State and local police-related ballot measures (2022)

This page features notable local police-related ballot measures on the ballot in 2022.

HIGHLIGHTS

Voters in Missouri approved Amendment 4, which allowed the Legislature to increase the minimum required funding for a state board-established police force. As of 2022, the Kansas City Police Department was the only state board-established police force in Missouri.

Ballotpedia covered nine police-related local ballot measures in 2022. Voters approved each of the ballot measures.

Voters in Akron, Ohio, and Long Beach, California, approved measures establishing police oversight boards.

In Los Angeles, California, voters approved a measure to allow the LA County Board of Supervisors to remove the sheriff from office for cause, defined to include violation of laws related to the sheriff's duties, willful falsification of documents, and obstruction of an investigation.

Coverage scope

In 2022, Ballotpedia covered local ballot measures that appeared on the ballot for voters within the 100 largest cities in the U.S., within state capitals, and throughout California. You can review the coverage scope of the local ballot measures project here.

Ballotpedia covered a selection of policing-related ballot measures and election-related ballot measures outside of the largest cities.

Ballotpedia considered the following questions in deciding whether to include a police-related measure on this page:

• Is the measure being proposed in response to events involving the use of force by police or related protests, either in the city or county itself or elsewhere in the state or country?
• Are references to the use of force by police, related protests, or proposed reductions in law enforcement funding central to the messaging of campaigns supporting or opposing the measure?
• Does the topic of the measure relate to one of the following:
  • police oversight;
  • the powers and structure of oversight commissions;
  • police and incarceration practices;
  • law enforcement department structure and administration;
  • law enforcement budgets;
  • law enforcement training requirements;
  • law enforcement staffing requirements; and
  • body and dashboard camera footage.

Statewide measures

On the ballot

State	Type	Title	Description	Result	Yes Votes	No Votes
MO	LRCA	Amendment 4	Allow the Legislature to pass a law requiring Kansas City to increase funding for the Kansas City Police Department		1,269,826 (63%)	739,783 (37%)

Local measures

On the ballot

November 8:

State	Year	Ballot Measure	Status	Yes Votes	No Votes
Ohio	2022	Akron, Ohio, Issue 10, Police Oversight Board and Auditor Amendment (November 2022)	Approved	30,474 (62%)	18,730 (38%)
Maryland	2022	Baltimore, Maryland, Question F, Supplementary Criminal Apprehension and Conviction Fund Measure (November 2022)	Approved	101,532 (78%)	28,561 (22%)
Maryland	2022	Baltimore, Maryland, Question H, Baltimore City Police Department Measure (November 2022)	Approved	109,285 (83%)	22,768 (17%)
California	2022	Long Beach, California, Measure E, Police Oversight Commission Measure (November 2022)	Approved	64,494 (60%)	43,427 (40%)
California	2022	Los Angeles County, Measure A, Removal of Sheriff for Cause Amendment (November 2022)	Approved	1,633,918 (72%)	640,361 (28%)
Oregon	2022	Multnomah County, Oregon, Measure 26-233, Require County Commissioner Inspection of Jails Amendment (November 2022)	Approved	261,946 (76%)	82,729 (24%)
California	2022	Pomona, California, Measure PO, City Charter Amendment for Police Oversight Commission Measure (November 2022)	Approved	14,849 (70%)	6,310 (30%)

May 7:

State	Year	Ballot Measure	Status	Yes Votes	No Votes
Texas	2022	Austin, Texas, Proposition A, Marijuana Decriminalization and Prohibit No-Knock Warrants Initiative (May 2022)	Approved	56,148 (86%)	9,287 (14%)

March 15:

State	Year	Ballot Measure	Status	Yes Votes	No Votes
Florida	2022	Belleair, Florida, Vote Requirements to Abolish Municipal and Police Departments Amendment (March 2022)	Approved	1,257 (80%)	305 (20%)

Notable local police-related ballot measures

In 2020 and 2021, Ballotpedia has tracked 32 notable local police-related ballot measures. In 2020, voters approved 20 local police-related ballot measures in 10 cities and four counties within seven states. Two were overturned after the election. In 2021, voters approved seven of 12 local police-related ballot measures in 10 cities and one county within nine states.

To see a list of local police-related ballot measures by year, click here.

See also

• Notable local police-related ballot measures (2021)
• Changes to policing policy in the states and 100 largest cities, 2020
• Events following the death of George Floyd and responses in select cities from May 29-31, 2020
• Local law enforcement on the ballot