99 |
| South Dakota | 1 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Washington | 4 | $4.51 | $1,462,713.54 | $5,850,854.15 |
Total costs
- In 2024, 57 citizen-initiated measures qualified for the ballot. The 53 initiative campaigns with available signature cost data, including two campaigns that utilized volunteers for a total cost of $0, spent a combined $172,153,063.82 on signature gathering.
- 2024 has the highest cumulative signature cost at $172 million, an increase of approximately 120% since 2016, when the cumulative cost was $78 million. On average, the total signature drive cost increased by approximately 23% each even-year election from 2016 to 2024.
- From 2016 to 2024, California has had the highest total cumulative amount spent on signature drives. In 2024, $42.3 million was spent to collect signatures for five initiatives, accounting for 25% of all signature gathering costs in 2024.
- According to campaign finance reports through October 29, 2024, initiative campaigns received a total of $758.5 million in contributions. The $172 million spent by these campaigns on signature drives represents 23% of the total contributions.
- Florida Amendment 3, a marijuana legalization initiative, was the measure with the most expensive signature drive at $23,086,166.00. The campaign hired Vanguard Field Strategies and Axiom Strategies to collect the 891,523 valid signatures required to qualify the initiative for the ballot.
Cost per required signature
- The average cost per required signature in 2024 was $14.87, an increase from 2022, when the average cost per required signature was $12.70.
- The average CPRS increased by approximately 115% since 2016, when the average CPRS was $6.93.
- Montana CI-128, an abortion rights initiative, was the measure with the highest CPRS at $48.21. The campaign hired Advanced Micro Targeting and Landslide Political to collect the 60,359 signatures required to qualify the initiative for the ballot.
Most expensive and least expensive signature drives
Most expensive petition drives
The top five most expensive petition drives according to total cost were Florida's two initiatives to create a right to abortion and legalize marijuana, two initiatives in California that would (1) prohibit state limitations on local rent control and (2) create an $18 minimum wage, and an initiative in Arizona creating a right to abortion.
| Ballot Measure | Topic | Petition Companies | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona Proposition 139, Right to Abortion Initiative (2024) | Abortion policy | Fieldworks LLC | $9,275,696.00 | 383,923 | $24.16 |
| California Proposition 32, $18 Minimum Wage Initiative (2024) | Minimum wage laws | UNITE HERE Local 11, Kimball Petition Management, California Partnership Action Fund | $8,837,160.25 | 623,212 | $14.18 |
| California Proposition 33, Prohibit State Limitations on Local Rent Control Initiative (2024) | Rent control and regulations | The Monaco Group, PCI Consultants, Inc. | $9,944,484.65 | 546,651 | $18.19 |
| Florida Amendment 3, Marijuana Legalization Initiative (2024) | Marijuana laws | Vanguard Field Strategies, Axiom Strategies | $23,086,166.00 | 891,523 | $25.90 |
| Florida Amendment 4, Right to Abortion Initiative (2024) | Abortion policy | PCI Consultants, Inc. | $18,150,751.31 | 891,523 | $20.36 |
Least expensive petition drives
Campaigns for two initiatives utilized volunteers for their signature gathering effort, resulting in a CPRS and a total cost of $0.
| Ballot Measure | Topic | Petition Companies | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho Proposition 1, Top-Four Ranked-Choice Voting Initiative (2024) | Ranked-choice voting | volunteers | $0.00 | 62,895 | $0.00 |
| South Dakota Referred Law 21, Regulation of Carbon Dioxide Pipelines Referendum (2024) | Carbon emissions regulations | volunteers | $0.00 | 17,509 | $0.00 |
Total costs of signature drives, 2024
The following table shows the number of initiatives in the given state, the lowest, highest and average statewide petition drive cost, as well as the total cumulative cost of all signature drives in the state in 2024.
