Ballotpedia’s Historical Ballot Measure Factbook series offers a comprehensive look at nearly 200 years of direct democracy in the United States.
Each state-specific factbook provides a record of all statewide ballot measures from an initial year through the present, including approval rates, types of measures, notable topics, and historical context.
The Factbooks are designed as a go-to resource for researchers, journalists, and citizens seeking to understand how ballot measures have evolved, what issues they’ve addressed, and the role they’ve played in shaping public policy and political history.
Explore the HBM Factbooks to find:
- A searchable database of statewide measures by decade
- Approval rates and voting patterns by type and topic
- Key historical ballot measures and trends
- Measures with the closest and widest margins
As of September 2025, HBM Factbooks have been published for 15 states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin.
Search state factbooks for a comprehensive list of ballot measures, historical trends, and outcomes.
Compare HBM Factbooks across states by years covered, total measures, decades, measure types, and approval rates.
Listen to Ballotpedia’s On the Ballot podcast as we explore a different state’s ballot measure history each month.
Explore how ballot measures have shaped major policy issues across states.
List of HBM Factbooks
Browse the factbooks for state-by-state overviews of statewide ballot measures, including searchable inventories, approval rates, notable measures, and more.
Alaska HBM Factbook
(1956 to Present)
Arizona HBM Factbook
(1911 to Present)
California HBM Factbook
(1910 to Present)
Massachusetts HBM Factbook
(1910 to Present)
Michigan HBM Factbook
(1880 to Present)
Missouri HBM Factbook
(1908 to Present)
North Carolina HBM Factbook
(1789 to Present)
Ohio HBM Factbook
(1910 to Present)
Oklahoma HBM Factbook
(1907 to Present)
Oregon HBM Factbook
(1900 to Present)
South Dakota HBM Factbook
(1889 to Present)
Texas HBM Factbook
(1876 to Present)
Utah HBM Factbook
(1895 to Present)
States with completed factbooks
The following map shows the states for which HBM Factbooks have been compiled:
Comparison of HBM Factbooks
HBM Factbooks have been completed for 15 states. The following chart shows the range of years covered in each state’s factbook, beginning with the earliest available data and extending to the present.
Comparison of number of ballot measures
The following table compares factbooks across states, showing the span of years covered, total number of ballot measures, election cycle (two-year) average, and approval and defeat rates.
| State | Span | Number | Average | Approved | Defeated | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 1956 — Present | 220 | 6 | 72% (158) | 28% (62) | |
| Arizona | 1911 — Present | 494 | 9 | 51% (253) | 49% (241) | |
| California | 1910 — Present | 1,306 | 23 | 58% (752) | 42% (554) | |
| Massachusetts | 1910 — Present | 231 | 4 | 70% (161) | 30% (70) | |
| Michigan | 1880 — Present | 319 | 4 | 51% (163) | 49% (156) | |
| Missouri | 1908 — Present | 420 | 7 | 46% (195) | 54% (225) | |
| North Carolina | 1789 — Present | 202 | 2 | 73% (147) | 27% (55) | |
| Ohio | 1910 — Present | 307 | 5 | 55% (170) | 45% (137) | |
| Oklahoma | 1907 — Present | 454 | 8 | 51% (232) | 49% (222) | |
| Oregon | 1900 — Present | 882 | 14 | 47% (411) | 53% (471) | |
| South Dakota | 1889 — Present | 366 | 5 | 44% (160) | 56% (206) | |
| Texas | 1876 — Present | 712 | 10 | 75% (531) | 25% (181) | |
| Utah | 1895 — Present | 220 | 3 | 64% (140) | 36% (80) | |
| Washington | 1889 — Present | 510 | 8 | 53% (268) | 47% (242) | |
| Wisconsin | 1846 — Present | 258 | 3 | 72% (185) | 28% (73) |
Comparison of ballot measures per decade
The following interactive graph shows the number of ballot measures per decade from 1910 to August 2025 for states with completed HBM Factbooks.
Comparison of types of ballot measures
The following table compares the types of statewide ballot measures across the states with HBM Factbooks, including their origin and type. Origin refers to who placed the measure on the ballot—citizens through petitions, the state legislature, or another source like a constitutional convention or commission. Type refers to what kind of law the measure proposed—a constitutional amendment, a statute, or something else, such as an automatic constitutional convention question.
