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Types of ballot measures in Georgia
 |
| Initiated |
| • Initiated constitutional amendment |
| • Initiated state statute |
| • Veto referendum |
| Legislative |
| • Legislative constitutional amendment |
| • Legislative state statute |
| • Legislative bond issue |
| • Advisory question |
| Other |
| • Automatic ballot referral |
| • Commission-referred measure |
| • Convention-referred amendment |
| Select a state from the menu below to learn more about that state's types of ballot measures. |
In Georgia, the state Legislature can vote to refer measures to the ballot. Citizens of Georgia do not have the power to initiate statewide ballot measures. This page provides an overview of the different types of ballot measures that can appear on state ballots in Georgia.
The types of state ballot measures in Georgia are:
- Legislatively referred constitutional amendments
- Legislatively referred state statutes
- Advisory questions
Citizen-initiated ballot measures
In Georgia, citizens do not have the power to initiate ballot measures at the state level.
Legislative referrals
Legislatively referred constitutional amendments
A two-thirds (66.67%) vote is required during one legislative session for the Georgia State Legislature to place an amendment on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 120 votes in the Georgia House of Representatives and 38 votes in the Georgia State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.
Legislatively referred state statutes
- See also: Legislatively referred state statute
In Georgia, voter approval is required for legislation concerning property tax exemptions. A two-thirds (66.67%) vote is required during one legislative session for the Georgia State Legislature to place a state statute on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 120 votes in the Georgia House of Representatives and 38 votes in the Georgia State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Statutes require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.
Advisory questions
- See also: Advisory question
A simple majority vote is required during one legislative session for the Georgia State Legislature to place an advisory question on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 91 votes in the Georgia House of Representatives and 29 votes in the Georgia State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Advisory questions require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.
Political party advisory questions
- See also: Political party advisory question
A political party advisory question is a ballot measure placed on primary ballots by a political party. The advisory questions are not legally binding on the party but are used to gauge voter sentiment about party positions.
In Georgia, state law allows "other state-wide questions or questions to be presented to the electors of more than one county." Political parties at the state and county levels can vote to refer nonbinding political advisory questions to primary ballots. Questions must be submitted to state elections officials by the ballot finalization deadline. State law requires that they be printed after any other legislatively referred constitutional amendments appearing on the ballot.[1]
Other types of ballot measures
Most ballot measures are placed on the ballot through citizen initiatives or legislative processes. Others are placed on the ballot automatically, by a special commission, or by a state constitutional convention. The following is a list of different types of state ballot measures:
See also
- List of Georgia ballot measures
- Laws governing ballot measures in Georgia
- Laws governing the initiative process
- States with initiative or referendum
- States without initiative or referendum
- Amending state constitutions
Footnotes
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