Click on the arrows in the table below to sort it by column.
| State | Number of initiatives | Lowest cost | Highest cost | Average cost | Cumulative cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 2 | $58,196.17 | $678,235.60 | $368,215.89 | $736,431.77 |
| Arizona | 2 | $6,560,004.00 | $9,275,696.00 | $7,917,850.00 | $15,835,700.00 |
| Arkansas | 1 | $3,750,123.01 | $3,750,123.01 | $3,750,123.01 | $3,750,123.01 |
| California | 5 | $7,431,244.35 | $9,944,484.65 | $8,463,663.80 | $42,318,318.99 |
| Colorado | 7 | $230,714.00 | $2,991,718.21 | $1,493,177.78 | $10,452,244.44 |
| Florida | 2 | $18,150,751.31 | $23,086,166.00 | $20,618,458.66 | $41,236,917.31 |
| Idaho | 1 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Maine | 1 | $1,026,720.00 | $1,026,720.00 | $1,026,720.00 | $1,026,720.00 |
| Massachusetts | 5 | $340,000.00 | $3,560,850.00 | $1,287,546.16 | $6,437,730.79 |
| Missouri | 4 | $100,000.00 | $5,656,665.30 | $3,445,840.54 | $13,783,362.14 |
| Montana | 3 | $1,027,183.50 | $2,909,835.00 | $1,654,734.00 | $4,964,202.00 |
| Nebraska | 6 | $575,604.00 | $2,900,700.00 | $1,580,283.46 | $9,481,700.76 |
| Nevada | 3 | $1,400,000.00 | $2,394,459.75 | $1,931,486.58 | $5,794,459.75 |
| North Dakota | 3 | $34,422.00 | $140,158.50 | $70,051.57 | $210,154.72 |
| Ohio | 1 | $7,137,500.00 | $7,137,500.00 | $7,137,500.00 | $7,137,500.00 |
| Oregon | 2 | $702,676.62 | $2,433,967.37 | $1,568,322.00 | $3,136,643.99 |
| South Dakota | 1 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Washington | 4 | $1,064,666.89 | $2,444,186.75 | $1,462,713.54 | $5,850,854.15 |
Cost per required signature, 2024
The following table shows the number of initiatives in the given state, the lowest, median, and highest CPRS, as well as the average CPRS in the state.
Click on the arrows in the table below to sort it by column.
| State | Initiatives | Lowest CPRS | Highest CPRS | Average CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho | 1 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| South Dakota | 1 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Missouri | 4 | $0.93 | $32.97 | $20.17 |
| North Dakota | 3 | $1.10 | $8.99 | $3.74 |
| Colorado | 7 | $1.86 | $24.08 | $12.02 |
| Alaska | 2 | $2.18 | $25.40 | $13.79 |
| Washington | 4 | $3.28 | $7.53 | $4.51 |
| Massachusetts | 5 | $3.91 | $40.93 | $14.80 |
| Oregon | 2 | $6.00 | $20.77 | $13.39 |
| Nebraska | 6 | $9.32 | $23.49 | $15.82 |
| California | 5 | $13.59 | $18.19 | $15.08 |
| Nevada | 3 | $13.68 | $23.39 | $17.27 |
| Maine | 1 | $15.17 | $15.17 | $15.17 |
| Montana | 3 | $17.02 | $48.21 | $27.42 |
| Arizona | 2 | $17.09 | $24.16 | $20.63 |
| Ohio | 1 | $17.26 | $17.26 | $17.26 |
| Florida | 2 | $20.36 | $25.90 | $23.13 |
| Arkansas | 1 | $41.34 | $41.34 | $41.34 |
Signature costs by topic
The following table shows the average CPRS, average total signature drive cost, and total cumulative cost according to each topic.
