State Ballot Measure Monthly: August 2017
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By Ballot Measures Project staff
Twenty-seven ballot measures have been certified for 2017 statewide ballots in nine states so far. Twenty-eight measures have been certified for 2018 ballots. In the last month, eight statewide measures were certified for 2017 ballots, while one was certified to go before voters in 2018.
There will likely be between 30 and 50 statewide ballot measures in 2017, based on previous odd-numbered election years. From 1989 through 2015, the average number of certified measures was 45, but the last decade's average dropped to 35. In 1999, the number of measures certified for statewide ballots in odd-numbered years peaked at 72.
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Ballot measure certifications July 10 through August 10
2017 measures
- See also: 2017 ballot measures
Twenty-seven statewide ballot measures have been certified for the 2017 ballot in nine states as of August 10, 2017. So far, 142 proposed initiatives have been filed with state officials targeting 2017 ballots. Of that total, 114 were filed in Washington. Between July 10 and August 10, the following eight measures were certified for 2017 ballots:
- This proposed legislatively referred constitutional amendment would allow local taxing authorities to exempt up to 100 percent of the accessed value of each homestead from taxes. Currently, the law allows local taxing authorities to exempt up to 50 percent of the median value of all homesteads within a jurisdiction from taxes. In order for the amendment to go into effect, it would also need implementing legislation to carry out the amendment's intent.
- This initiated constitutional amendment was put on the ballot through a citizen initiative petition. If passed, the measure would repeal and replace a section of the Ohio Constitution relating to crime victim rights with a Marsy's Law. Similar measures passed in Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota in 2017, and voters in Nevada and Oklahoma will be voting on Marsy's Law measures in 2018.
- This constitutional amendment was put on the ballot by the Maine Legislature. The measure would increase the time required for the state to pay off the Maine Public Employees Retirement System's unfunded liabilities resulting from experience losses from 10 to 20 years.
- This proposed bond question was put on the ballot by the New Jersey Legislature. The measure would authorize the state to issue $125 million in bonds to provide grants to public libraries. Eligibility for grants would be determined by the state librarian with approval from the president of Thomas Edison State University. Approved projects would receive grant funding to cover 50 percent of costs, with the remaining 50 percent funded by either the library's local government or private donors.
- This advisory question is one of three tax advisory questions on the ballot in Washington in 2017. Voters will decide whether to maintain or repeal House Bill 1597, which made changes to commercial fishing licenses, fees, and taxes to increase state revenue. In 2007, voters approved Initiative 960, which required advisory votes of the public for legislation that increases taxes. Advisory questions are non-binding, so the vote outcome does not directly effect the legislation.
- This advisory question is the second of three tax advisory questions on the ballot in Washington in 2017. Voters will decide whether to maintain or repeal House Bill 2163, which eliminated sales tax exceptions for bottled water and self-produced fuel, required certain remote sellers to collect sales and use taxes, and extended the economic nexus for the collection of business and occupation taxes. In 2007, voters approved Initiative 960, which required advisory votes of the public for legislation that increases taxes. Advisory questions are non-binding, so the vote outcome does not directly effect the legislation.
- This advisory question is the third tax advisory question on the ballot in Washington in 2017. Voters will decide whether to maintain or repeal House Bill 2242, which increased the state property tax to $2.70 per $1,000 in assessed value to provide funding for state schools. In 2007, voters approved Initiative 960, which required advisory votes of the public for legislation that increases taxes. Advisory questions are non-binding, so the vote outcome does not directly effect the legislation.
- This proposed bond question was put on the ballot by the Maine Legislature. The measure would issue $105 million in bonds to fund the construction and repair of state highways and bridges; property acquisition and equipment for ports, harbors, marine transportation, aviation, railroads, and trails; and provision of matching funds to local governments, municipal commissions, and nonprofits to upgrade culverts at stream crossings.
2015 comparison
- See also: 2015 ballot measures and Ballotpedia's Tuesday Count for 2015
By early August of 2015, 27 measures had also been certified for statewide ballots. Ultimately, 28 measures—including five citizen initiatives—were certified for the ballot in 2015. By that same time, a total of 151 proposed citizen initiatives had been filed with state officials, 123 of those having been filed in Washington.
| Type of ballot measure | 2015 | 2013 | 2011 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legislatively referred constitutional amendments | 16 | 17 | 21 | 20 |
| Initiatives | 5 | 3 | 10 | 6 |
| Veto referendums | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Legislatively referred state statutes | 1 | 6 | 1 | 3 |
| Legislatively referred bond questions | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Automatic ballot referrals | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Commission-referred ballot measures | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Advisory questions | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 28 | 31 | 34 | 32 |
2018 measures
- See also: 2018 ballot measures
Twenty-eight statewide ballot measures have been certified for the 2018 ballot in 17 states as of August 10, 2017. Over the last four even-numbered years, the average number of statewide measures on the ballot was 173. There will likely be between 155 and 190 ballot measures in 2018. Between July 10 and August 10, the following measure was certified for 2018 ballots:
- This proposed legislatively referred constitutional amendment would require a one-time two-thirds vote in each chamber of the legislature in 2024 or thereafter to pass a spending plan for revenue from the state's cap-and-trade program for greenhouse gases. The amendment came as a result from negotiations between Gov. Jerry Brown (D), legislative Democrats, and legislative Republicans over the future of the state's cap-and-trade program, which also resulted in two other bills that extended the program until 2030 and provided new air pollution regulations.
2016 comparison
- See also: 2016 ballot measures and Ballotpedia's Tuesday Count for 2016
By this time in August of 2015, 34 measures had been certified for 2016 ballots. In 2016, there was a total of 162 statewide measures on the ballot. By October of 2016, 165 measures were slated to appear on the ballot, but three of them were removed by court decisions between October and the November election.
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ The numbers in the second column indicate how many ballot measures were certified for the ballot in the last month; for example a "+3" means that three measures were certified in the last month.
- ↑ Initiatives have been filed for 2018 ballots. Ballotpedia will report this number starting in September of 2017.
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