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Initiative signature requirement changes caused by 2020 voter turnout

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Voter turnout in 2020 elections caused a change in the number of valid signatures required for initiatives and veto referendums in 10[1] of the 26 states with at least one form of statewide initiative or referendum.

Signature requirements are determined differently depending on the state and, for 2022, will vary from 16,961 for initiated statutes in South Dakota to 997,139 for initiated amendments in California.

  • The majority of states with citizen-initiated measures—16—base signature requirements on ballots cast for gubernatorial candidates in the preceding gubernatorial election.
  • Four states base signature requirements on total ballots cast in the preceding general election.
  • Of the remaining states, three states base requirements on registered or active voters, one state bases requirements on voters for presidential candidates within the state, one state bases requirements on votes cast for secretary of state candidates, and one state bases requirements on the state population.
HIGHLIGHTS
  • Ballot measure signature requirements increased by a range of between 7.4% and 44.2% in ten states.
  • Signature requirements in the four states that base requirements on either presidential election turnout or gubernatorial election turnout in presidential election years increased by between 7.4% and 25%.
  • Signature requirements for the four states that base requirements on general election turnout increased by between 26.8% and 44.2%.
  • In those four states, turnout was higher than in 2016 as well, causing between 7.6% and 25.1% higher signature requirements than following the last presidential election.
  • Signature requirements in the two states that base requirements on voter registration increased by 18% and 18.6%, respectively.
  • Washington's initiative signature requirement increased by 25% to 324,516 for 2021 through 2024. Since at least 2008 when the requirement was 224,880, Washington's requirement has increased every four years by between 2% and 7%.
  • Florida's signature requirement for citizen-initiated constitutional amendments increased to 891,589 for 2022 and 2024. Since at least 2008 when the requirement was 611,009, Florida's requirement has increased every four years by between 1% and 12%.

    • Signature requirement changes

    States with requirements based on turnout in presidential or presidential-year gubernatorial elections

    State pre-2020 post-2020
    Affected election years depend on the state.     		Percent
    change
    Constitutional Statute Constitutional Statute
    Florida 766,200 N/A 891,589 N/A +16.4%
    Missouri[2] 160,199 100,126 171,592[2] 107,246 [2] +7.1%[2]
    Montana 50,936 25,468 60,359 30,180 +18.5%
    Washington N/A 259,622 N/A 324,516 +25.0%

    States with requirements based on general election turnout

    State pre-2020 post-2020
    Affected election years depend on the state.     		Percent
    change
    Constitutional Statute Constitutional Statute
    Alaska N/A 28,501 N/A 36,140 +26.8%
    Nevada CICA (2020 to 2022) 97,598 N/A 135,561 N/A +38.9%
    Nevada IndISS (2022 to 2024)[3] N/A 97,598 N/A 135,561 +38.9%
    New Mexico N/A 70,165[4] N/A 92,823[5] +32.3%
    Wyoming N/A 30,792 N/A 41,775 +35.7%

    States with requirements based on voter registration or population

    State pre-2020 post-2020
    Affected election years depend on the state.     		Percent
    change
    Constitutional Statute Constitutional Statute
    Idaho N/A 55,057 N/A 64,945 +18.0%
    Nebraska Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown N/A
    North Dakota 26,904 13,452 31,164[6] 15,582[6] N/A
    Utah N/A 115,869 N/A 137,929 +18.6%

    States with requirements based on turnout midterm or odd-year gubernatorial or SoS elections

    The requirements in the following states were not affected by election turnout or voter registration in 2020.

    State pre-2020 post-2020 Percent
    change
    Constitutional Statute Constitutional Statute
    Arizona 356,467 237,645 356,467 237,645 N/A
    Arkansas 89,151 71,321 89,151 71,321 N/A
    California 997,139 623,212 997,139 623,212 N/A
    Colorado 124,632 124,632 124,632 124,632 N/A
    Illinois 363,813 N/A 363,813 N/A N/A
    Maine N/A 63,067 N/A 63,067 N/A
    Maryland N/A 69,135 N/A 69,135 N/A
    Massachusetts IndISS N/A 93,611 N/A 93,611 N/A
    Massachusetts IndICA 80,239 N/A 80,239 N/A N/A
    Michigan 425,059 340,047 425,059 340,047 N/A
    Mississippi 86,185 N/A 86,185 N/A N/A
    Ohio 442,958 265,774 442,958 265,774 N/A
    Oklahoma 177,958 94,911 177,958 94,911 N/A
    Oregon 117,578 88,184 149,360 112,020 N/A
    South Dakota 33,921 16,961 33,921 16,961 N/A

    Data

    See also

    Footnotes

    1. ↑ Utah's requirement is based on the active voter count as of January 1 following a general election. So, while turnout doesn't directly affect Utah's requirement, voter activity at the general election largely determines any changes to the requirement.
    2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Missouri's requirement is based on a certain number within six of eight congressional districts, which means it varies based on the districts selected by petitioners. Numbers listed here represent the minimum number of required signatures assuming the smallest districts are selected and maximum efficiency regarding signature gathering within those districts.
    3. ↑ As signatures for indirect-initiated state statutes are due about two years before the targeted general election in Nevada, the number of signatures required for a 2022 initiated statute was based on ballots cast in the 2018 election and the number required for a 2024 initiated statue was based on 2020 turnout.
    4. ↑ This was set as the requirement for a veto referendum petition not suspending the targeted law until the election. The requirement to put the targeted law on the ballot and suspend it until the election was set as 175,413 valid signatures.
    5. ↑ This was set as the requirement for a veto referendum petition not suspending the targeted law until the election. The requirement to put the targeted law on the ballot and suspend it until the election was set as 232,058 valid signatures.
    6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 The requirements were based on the results of the 2020 census.
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