| Topic | Number of initiatives | Average CPRS | Average total cost | Cumulative cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abortion | 8 | $25.55 | $5,597,364.64 | $44,778,917.11 |
| Elections, electoral systems, voting policy, campaigns, and campaign finance | 11 | $11.81 | $2,093,099.65 | $23,024,096.17 |
| Labor and unions | 4 | $14.63 | $1,430,861.97 | $5,723,447.89 |
| Marijuana | 4 | $14.60 | $6,314,945.29 | $25,259,781.16 |
| Gambling | 3 | $32.52 | $4,465,242.44 | $13,395,727.31 |
| Minimum wage | 3 | $15.80 | $3,398,412.74 | $10,195,238.22 |
| Law enforcement, civil and criminal trials | 3 | $12.66 | $3,747,600.91 | $11,242,802.74 |
| Education | 3 | $8.73 | $815,701.00 | $2,447,103.00 |
| Energy | 2 | $3.77 | $1,222,093.38 | $2,444,186.75 |
| Healthcare | 2 | $8.60 | $4,301,122.31 | $8,602,244.61 |
| Taxes | 4 | $3.51 | $743,479.50 | $2,973,917.98 |
| Drug crime policy | 1 | $40.93 | $3,560,850.00 | $3,560,850.00 |
| Treatment of animals, hunting policy | 2 | $4.36 | $541,383.12 | $1,082,766.23 |
| Housing | 1 | $18.19 | $9,944,484.65 | $9,944,484.65 |
| Redistricting and state legislatures measures | 2 | $10.59 | $3,738,750.00 | $7,477,500.00 |
Signature costs by petition drive management company
Petition drive management companies are companies that contract with campaigns to collect signatures.
Since some initiative petition drives used more than one company, some initiatives are counted more than once in the table below.
The most-used petition drive management companies in 2024 were Advanced Microtargeting, Fieldworks, and PCI Consultants, Inc, which each conducted six signature drives, making these three firms responsible for 35% of signature gathering drives in 2024.
| Petition company | Number of petition drives | States using petition company |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced Micro Targeting | 6 | Alaska, Arizona, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, Ohio |
| eQual | 2 | Alaska, Missouri |
| Leading Light Advisors | 1 | Alaska |
| Top Fundraising Solutions | 1 | Alaska |
| Fieldworks LLC | 6 | Arizona (1), Colorado (1), Missouri (1), Nebraska (3) |
| PCI Consultants, Inc. | 6 | Arkansas (1), California (4), Florida (1) |
| UNITE HERE Local 11 | 1 | California |
| Kimball Petition Management | 1 | California |
| California Partnership Action Fund | 1 | California |
| The Monaco Group | 4 | California |
| Victors Canvassing | 2 | Colorado |
| Ground Organizing for Latinos | 1 | Colorado |
| Ground Organizing | 1 | Colorado |
| Blitz Canvassing | 3 | Colorado (2), Missouri (1) |
| Vanguard Field Strategies | 2 | Florida, Nebraska |
| Axiom Strategies | 1 | Florida |
| EqualCitizens.US | 1 | Maine |
| Signature Drive | 2 | Massachusetts |
| Ballot Access Management | 2 | Massachusetts |
| Westfield Trustee Services, LLC | 1 | Massachusetts |
| Sign2Vote, Inc. | 1 | Massachusetts |
| The Outreach Team | 2 | Massachusetts, Nevada |
| Accelevate 2020 | 1 | Massachusetts |
| Nationwide Ballot Access | 1 | Massachusetts |
| Allied Data Services | 1 | Massachusetts |
| One Fair Wage Action, Inc. | 1 | Massachusetts |
| MO Political Consulting | 1 | Missouri |
| MOVE Action | 2 | Missouri |
| Second Street Associates | 1 | Missouri |
| Landslide Political | 5 | Montana (3), Nebraska (2) |
| She's Electable Nebraska LLC | 1 | Nebraska |
| September Group | 1 | Nevada |
| U.S. Term Limits | 1 | North Dakota |
| Public Appeal | 1 | North Dakota |
| HR Solutions, LLC | 1 | North Dakota |
| All Circulators are Beautiful, LLC | 1 | Oregon |
| Ascendant LLC | 1 | Oregon |
| Portland Clean Air Fund | 1 | Oregon |
| UFCW Local 555 | 1 | Oregon |
| Voter Science | 2 | Washington |
| CollectiveVoice Solutions | 1 | Washington |
| Your Choice Petitions | 3 | Washington |
| TDM Strategies | 3 | Washington |
| Allstate Petition Management LLC | 3 | Washington |
Citizen initiative petition gathering costs, 2024
Signature costs by state
The tables below shows the number of required signatures, total petition drive cost, petition companies, and CPRS for each initiative in a given state.
