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Signature requirements for ballot measures in Illinois
This page provides an overview of signature requirements for statewide citizen-initiated measures in Illinois. In Illinois, citizens can initiate constitutional amendments that amend Article IV of the Illinois Constitution.
Requirements
In Illinois, the signature requirement for initiated constitutional amendments is 8 percent of the total votes cast for governor in the preceding gubernatorial election.
The chart below shows election years and the signature requirement for initiatives intended to appear on the ballot in that year, with gubernatorial election years bolded.
| Year | Amendment |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 328,371 |
| 2024 | 328,371 |
| 2022 | 363,813 |
| 2020 | 363,813 |
| 2018 | 290,216 |
| 2016 | 290,216 |
| 2014 | 298,399 |
| 2012 | 298,399 |
| 2010 | 278,934 |
| 2008 | 278,934 |
See law: Illinois Constitution, Article XIV, Section 3
Changes in number of signatures
The following graph illustrates the number of signatures required for initiated constitutional amendments (8 percent of the gubernatorial vote) from 2008 through 2026.
Basis for calculation
In Illinois, the number of signatures needed to place an initiated constitutional amendment on the ballot is equal to 8 percent of the total number of votes cast for the governor in the preceding election. The following numbers of votes were cast for the office of governor in each year listed:
| Year | Votes cast for governor |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 4,104,636 |
| 2018 | 4,547,657 |
| 2014 | 3,627,690 |
| 2010 | 3,729,746 |
| 2006 | 3,487,989 |
Signature deadlines
In Illinois, citizen-initiated ballot measures can appear on general election (even-numbered years) ballots.
The deadline for submitting signatures to get an initiative or referendum on the ballot for a particular general election is six months before that election.
| Year | Deadline |
|---|---|
| 2026 | May 3, 2026 |
| 2024 | May 5, 2024 |
| 2022 | May 8, 2022 |
| 2020 | May 4, 2020 |
| 2018 | May 7, 2018 |
| 2016 | May 9, 2016 |
| 2014 | May 5, 2014 |
| 2012 | May 7, 2012 |
See also
- Laws governing the initiative process in Illinois
- History of Initiative & Referendum in Illinois
- Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Illinois
External links
Footnotes
