Ballotpedia completed an inventory of all Utah ballot measures dating back to 1895, the year voters approved the state constitution and one year before Utah became a state. Utahns have voted on 220 ballot measures between 1895 and 2024. Of those, 140 (63.6%) were approved and 80 (36.4%) were defeated.
During that period, the Utah State Legislature referred 192 measures to the ballot—nearly seven times the number of citizen-initiated measures, which totaled 28. Legislatively referred measures passed 69.3% of the time, compared to a 25.0% approval rate for initiatives placed on the ballot by citizens.
The inventory of Utah statewide ballot measures is part of Ballotpedia's Historical Ballot Measure Factbook, which will document nearly 200 years of direct democracy in the United States. This ongoing research effort will provide an unparalleled resource for researchers, reporters, and the voting public on how ballot measures have evolved, the issues they've covered, and the role they have played in our civic life.
A searchable table of Utah’s historical ballot measures by decade.
Summaries of notable topics and measures that Utahns have voted on.
A summary of measures with the closest and widest margins, and breakdowns by topic, decade, and type.
An overview of the process for placing a statewide measure on the ballot.
Ballotpedia completed an inventory of Utah ballot measures from 1895 to 2024. Utahns have voted on 220 ballot measures that were placed on the ballot either through successful citizen initiatives or by the Utah State Legislature. The types of measures included initiated state statutes and indirect initiated state statutes, veto referendums, legislatively referred constitutional amendments, advisory questions, and constitutional convention referrals and questions. One hundred forty (140) measures were approved (63.6%), and 80 were defeated (36.4%).
The inventory of Utah statewide ballot measures is part of Ballotpedia's Historical Ballot Measure Factbook, which will document nearly 200 years of direct democracy in the United States. This ongoing research effort will provide an unparalleled resource for researchers, reporters, and the voting public on how ballot measures have evolved, the issues they've covered, and the role they have played in our civic life.
Notable topics
Notable topics appearing on the Utah ballot include school choice policy, the direct democracy process, drinking water systems, and English language policy, among others:
- In 1900, Utah became the second state to approve a constitutional amendment establishing an initiative and referendum process.
- Voters amended the state constitution to prohibit alcohol in 1918, and then repealed prohibition 15 years later in 1933.
- In 1920, voters rejected a constitutional amendment that would have allowed cities to create their own charters and established a process for doing so. Voters decided on the proposal for a second time 1932, when the constitutional amendment was approved.
- The first veto referendum on the ballot in Utah challenged a law that imposed a special tax and license fee on chain stores, defined as businesses operating 10 or more locations in the state. On November 3, 1942, 69.3% voted to repeal the law.
- In 1970, Utah voters approved Proposition 2, which required proposed constitutional amendments to follow a single-subject rule.
- A constitutional amendment was on the ballot in 1974 that would have created the office of lieutenant governor, abolished the office of secretary of state, and required the governor and lieutenant governor to run together on the same ticket during an election, among other changes. Voters rejected the amendment. In 1980, another constitutional amendment was on the ballot, which was nearly identical to the 1974 measure. This time, voters approved the amendment with 56.0% voting yes.
- In 1976, an initiated statute was on the ballot that would have established a recall process for any public officer through a special election. Voters rejected the initiative by less than a percentage point, with 50.2% voted 'No.'
- Voters approved an initiative in 1976 that prohibited the State Board of Health from adding fluoride or other medications to public water supplies unless authorized by a voter-approved initiative.
- Initiative A appeared on the 1988 ballot and proposed limiting property taxes to 1% of a property's value. It also would have required local governments to obtain voter approval before increasing taxes or introducing new ones. Voters rejected the measure, with 61.3% voting 'No.'
- Two citizen-initiated ballot measures concerning school choice policy have appeared on the Utah ballot. In 1988, voters defeated Initiative C, which would have created an income tax credit program for private and homeschool education expenses. In 2007, voters repealed House Bill 148 by rejecting a veto referendum. The contested legislation would have established an education voucher program in the state.
- In 1994, voters amended the constitution to establish a crime victims' declaration of rights, including the right to be treated with fairness and dignity, to be informed of and participate in key court proceedings upon request, and to have sentencing judges consider reliable information about the convicted person’s background and character.
- Also in 1994, voters defeated Initiative A, which would have established term limits for congressional, state, and local offices and required runoff elections if no candidate achieved over 50% of the vote in an election.
- Utah voters approved a constitutional amendment in 1998 that required a two-thirds (66.67%) vote to approve ballot initiatives relating to the taking of wildlife, such as hunting.
- In 2000, Utah became the eighth state to approve a ballot measure adopting English as its official language.