Alaska
- See also: Alaska 2024 ballot measures
| Ballot Measure | Topic | Petition Companies | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Ballot Measure 1, Minimum Wage Increase and Paid Sick Leave Initiative (2024) | Paid sick leave laws | Advanced Micro Targeting, eQual | $678,235.60 | 26,705 | $25.40 |
| Alaska Ballot Measure 2, Repeal Top-Four Ranked-Choice Voting Initiative (2024) | Ranked-choice voting | Leading Light Advisors, Top Fundraising Solutions | $58,196.17 | 26,705 | $2.18 |
Arizona
- See also: Arizona 2024 ballot measures
| Ballot Measure | Topic | Petition Companies | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona Proposition 139, Right to Abortion Initiative (2024) | Abortion policy | Fieldworks LLC | $9,275,696.00 | 383,923 | $24.16 |
| Arizona Proposition 140, Single Primary for All Candidates and Possible RCV General Election Initiative (2024) | Primary election systems | Advanced Micro Targeting | $6,560,004.00 | 383,923 | $17.09 |
Arkansas
- See also: Arkansas 2024 ballot measures
| Ballot Measure | Topic | Petition Companies | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas Issue 2, Countywide Voter Approval for New Casino Licenses and Repeal Casino Licenses in Pope County Initiative (2024) | Gambling policy | PCI Consultants, Inc. | $3,750,123.01 | 90,704 | $41.34 |
California
- See also: California 2024 ballot measures
Colorado
- See also: Colorado 2024 ballot measures
Florida
- See also: Florida 2024 ballot measures
| Ballot Measure | Topic | Petition Companies | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida Amendment 3, Marijuana Legalization Initiative (2024) | Marijuana laws | Vanguard Field Strategies, Axiom Strategies | $23,086,166.00 | 891,523 | $25.90 |
| Florida Amendment 4, Right to Abortion Initiative (2024) | Abortion policy | PCI Consultants, Inc. | $18,150,751.31 | 891,523 | $20.36 |
Idaho
- See also: Idaho 2024 ballot measures
| Ballot Measure | Topic | Petition Companies | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho Proposition 1, Top-Four Ranked-Choice Voting Initiative (2024) | Ranked-choice voting | volunteers | $0.00 | 62,895 | $0.00 |
Maine
- See also: Maine 2024 ballot measures
| Ballot Measure | Topic | Petition Companies | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maine Question 1, Limit Contributions to Super PACs Initiative (2024) | Campaign finance | EqualCitizens.US | $1,026,720.00 | 67,682 | $15.17 |
Massachusetts
- See also: Massachusetts 2024 ballot measures
Missouri
- See also: Missouri 2024 ballot measures
| Ballot Measure | Topic | Petition Companies | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missouri Amendment 2, Sports Betting Initiative (2024) | Gambling policy | Fieldworks LLC, Blitz Canvassing | $5,656,665.30 | 171,592 | $32.97 |
| Missouri Amendment 3, Right to Reproductive Freedom Initiative (2024) | Abortion policy | Advanced Micro Targeting, eQual, MO Political Consulting, MOVE Action | $4,037,757.84 | 171,592 | $23.53 |
| Missouri Amendment 5, Osage River Gambling Boat License Initiative (2024) | Gambling policy | Second Street Associates | $3,988,939.00 | 171,592 | $23.25 |
| Missouri Proposition A, Minimum Wage and Earned Paid Sick Time Initiative (2024) | Minimum wage laws | MOVE Action | $100,000.00 | 107,246 | $0.93 |
Montana
- See also: Montana 2024 ballot measures
| Ballot Measure | Topic | Petition Companies | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montana CI-126, Top-Four Primary Initiative (2024) | Primary election systems | Landslide Political | $1,027,183.50 | 60,359 | $17.02 |
