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Ballot measure petition deadlines and requirements, 2016

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2016 U.S. state
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Initiatives filed

In order to land an initiative or referendum on a statewide ballot, supporters must collect enough valid signatures from voters. The required number of signatures and the dates by which they are due to state election officials vary by state.

For the 2016 ballot measure cycle, South Dakota had the earliest filing deadline, on November 9, 2015. Colorado had the second-to-last deadline on August 8, 2016. Oklahoma had the last deadline on September 7, 2016.

Legend: Red padlock.png = A deadline that has passed. Some states have more than one deadline, with differing deadlines depending on the type of ballot measure or because there are multiple stages in the petition submission process.

Deadlines and requirements

2016 Deadlines and Requirements
State Deadlines Signatures for statutes Signatures for referendums Signatures for constitutional amendments
Alaska Red padlock.pngInitiative signatures must be submitted 365 days after the Division of Elections prepares petition forms or by January 19, 2016, whichever comes first. Referendum signatures must be submitted 90 days after the legislature that passed the act adjourns.[1][2] 28,545 28,545 N/A
Arizona Red padlock.png July 7, 2016[3] 150,642 75,321 225,963
Arkansas Red padlock.png July 8, 2016[4][5] 67,887 50,916 84,859
California Red padlock.png Each measure has its own deadline. The SOS suggested submitting signatures by mid-April 2016, however. 365,880 365,880 585,407
Colorado Red padlock.png August 8, 2016[6] 98,492 98,492 98,492
Florida Red padlock.png February 1, 2016[7] N/A N/A 683,149
Idaho Red padlock.png May 1, 2016[8] 47,623 47,623 N/A
Illinois Red padlock.png May 9, 2016. For referendums, petitions must be filed no less than 92 days prior to the November general election.[9] N/A N/A 290,216
Maine Red padlock.png February 1, 2016[10] 61,123 N/A N/A
Maryland Red padlock.png May 31, 2016[11] N/A 51,996 N/A
Massachusetts Red padlock.png December 2, 2015[12][13] 64,750 32,375 64,750
Michigan Red padlock.png June 1, 2016, for initiatives; and
Red padlock.png July 11, 2016, for constitutional amendments[14][15]		 252,523 157,827 315,654
Mississippi Red padlock.png October 7, 2015; Petitions must be filed with the Mississippi Secretary of State at least 90 days before the first day of the regular legislative session at which they are to be submitted. The 2016 legislative session started on January 5, 2016.[16] N/A N/A 107,216
Missouri Red padlock.png May 8, 2016[17] 98,618 98,618 157,788
Montana Red padlock.pngSeptember 29, 2015, for referendum petitions; For initiatives and constitutional amendments, May 20, 2016, was the deadline for submission to county clerks, and June 17, 2016, was the deadline for submission to the SoS.[18] 24,175 24,175 48,349
Nebraska Red padlock.png July 8, 2016. For referendum, less than 90 days after the final adjournment of the state legislative session at which the bill was passed. 81,136 57,955 115,909
Nevada Red padlock.png June 21, 2016[19] 101,667 55,234 55,234
New Mexico Red padlock.png Referendum signatures are due four months before election day. The 2016 deadline was Red padlock.png July 8, 2016 N/A 51,944Cite error: Closing </ref> missing for <ref> tag 91,677 183,355 305,591
Oklahoma Red padlock.png 60 days before the election (September 7, 2016). Moreover, initiatives have specific deadlines 90 days after initial filings. No additional signatures are accepted after 5:00 p.m. on the 90th day or after. 65,987 41,242 123,725
Oregon Red padlock.png July 8, 2016 for initiatives and constitutional amendment; for referendums, signatures must be submitted no later than 90 days after the final adjournment of the legislature at which the targeted law was approved 88,184 58,789 117,578
South Dakota Red padlock.png November 9, 2015.[20] 13,871 13,871 27,741
Utah Red padlock.png The sooner of the following: (1) 316 days from the day the initiative was filed with the Lt. Governor and (2) April 15, 2016 101,744 101,744 N/A
Washington Red padlock.png December 31, 2015, is the deadline for Initiatives to the Legislature; June 8, 2016, is the deadline for referendums; and July 8, 2016, is the deadline for Initiatives to the People[21] 246,372 123,186 N/A
Wyoming Red padlock.pngFebruary 8, 2016, for initiatives; for referendums, petitions must be filed no later than 90 days after the adjournment of the legislature at which the targeted law was approved 25,673 25,673 N/A


