State Ballot Measure Monthly: January 2026

2026 U.S. state ballot measures
2027 » « 2025
Overview
Scorecard
Tuesday Count
Deadlines
Requirements
Lawsuits
Readability
Election results
Campaigns
Polls
Media editorials
Filed initiatives
Finances
Contributions
Signature costs
Ballot Measure Monthly
Signature requirements
Have you subscribed yet? Join the hundreds of thousands of readers trusting Ballotpedia to keep them up to date with the latest political news. Sign up for the Daily Brew. Click here to learn more.

January 7, 2026

By Ballot Measures Project staff

Welcome to the State Ballot Measure Monthly—covering the latest ballot measure certifications and news from December 9 to January 6.

In this edition, you will find the latest ballot measure updates for 2026, historical comparisons of recent ballot measure data, and the top headlines from the month.

HIGHLIGHTS

An initiative to increase felony penalties for fentanyl-related offenses was certified in Colorado.

A second attempt to repeal Alaska ranked-choice voting qualified for the ballot for 2026, following the 2024 defeat of a similar measure by a margin of 49.9% to 50.1%.

Eleven ballot initiatives were certified to the Massachusetts State Legislature where they will be considered before needing a second round of signatures to qualify for the ballot in November.

Ballot measures by the numbers

As of January 6, 58 statewide ballot measures were certified for the ballot in 30 states for elections in 2026.

By type

For elections in 2026, nine of the 58 measures are initiatives, and 49 have been referred to the ballot so far. From 2010 to 2024, an average of 161 statewide ballot measures—53 initiated measures and 108 referred measures—appeared on ballots in even-numbered years. An initiated measure is a proposed law that people collect signatures for to put on the ballot. A referred measure is a proposed law that a legislature or commission, or constitutional provision in the case of automatic referrals, puts on the ballot for voters to decide.

The table below shows the type of measures certified by year.

Type	2026	2024	2022	2020	2018	2016	2014	2012	2010	Average (2010-2024)
Initiated ballot measures	9	57	30	43	68	76	40	61	50	53
Initiated constitutional amendments	2	23	11	15	26	25	8	19	17	17
Initiated state statutes	5	32	17	25	37	46	27	29	29	30
Veto referendums	2	2	2	4	5	5	5	13	5	6
Referred ballot measures	49	102	110	86	99	86	118	125	134	108
Legislative constitutional amendment	43	73	89	69	66	69	91	98	106	84
Legislative state statute	4	12	8	6	9	2	5	8	8	7
Commission-referred measure	0	0	0	0	7	0	1	0	0	1
Automatically referred measure	2	1	3	1	1	1	1	3	4	2
Bond issues	0	13	7	6	14	11	15	14	15	12
Advisory question	0	3	3	4	2	3	5	2	1	3
Total:	58	159	140	129	167	162	158	186	184	161

By state

Measures are certified in 28 states for 2026. Louisiana has the most measures certified, with six measures. The map below shows the number of measures certified in each state.

2026 certifications

See also: Ballotpedia's Tuesday Count for 2026

The tabs below display the measures certified and pending for elections in 2026.

Certifications

Potential measures

For elections in 2026, 58 statewide ballot measures were certified for the ballot in 30 states. Three new measures were certified for the 2026 ballot between December 11 and January 6. Below are summaries of the newly certified measures. To see the full list of certified ballot measures for 2026 by state, click here.

December 16:

• Colorado Penalties for Fentanyl Sale and Possession Initiative (2026): The measure would increase felony penalties for fentanyl-related offenses, require mandated treatment for certain drug felonies, and narrow sentencing exceptions for fentanyl-related crimes and deaths. This is the first measure to qualify for the ballot in Colorado for 2026.

December 30:

• Oregon Increase to Gas Tax, Payroll Tax, and Vehicle Registration Fees Referendum (2026): The veto referendum, if approved, would uphold targeted sections of House Bill 3991 (HB 3991), which increase the state's gas tax from $0.40 to $0.46, payroll tax for transportation from 0.1% to 0.2%, and vehicle registration fees. This is the first measure to qualify for the ballot in Oregon for 2026.

January 6:

• Alaska Repeal Top-Four Ranked-Choice Voting Initiative (2026): The initiative would eliminate the top-four primaries and ranked-choice voting general elections in Alaska, which were adopted in 2020, and establish a party primary system. This is the second time Alaska voters will decide on repeal RCV. Voters previously defeated a similar initiative in 2024 by a margin of 49.9% to 50.1%.

Signatures submitted: There are four ballot measures pending signature verification.

• Colorado Notification of U.S. Department of Homeland Security for Certain Criminal Charges and Immigration Status Initiative (2026)
• Missouri Congressional Map Referendum (2026)
• Washington Limit Participation in Female Sports to Students Verified as Biologically Female Initiative (2026)
• Washington Parental Right to Review Education Materials, Receive Notifications, and Opt Out of Sexual-Health Education Initiative (2026)

Certified to the state legislature: There are currently 11 ballot measures pending before the Massachusetts State Legislature.