| Montana CI-127, Majority Vote Required to Win Elections Initiative (2024) | Ranked-choice voting | Landslide Political | $1,027,183.50 | 60,359 | $17.02 |
| Montana CI-128, Right to Abortion Initiative (2024) | Abortion policy | Advanced Micro Targeting, Landslide Political | $2,909,835.00 | 60,359 | $48.21 |
- 'Note: Montanans for Election Reform spent a total of $2,054,367.00 collecting a total of 120,718 required signatures for both CI-126 and CI-127 and it is impossible to discern the specific amount spent on each initiative individually. The total cost divided in two would result in a CPRS estimate for each initiative at $17.02.
Nebraska
- See also: Nebraska 2024 ballot measures
| Ballot Measure | Topic | Petition Companies | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nebraska Initiative 434, Prohibit Abortions After the First Trimester Amendment (2024) | Abortion policy | Vanguard Field Strategies | $2,900,700.00 | 123,465 | $23.49 |
| Nebraska Initiative 436, Paid Sick Leave Initiative (2024) | Paid sick leave laws | Landslide Political | $1,853,941.10 | 86,426 | $21.45 |
| Nebraska Initiative 437, Medical Marijuana Legalization Initiative (2024) | Marijuana laws | Fieldworks LLC | $1,016,728.33 | 86,426 | $11.76 |
| Nebraska Initiative 438, Medical Marijuana Regulation Initiative (2024) | Marijuana laws | Fieldworks LLC | $1,016,728.33 | 86,426 | $11.76 |
| Nebraska Initiative 439, Right to Abortion Initiative (2024) | Abortion policy | Landslide Political, She's Electable Nebraska LLC | $2,117,999.00 | 123,465 | $17.15 |
| Nebraska Referendum 435, Private Education Scholarship Program Referendum (2024) | School choice policy | Fieldworks LLC | $575,604.00 | 61,733 | $9.32 |
Nevada
- See also: Nebraska 2024 ballot measures
| Ballot Measure | Topic | Petition Companies | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada Question 3, Top-Five Ranked-Choice Voting Initiative (2024) | Ranked-choice voting | Advanced Micro Targeting | $2,000,000.00 | 135,561 | $14.75 |
| Nevada Question 6, Right to Abortion Initiative (2024) | Abortion policy | The Outreach Team | $2,394,459.75 | 102,362 | $23.39 |
| Nevada Question 7, Require Voter Identification Initiative (2024) | Voter ID policy | September Group | $1,400,000.00 | 102,362 | $13.68 |
North Dakota
- See also: North Dakota 2024 ballot measures
| Ballot Measure | Topic | Petition Companies | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota Initiated Measure 1, Congressional Age Limits Initiative (June 2024) | Age limits for officials | U.S. Term Limits | $34,422.00 | 31,164 | $1.10 |
| North Dakota Initiated Measure 4, Prohibit Taxes on Assessed Value of Real Property Initiative (2024) | Property | Public Appeal | $35,574.22 | 31,164 | $1.14 |
| North Dakota Initiated Measure 5, Marijuana Legalization Initiative (2024) | Marijuana laws | HR Solutions, LLC | $140,158.50 | 15,582 | $8.99 |
Ohio
- See also: Ohio 2024 ballot measures
| Ballot Measure | Topic | Petition Companies | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio Issue 1, Establish the Citizens Redistricting Commission Initiative (2024) | Redistricting policy | Advanced Micro Targeting | $7,137,500.00 | 413,488 | $17.26 |
Oregon
- See also: Oregon 2024 ballot measures
| Ballot Measure | Topic | Petition Companies | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon Measure 118, Corporate Tax Revenue Rebate for Residents Initiative (2024) | Business taxes | All Circulators are Beautiful, LLC, Ascendant LLC, Portland Clean Air Fund | $702,676.62 | 117,173 | $6.00 |