Key terms

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Alaska State Legislature website, accessed April 8, 2014
  2. ↑ State of Alaska Division of Elections, "Initiative Petition Process," accessed December 28, 2015
  3. ↑ Arizona Secretary of State, "Initiative, Referendum and Recall," accessed December 28, 2015
  4. ↑ Arkansas Secretary of State, "2016 Election Dates," accessed December 28, 2015
  5. ↑ Arkansas Secretary of State, "2015-16 Initiatives and Referenda Handbook," accessed January 11, 2016
  6. ↑ Colorado Secretary of State, "Elections & Voting," accessed December 28, 2015
  7. ↑ Florida Department of State, "2015-2017 Election Dates Calendar," accessed December 28, 2015
  8. ↑ Idaho Secretary of State, "2016 Calendar," accessed December 28, 2015
  9. ↑ Chicagoelections.com, "2016 Election Calendar," accessed December 28, 2015
  10. ↑ Maine Secretary of State, "Deadlines for Current Citizen Initiatives," accessed December 28, 2015
  11. ↑ Maryland.gov, " 2016 Presidential Election Calendar," accessed December 28, 2015
  12. ↑ December 2, 2015, is the deadline for certified initiative signature petitions to be submitted to the secretary of state. Petitions are due to local registrars of voters two weeks prior to that deadline. For referendums, petitions must be submitted to the secretary of state within 90 days of the governor signing the targeted law.
  13. ↑ Mass.gov, "Initiative Petition Process, 2015-2016," accessed December 28, 2015
  14. ↑ For referendums, signatures must be submitted 90 days after the legislature that passed the act adjourns. 90 days following the final adjournment of the legislature.
  15. ↑ Michigan.gov, "INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM PETITIONS," accessed December 28, 2015
  16. ↑ Mississippi Secretary of State, "Initiatives," accessed December 28, 2015
  17. ↑ Missouri Secretary of State, "Make Your Voice Heard," accessed December 28, 2015
  18. ↑ Montana Secretary of State, "Ballot Issue Calendar," accessed December 30, 2015
  19. ↑ Nevada Secretary of State, "Initiatives & Referenda," accessed January 6, 2016
  20. ↑ Referendums must be filed no later than 90 days after the adjournment of the legislature that passed the law.
  21. ↑ Washington Secretary of State, "2016 Elections Calendar," accessed February 10, 2016
v • e
2016 ballot measures
I&R States
Non I&R States
Political topics
Adult entertainment • Alcohol • Assisted death • Banking • Bond issues • Business regulation • Campaign finance • Civil and criminal trials • Civil rights • Constitutional language • County and municipal governance • Death penalty • Definition of a corporation • Education • Elections and campaigns • Energy • English language • Environment • Firearms • Food and agriculture • Forests and parks • Gambling • Government accountability • Healthcare • Hunting and fishing • Labor and unions • Law enforcement • Lottery • Marijuana • Minimum wage • Prisons • Property • Redistricting • Religion • Salaries of government officials • School choice • State and local government budgets, spending and finance • State executive officials • State judiciary • State legislature • Suffrage • Taxes • Tort law • Transportation • Treatment of animals • Veterans • Wages and pay
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Signature requirements
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Signature requirements
Signature
requirements

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Petition
companies

American Petition Consultants • Arno Political Consultants • Bader & Associates, Inc. • Canvasser Services • Capitol Assets • Democracy Direct • Democracy Resources • Discovery Petition Management • FieldWorks • JSM, Inc. • Kimball Petition Management • LAMM Political Partners, LLC • Masterson & Wright • National Ballot Access • National Petition Management • National Solutions • National Voter Outreach • PCI Consultants, Inc.

Terms

Approved for circulation • Initiative petition circulation periods • Circulator • Circulator affidavit • Forged signature • Fraudulent signature • Invalid signature • Paid circulator • Petition • Random sampling • Registered voter • Signature certification • Signer • Signer intent • Valid signature • Volunteer circulator • Signature transcription

Petition drive
deadlines

2008 deadlines • 2009 deadlines • 2010 deadlines • 2011 deadlines • 2012 deadlines • 2013 deadlines • 2014 deadlines • 2015 deadlines • 2016 deadlines • 2017 deadlines • 2018 deadlines • 2019 deadlines • 2020 deadlines • 2021 deadlines • 2022 deadlines • 2023 deadlines • 2024 deadlines • 2025 deadlines

Signature law

States where signature requirements are based on votes cast for governor

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