State Ballot Measure Monthly: July 2017
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By Ballot Measures Project staff
Nineteen ballot measures have been certified for 2017 statewide ballots in seven states so far. Twenty-seven measures have been certified for 2018 ballots. In the last month, three 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 June 10 through July 10
2017 measures
- See also: 2017 ballot measures
Nineteen statewide ballot measures have been certified for the 2017 ballot in seven states as of July 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 June 10 and July 10, the following three measures were certified for 2017 ballots:
- This proposed legislatively referred constitutional amendment would create a 250-acre land bank, which would allow local governments to request state Forest Preserve land for qualifying projects in exchange for the state acquiring 250 new acres for the preserve. The state's forest preserves are protected by the state's constitution, requiring a ballot measure to make use of any preserved land. The last ballot measure on the preserves occurred in 2009 when voters approved the use of six acres for a power line.
- This indirect initiated state statute was put on the ballot through a citizen's petition, which qualified the measure for legislative consideration. The legislature chose not to approve the measure directly, thus sending it to the ballot. If approved, the measure would authorize the Maine Gambling Control Board to accept an application for a license to operate slot machines or a casino in York County. Petitioners attempted to put the measure on the ballot in 2016, but they did not collect enough valid signatures.
- This indirect initiated state statute was put on the ballot through a citizen's petition, which qualified the measure for legislative consideration. The legislature chose not to approve the measure directly, thus sending it to the ballot. If approved, the measure would require the state to provide Medicaid services for persons under the age of 65 who have incomes equal to or below 138 percent of the federal poverty line.
2015 comparison
- See also: 2015 ballot measures and Ballotpedia's Tuesday Count for 2015
By early July of 2015, 20 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 122 proposed citizen initiatives had been filed with state officials, 85 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-seven statewide ballot measures have been certified for the 2018 ballot in 17 states as of July 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 June 10 and July 10, the following measure was certified for 2018 ballots:
- This proposed indirect initiated constitutional amendment was put on the ballot by a citizen petition, which then needed to be approved in the legislature in two consecutive legislative sessions. If approved, the measure would increase the income tax to 9.1 percent for the portion of an individual's income that exceeds $1 million in order to provide funding for public education, roads and bridges, and public transportation. This type of tax is often referred to as a millionaire's tax, usually by those who are opposed to the tax.
2016 comparison
- See also: 2016 ballot measures and Ballotpedia's Tuesday Count for 2016
By this time in July of 2015, 33 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 August of 2017.
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