| Oregon Measure 119, Unionization of Cannabis Workers Initiative (2024) | Marijuana laws | UFCW Local 555 | $2,433,967.37 | 117,173 | $20.77 |
South Dakota
- See also: South Dakota 2024 ballot measures
| Ballot Measure | Topic | Petition Companies | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Dakota Constitutional Amendment G, Right to Abortion Initiative (2024) | Abortion policy | $0.00 | 35,017 | $0.00 | |
| South Dakota Constitutional Amendment H, Top-Two Primary Elections Initiative (2024) | Primary election systems | $0.00 | 35,017 | $0.00 | |
| South Dakota Initiated Measure 28, Prohibit Food and Grocery Taxes Initiative (2024) | Food policy | $0.00 | 17,509 | $0.00 | |
| South Dakota Initiated Measure 29, Marijuana Legalization Initiative (2024) | Marijuana laws | $0.00 | 17,509 | $0.00 | |
| South Dakota Referred Law 21, Regulation of Carbon Dioxide Pipelines Referendum (2024) | Carbon emissions regulations | volunteers | $0.00 | 17,509 | $0.00 |
- Note: SD Property Rights and Local Control Alliance, sponsors of Referred Law 21 used volunteers to collect signatures for the petition to qualify this measure for the ballot. A total of $0.00 was spent to collect the 17,509 valid signatures required to put this measure before voters, resulting in a total cost per required signature (CPRS) of $0.00.
Washington
- See also: Washington 2024 ballot measures
| Ballot Measure | Topic | Petition Companies | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Initiative 2066, Natural Gas Policies Measure (2024) | Fossil fuel energy | Voter Science, CollectiveVoice Solutions | $2,444,186.75 | 324,516 | $7.53 |
| Washington Initiative 2109, Repeal Capital Gains Tax Initiative (2024) | Taxes | TDM Strategies, Allstate Petition Management LLC, Voter Science | $1,171,000.25 | 324,516 | $3.61 |
| Washington Initiative 2117, Repeal Carbon Cap and Invest Program Measure (2024) | Environment | TDM Strategies, Allstate Petition Management LLC, Voter Science | $1,064,666.89 | 324,516 | $3.28 |
| Washington Initiative 2124, Opt-Out of Long-Term Services Insurance Program Initiative (2024) | Public assistance programs | TDM Strategies, Allstate Petition Management LLC, Voter Science | $1,171,000.26 | 324,516 | $3.61 |
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.
- Restrictions on 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 companies
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.
Issue 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.
Comparison to previous years
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[8] | 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 |
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, 2016
- 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
- User:Jackie Mitchell/CPRS 2024
Footnotes
- ↑ $172,153,063.82
- ↑ A total of 57 citizen initiatives were certified for the 2024 ballot. Signature gathering costs were unavailable for four South Dakota initiatives and are thus excluded from the report.
- ↑ $3,248,171.02
- ↑ Excluding the two campaigns that used volunteers to conduct their signature drives, the total cost spent by campaigns utilizing paid signature gatherers was $3,375,550.27.
- ↑ Excluding the two campaigns that used volunteers to conduct their signature drives, the average CPRS for campaigns utilizing paid signature gatherers was $15.45
- ↑ $532,980,985.41
- ↑ $532,980,985.41
- ↑ 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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