Statistics
Closest and widest margins
Of the 220 ballot measures, five were decided by less than a percentage point of the vote. The top five closest measures are below:
| Closest vote margins for Utah statewide ballot measures, 1895-2024 | |||||||
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| Measure | Year | Yes votes | No votes | Vote margin | Outcome | ||
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The following five measures had the widest vote margins by percentage:
| Widest vote margins for Utah statewide ballot measures, 1895-2024 | |||||||
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| Measure | Year | Yes votes | No votes | Vote margin | Outcome | ||
| # | % | # | % | ||||
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Utah ballot measure topics
Utah ballot measures have addressed 116 unique topics with some addressing multiple topics in one measure. The top 10 most common topics addressed are:
- Property tax exemptions (27 measures)
- Public education funding (24 measures)
- Property taxes (20 measures)
- Salaries of government officials (14 measures)
- State legislative processes and sessions (14 measures)
- Local government organization (12 measures)
- Restricted-use funds (12 measures)
- State legislative authority (12 measures)
- State executive branch structure (11 measures)
- Constitutional wording changes (8 measures)
By the decade
The average number of ballot measures per decade was nearly 16, with an average approval rate of 60.2%. The 1980s saw the highest number of measures, with 24 on the ballot—15 (62.5%) were approved and 9 (37.5%) were defeated. The highest approval rate occurred in the 1940s, when voters approved 12 out of 14 measures (85.7%). The lowest approval rate was in the 1890s, which featured six measures—only one (16.7%) was approved, while five (83.3%) were defeated.
By type
- See also: Types of ballot measures in Utah
There are six different types of ballot measures in Utah, and all have appeared on the ballot between 1895 and 2024. Legislatively referred constitutional amendments have appeared on the ballot more than any other type (188). Legislatively referred constitutional amendments also had the highest success rate at the ballot box, with 70% of the 188 measures approved by voters.
Legislatively referred measures have had better success at the ballot box than citizen-initiated measures. Legislatively referred measures were approved 69% of the time, as compared to 25% for ballot initiatives.
Background
Citizen-initiated ballot measures
In Utah, citizens have the power to initiate state statutes (direct or indirect) and veto referendums. In 1900, 71% of voters approved a constitutional amendment by which Utah became the second state in the nation, after South Dakota, to establish an initiative and referendum process.
Initiated state statutes
- See also: Initiated state statute
An initiated state statute is a citizen-initiated ballot measure that amends state statute. There are 21 states that allow citizens to initiate state statutes, including 14 that provide for direct initiatives and nine (9) that provide for indirect initiatives (two provide for both). An indirect initiated state statute goes to the legislature after a successful signature drive. The legislatures in these states have the option of approving the initiative itself, rather than the initiative appearing on the ballot.
In Utah, the number of required signatures is tied to the number of active voters as of January 1 following the most recent regular general election. For directly initiated statutes, proponents must gather signatures equal to 8 percent of the total number of active voters. For directly initiated state statutes, signatures must be collected from each of at least 26 of the 29 Utah State Senate districts equal to 8 percent of active voters in the state as of January 1 of the year following the last regular general election.
State law establishes a final signature deadline for direct initiated state statutes as either 316 days after the initial initiative application was filed or February 15 of the election year, whichever is earlier. Moreover, signature petition sheet packets for direct initiatives must be submitted to county clerks on a rolling basis no more than 30 days after the first signature is added to the packet.
Indirect initiated state statutes
- See also: Indirect initiated state statute
An indirect initiated state statute is a citizen-initiated ballot measure that amends state statute. There are nine (9) states that allow citizens to initiate indirect state statutes.
While a direct initiative is placed on the ballot once supporters file the required number of valid signatures, an indirect initiative is first presented to the state legislature. Legislators have a certain number of days, depending on the state, to adopt the initiative into law. Should legislators take no action or reject the initiative, the initiative is put on the ballot for voters to decide.
In Utah, the number of required signatures is tied to the number of active voters as of January 1 following the most recent regular general election. For indirectly initiated statutes, proponents must get 4 percent of this number to qualify the initiative to go before the legislature, and an additional 4 percent to qualify for the ballot if the legislature does not approve the initiative. For indirect initiatives, signatures must be collected from each of at least 26 of the 29 Utah State Senate districts equal to 4 percent of the active voter count. If a second round of signatures is collected, the signatures as a whole, equaling 8 percent of active voters, are subject to the requirement for direct initiatives. Signatures for indirect initiatives to be presented to the legislature must be submitted by November 15th before the next general legislative session.
Veto referendums
- See also: Veto referendum
A veto referendum is a citizen-initiated ballot measure that asks voters whether to uphold or repeal an enacted law. This type of ballot measure is also called statute referendum, popular referendum, people's veto, or citizen's veto. There are 23 states that allow citizens to initiate veto referendums.
For veto referendums in Utah, proponents must gather signatures equal to 8 percent of the total number of active voters. For referendum petitions, signatures must be collected from each of at least 15 of the 29 counties in Utah equal to 8 percent of active voters.
Signatures for veto referendums must be submitted on a 14-day rolling basis and must all be submitted within 40 days of the adjournment of the legislative session at which the targeted bill was passed.
Legislatively referred ballot measures
In Utah, the state legislature has the power to place constitutional amendments, advisory questions, and constitutional convention proposals on the ballot.
Legislatively referred constitutional amendments
A two-thirds majority vote in both the legislative chambers vote is required during one legislative session for the Utah State Legislature to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 50 votes in the Utah House of Representatives and 20 votes in the Utah State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not 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 Utah State Legislature to place an advisory question on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 38 votes in the Utah House of Representatives and 15 votes in the Utah State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Advisory questions require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.
Constitutional convention questions
- See also: State constitutional conventions
According to Section 2 of Article XXIII, a ballot question about whether to hold a convention can go on the ballot if two-thirds of the members of the Utah State Legislature vote to put it on the ballot.
