State Ballot Measure Monthly: March 2020
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By Ballot Measures Project staff
This edition of the State Ballot Measure Monthly covers certifications and a selection of notable ballot measure news from February 18 through March 16. So far, 67 statewide measures in 28 states have been certified for 2020 ballots. Three measures were on the ballot for the election on March 3. One measure is on the ballot for the election on April 7. The remaining measures 63 measures will appear on November ballots. Twelve statewide measures were certified for the November ballot since our February edition.
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Number of certifications in past years:
The graph below shows the number of certifications in each week of 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2018, as well as the average for each week. The graph also shows 2020 certifications.
- 2018: By the third week of March, 60 measures had been certified for the 2018 ballot.
- Ultimately, 167 measures were on the ballot in 2018.
- 2016: By the third week of March, 72 measures had been certified for the 2016 ballot.
- Ultimately, 162 measures were on the ballot in 2016.
- 2014: By the third week of March, 82 measures had been certified for the 2014 ballot.
- Ultimately, 158 measures were on the ballot in 2014.
- 2012: By the third week of March, 78 measures had been certified for the 2012 ballot.
- Ultimately, 188 measures were on the ballot in 2012.
2020 certifications
From February 18 to March 16, 12 statewide measures were certified for the November ballot. All 12 measures were legislatively referred constitutional amendments.
February 20:
- New Mexico Constitutional Amendment 2, Elections and Terms of Non-Statewide Officeholders Amendment (2020) - This amendment would allow the state legislature to pass laws adjusting the election dates of state or county officeholders and adjust office terms according to those date changes.
February 22:
- Virginia Motor Vehicle Property Tax Exemption for Disabled Veterans Amendment (2020) - This amendment would exempt one automobile or pickup truck from state and local property taxes for veterans who have a 100 percent service-connected, permanent, and total disability.
March 3:
- South Dakota Constitutional Amendment B, Deadwood Sports Betting Legalization Amendment (2020) - This amendment would legalize sports betting within the city limits of Deadwood, South Dakota, and dedicate tax revenues to the historic restoration and preservation of Deadwood.
March 4:
- Idaho Constitutional Amendment HJR4, Require 35 Legislative Districts Amendment (2020) - This amendment would remove language in the state constitution that allows the legislature to have between 30 and 35 legislative districts and instead require the legislature to consist of 35 districts.
March 6:
- Washington Senate Joint Resolution 8212, Authorize Fund Investment of Family Medical Leave and Long-Term Care Accounts Amendment (2020) - This amendment would allow the Washington Legislature to invest the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Account and the Long-Term Care Services and Supports Trust Account into stocks or other methods of investment.
March 5:
- Florida Amendment 6, Homestead Property Tax Discount for Spouses of Deceased Veterans Amendment (2020) - This amendment would allow a homestead property tax discount to be transferred to the surviving spouse of a deceased veteran.
- Virginia Redistricting Commission Amendment (2020) - This amendment would transfer the power to draw the state's congressional and legislative districts from the state legislature to a redistricting commission composed of state legislators and citizens.
March 9:
- Georgia Amendment 1, Dedicating Tax and Fee Revenue Amendment (2020) - This amendment would authorize the Georgia State Legislature to dedicate tax or fee revenue to the public purpose for which the taxes or fees were imposed. Such dedicated revenue is known as a lockbox.
March 11:
- Florida Amendment 5, Extend "Save Our Homes" Portability Period Amendment (2020) - This amendment would extend the period during which a person may transfer Save Our Homes benefits to a new homestead property from two years to three years. The tax assessment limitations referred to as Save Our Homes benefits were established through Amendment 10, a citizen initiative approved in 1992. It limited homestead property valuation increases to a maximum of 3% annually.
- Utah Constitutional Amendment F, Legislative Session Start Date Amendment (2020) - This amendment would allow the state legislature to set the January legislative session start date in state statute.
- Utah Constitutional Amendment G, Use Income and Property Tax Revenue to Support Children and Individuals with Disabilities Amendment (2020) - This amendment would allow the Utah State Legislature to use revenue from income taxes and intangible property taxes to support children and individuals with a disability.
- Utah Constitutional Amendment E, Right to Hunt and Fish Amendment (2020) - This amendment would establish a constitutional right to hunt and fish in Utah.
March 3 ballot measure results
On Super Tuesday, voters in Alabama, California, and Maine defeated statewide ballot measures. Voters in California also decided 292 local ballot measures, rejecting the largest percentage of bond and tax measures in at least a decade.
Alabama Amendment 1, Appointed Election Board Amendment
Alabama voters rejected Amendment 1 with 75.1% opposed and 24.9% in favor. The measure would have renamed the State Board of Education as the Alabama Commission on Elementary and Secondary Education and changed the board from being elected by voters to being appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate.
California Proposition 13, School and College Facilities Bond
California voters rejected Proposition 13 with 53.7% opposed and 46.3% in favor. The measure would have authorized $15 billion in general obligation bonds for school and college facilities: $9 billion for preschool and K-12 schools, $4 billion for universities, and $2 billion for community colleges. It was the first education-related bond issue state voters rejected since 1994. Between 1994 and 2020, voters approved six bond measures for school facilities, totaling $56.95 billion in bond revenue.
Maine Question 1, Religious and Philosophical Vaccination Exemptions Referendum
Maine voters rejected Question 1 with 72.6% opposed, upholding Legislative Document 798. By defeating Question 1, voters eliminated religious and philosophical exemptions from vaccination requirements for students to attend schools and colleges and for employees of healthcare facilities.
California local ballot measures
According to results available on March 17, 2020, California voters approved at least 119 measures and defeated at least 152. The remaining 21 measures were too close to call. Of the 292 total local measures, 236 (81%) were bond or tax measures. Voters approved the lowest percentage of school bond, parcel tax, and sales tax measures since at least 2010.
School bond measures:
- See also: School bond elections in California
There were 121 local school bond measures on the March 3 ballot. Local bond measures proposed a total of $17.238 billion in bond revenue. At least 35 (29%) school bond measures were approved, at least 74 (61%) were defeated, and the remaining 12 (10%) were too close to call. Voters approved at least $5.946 billion (34.5%) of the proposed bond issues. Voters rejected at least $10.4 billion (60.3%) of the proposed bond issues.
From 2008 through 2019, the average approval rate for local school bond measures in California was 75%.
In all of 2018—including the November election—there were 151 total school bond measures proposing a total of $15.2 billion. Of that total, $14.3 billion (94%) was approved. In 2016, there were 231 local school bonds proposing a total of $31.8 billion. Of that total, $28.9 billion (91%) was approved.
Parcel tax measures:
- See also: Parcel tax elections in California
In California, ballot measures proposing parcel taxes are a source of dedicated local revenue. As special taxes, parcel tax measures require a two-thirds (66.67%) vote for approval. Voters approved at least 18 (32.7%) parcel tax measures. Voters defeated at least 31 (56.4%). The remaining five measures were too close to call.
From 2003 through 2019, 57.5% of local parcel tax measures were approved.
Sales tax measures:
- See also: Sales tax in California
Voters approved at least 24 sales tax measures (53.3%). Voters defeated at least 19 measures (42.2%). The remaining two measures were too close to call.
From 2014 through 2019, 76% of local sales tax measures were approved.
See also
- 2020 ballot measures
- List of ballot measures by state
- List of ballot measures by year
- Ballot Measure Scorecard, 2020
- Ballotpedia's Tuesday Count for 2020
Related articles
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.
- ↑ This number includes citizen-initiated measures, legislative referrals, and an automatically referred measure.
- ↑ This was current as of March 1, 2020.
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