• Massachusetts Change State Tax Revenue Limit Initiative (2026)
• Massachusetts Decrease State Income Tax Rate to 4% Initiative (2026)
• Massachusetts Eliminate Recreational Marijuana Sales and Allow Limited Possession Initiative (2026)
• Massachusetts Legislative Stipend Calculation and Payment Rules Initiative (2026)
• Massachusetts Permit Collective Bargaining for Committee for Public Counsel Services Employees Initiative (2026)
• Massachusetts Permit Same-Day Voter Registration Initiative (2026)
• Massachusetts Rent Control Initiative (2026)
• Massachusetts Top-Two Primary Elections Initiative (2026)
• Massachusetts Public Records Requirements for Legislature and Governor’s Office Initiative (2026)
• Massachusetts Establish the Nature for All Fund Initiative (2026)
• Massachusetts Limit on Required Lot Size for Single-Family Homes Initiative (2026)

Historical comparisons

Certifications by month for even-numbered year elections

The following heatmap shows the number of statewide ballot measures certified each month from 2012 through 2026, grouped by two-year election cycles leading up to even-numbered general elections. It highlights both the volume and timing of certifications, helping illustrate the overall rhythm of the ballot measure cycle. The bottom row displays the monthly averages across all years.

Ballot measures certified by year and month across two-year election cycles. Average is listed as the bottom row.

Headlines

• Year in review

  With 322 local ballot measures, 2025 saw the highest total in the largest cities and state capitals for any odd-numbered year since at least 2017

  In 2025, 322 local measures appeared on ballots in the top 100 largest cities in the U.S. and in state capitals. This included citywide measures, countywide measures, special district measures, and school district measures. This is the highest number of local ballot measures for any odd-numbered year since Ballotpedia began tracking measures in the top 100 largest cities in 2018 and state capitals in 2021. Of these measures, 258 (80.1%) were approved, and 64 (19.9%) were defeated.
  Read More
• Trending topics

  Five ballot initiatives filed in California to regulate artificial intelligence and its developers

  California voters could be the first in the nation to decide on ballot initiatives regulating artificial intelligence in 2026. Five proposed initiatives to regulate AI and its developers have been filed with the attorney general and are awaiting ballot titles before signature gathering can begin.
  Read More
• Certified to the legislature

  As state verifies signatures for 11 initiatives, Massachusetts could see record number of citizen-initiated ballot measures in 2026

  The Massachusetts Elections Division announced on Jan. 5 that it had certified signatures for two initiatives, bringing the total number of initiatives certified to go before the state legislature in 2026 to 11. The General Court has until May 6 to pass an initiative into law. If the legislature rejects or does not vote on the initiative, proponents must collect a second round of 12,429 signatures by July 8, 2026. If those signatures are verified, the initiative will appear on the Nov. 3, 2026, ballot.
  Read More

See also

• 2026 ballot measures
• Ballot initiatives filed for the 2026 ballot
• Ballot Measure Scorecard, 2026
• Ballotpedia's Tuesday Count for 2026

Related articles

• State Ballot Measure Monthly

Footnotes

2026 ballot measures

State ballot measures

States:  • Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Indiana • Kansas • Louisiana • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Missouri • Nebraska • Nevada • New Mexico • North Carolina • North Dakota • Oklahoma • Oregon • South Dakota • Tennessee • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming

Topics: Abortion policy •  Affirmative action •  Age limits for officials •  Agriculture policy •  Bail policy •  Ballot measure process •  Ballot measure supermajority requirements •  Bond issues •  Budget stabilization funds •  Business taxes •  Campaign finance •  Citizenship voting requirements •  Civil service •  Collective bargaining •  Constitutional rights •  Crime victims' rights •  Criminal sentencing •  Criminal trials •  Drug crime policy •  Election administration and governance •  English language policy •  Family-related policy •  Firearms policy •  Flood infrastructure and management •  Food and beverage taxes •  Forestry and timber •  Fuel taxes •  Healthcare governance •  Homestead tax exemptions •  Immigration policy •  Initiative and referendum process •  LGBTQ issues •  Law enforcement officers and departments •  Local government finance and taxes •  Local government officials and elections •  Local government organization •  Marijuana laws •  Minimum wage laws •  Parks, land, and natural area conservation •  Pollution, waste, and recycling policy •  Primary election systems •  Property tax exemptions •  Property taxes •  Psychedelic substances laws •  Public assistance programs •  Public economic investment policy •  Public education governance •  Public employee retirement funds •  Public health insurance •  Public school teachers and staff •  Race and ethnicity issues •  Ranked-choice voting •  Recall process •  Redistricting policy •  Restricted-use funds •  Salaries of government officials •  Sales taxes •  Sewage and stormwater •  Sex and gender issues •  State constitutional conventions •  State executive branch structure •  State executive powers and duties •  State judicial selection •  State judiciary oversight •  State legislative authority •  State legislative processes and sessions •  State legislative term limits •  Storm infrastructure •  Transportation taxes and fees •  Vehicle and driver regulations •  Voter ID policy •  Voting rights for persons with criminal convictions •  Water irrigation policy

Local ballot measures

 • Alabama • California • Illinois • Louisiana • Ohio • Oregon • Vermont • Washington • Wisconsin

Overviews

 • Scorecard •Tuesday Count •Deadlines •Filed ballot initiatives •Potential ballot measures •Polls •Campaign finance •Signature costs •Readability