| State | Span | Total Number | Origin | Type | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 1956 — Present | 220 | 27% (60) | 66% (146) | 6% (14) | 23% (51) | 74% (162) | 3% (7) |
| Arizona | 1911 — Present | 494 | 44% (219) | 52% (255) | 4% (20) | 60% (296) | 40% (198) | 0% (0) |
| California | 1910 — Present | 1,306 | 34% (444) | 66% (862) | 0% (0) | 62% (816) | 38% (490) | 0% (0) |
| Massachusetts | 1910 — Present | 231 | 50% (116) | 40% (92) | 10% (23) | 42% (97) | 58% (134) | 0% (0) |
| Michigan | 1880 — Present | 319 | 32% (102) | 65% (206) | 3% (11) | 80% (256) | 17% (54) | 3% (9) |
| Missouri | 1908 — Present | 420 | 31% (130) | 61% (258) | 8% (32) | 81% (342) | 17% (72) | 1% (6) |
| North Carolina | 1789 — Present | 202 | N/A | 97% (196) | 3% (6) | 79% (159) | 21% (43) | 0% (0) |
| Ohio | 1910 — Present | 307 | 33% (100) | 52% (160) | 15% (47) | 89% (273) | 9% (29) | 2% (5) |
| Oklahoma | 1907 — Present | 454 | 25% (116) | 74% (336) | 1% (2) | 82% (372) | 18% (82) | 0% (0) |
| Oregon | 1900 — Present | 882 | 50% (445) | 49% (435) | 1% (2) | 59% (518) | 41% (364) | 0% (0) |
| South Dakota | 1889 — Present | 366 | 36% (131) | 64% (233) | 1% (2) | 69% (253) | 31% (113) | 0% (0) |
| Texas | 1876 — Present | 712 | N/A | 99% (711) | 1% (1) | 100% (712) | 0% (0) | 0% (0) |
| Utah | 1895 — Present | 220 | 12% (28) | 87% (191) | 1% (1) | 86% (189) | 15% (31) | 0% (0) |
| Washington | 1889 — Present | 510 | 45% (231) | 54% (275) | 1% (4) | 37% (188) | 63% (322) | 0% (0) |
| Wisconsin | 1846 — Present | 258 | N/A | 99% (255) | 1% (3) | 78% (201) | 22% (57) | 0% (0) |
On the Ballot: HBM Series
- See also: On the Ballot: A Ballotpedia Podcast
Each month, Ballotpedia’s On the Ballot podcast will highlight a new Historical Ballot Measure Factbook, providing a concise overview of that state’s ballot measure history. Browse the episodes below—scroll right to explore more.
(April 16, 2025)
(July 25, 2025)
(June 24, 2025)
(March 19, 2025)
(May 13, 2025)
(February 25, 2025)
History of ballot measure by topics
Topics
- History of ballot measures to establish initiative and referendum processes: Voters in 30 states have decided on 42 constitutional amendments to create state initiative and referendum processes. Voters approved constitutional amendments in 26 states. The average vote on a constitutional amendment to establish an initiative or referendum process was 68.3% to 31.7%. The four states that rejected constitutional amendments to establish initiative and referendum processes were Minnesota, Rhode Island, Texas, and Wisconsin.
- History of abortion ballot measures: Since the 1970s, there were 65 abortion-related ballot measures in 30 states. From 1970 to 2024, 44 (68%) of these had the support of organizations that described themselves as pro-life. Voters approved 12 (27%) and rejected 32 (73%) of these 44 ballot measures. The other 21 abortion-related ballot measures had the support of organizations that described themselves as pro-choice or pro-reproductive rights. Voters approved 15 (71%) and rejected six (29%).
- History of English as official language ballot measures and laws: As of 2025, 30 states had designated English as their official language. Most (27) of these states adopted their official language between the 1980s and 2000s, with a median year of 1988. Of the 30 states that designated English as their official language, 11 (37%) did so through voter-approved ballot measures. The average vote on these measures was 73.1%, with support ranging from 50.5% to 88.5%.
- History of marijuana ballot measures and laws: The state-level legalization of marijuana began with ballot measures in Colorado and Washington in 2012. However, marijuana-related measures have appeared on ballots since 1972. Through 2024, voters have considered 83 marijuana-related ballot measures, including 33 on recreational marijuana, 32 on medical marijuana, 13 on other criminal policies, and four addressing other marijuana-related issues.
- History of ranked-choice voting (RCV) ballot measures: The ballot measure has played a role in shaping electoral systems in the U.S., including ranked-choice voting (RCV) for state and local elections. Since 1915, there have been more than 150 ballot measures to adopt or repeal ranked-choice voting systems. From 1965 through 2024, there were 12 statewide ballot measures in eight states and 74 local ballot measures in 58 jurisdictions.
- History of right to hunt and fish constitutional amendments: Between 1776 and the mid-1990s, there was just one state—Vermont—with a state constitutional right to hunt and fish. In 1996, voters in Alabama passed an amendment, which initiated a trend. From 1996 to 2024, voters in 25 states decided on similar constitutional amendments, approving 24 of 25 (96%).
- History of same-sex marriage ballot measures: The ballot measure played a significant role in shaping the legal status of same-sex marriage in the U.S. before Obergefell v. Hodges (2015). Between 1994 and 2023, voters in 30 states approved 34 ballot measures to prohibit same-sex marriage or define marriage as between one man and one woman. While Obergefell rendered these ballot measures—most of which are constitutional amendments—unenforceable, the measures remain part of state constitutions, and several states have addressed ballot measures to repeal them.
- History of school choice ballot measures: Since 1970, voters in 12 states have decided on 22 statewide ballot measures related to school choice policies, including vouchers, tax credits, education savings accounts (ESAs), and charter schools. Most (19) of these measures were citizen-initiated, including initiated state statutes, constitutional amendments, and veto referendums. Of the 22 statewide ballot measures, two (9.1%) were approved—both in 2012 and both concerning charter schools—while the remaining 20 (90.9%) were defeated
- History of women's suffrage ballot measures: Before the 19th Amendment, the women's suffrage movement also campaigned for changes to state constitutions to provide women with a right to vote. Between 1867 and August 18, 1920, 54 ballot measures to grant women's suffrage were on the ballot in 30 states. Fifteen (15) of the ballot measures were approved, giving women the right to vote in 15 states. Since women did not have suffrage until after the ballot measures were approved, male voters decided the outcome of suffrage ballot measures.
See also
Footnotes
