Types of ballot measures in Pennsylvania


Types of ballot measures
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 Pennsylvania, the state Legislature can vote to refer measures to the ballot. Citizens of Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania.

The types of state ballot measures in Pennsylvania are:

Legislatively referred constitutional amendments
Legislatively referred state statutes
Legislatively referred bond measures

Citizen-initiated ballot measures

In Pennsylvania, citizens do not have the power to initiate ballot measures at the state level.

Legislative referrals

Legislatively referred constitutional amendments

See also: Legislatively referred constitutional amendment

A simple majority vote is required during two successive legislative sessions for the Pennsylvania State Legislature to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 102 votes in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and 26 votes in the Pennsylvania State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.

When the Legislature finds that a "major emergency threatens or is about to threaten the Commonwealth," a constitutional amendment can be referred to the ballot with a two-thirds vote during one legislative session.

Legislatively referred state statutes

See also: Legislatively referred state statute

A simple majority vote is required during one legislative session for the Pennsylvania State Legislature to place a state statute on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 102 votes in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and 26 votes in the Pennsylvania State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Statutes require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.

Legislatively referred bond measures

See also: Legislatively referred bond measure

In Pennsylvania, voter approval is required for state bond issues. Exceptions are made for bond issues designed to suppress insurrection, rehabilitate areas affected by human-made or natural disasters, and fund capital projects that do not exceed 175% of the average annual tax revenues for the previous five years.

A simple majority vote is required during one legislative session for the Pennsylvania State Legislature to place a bond issue on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 102 votes in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and 26 votes in the Pennsylvania State Senate, assuming no vacancies. State bond issues require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.

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:

Types of state ballot measures

Citizen-initiated ballot measure

• Initiated constitutional amendment

• Direct initiated constitutional amendment

• Indirect initiated constitutional amendment

• Initiated state statute

• Direct initiated state statute

• Indirect initiated state statute

• Combined initiated constitutional amendment and state statute

• Veto referendum

• Statute affirmation (Nevada)

Legislatively referred ballot measure