Death penalty ballot measures

Issues
Measures by topic
Measures by year
Measures by state

As a state ballot measure topic, death penalty includes measures regarding legal punishment in which a person is sentenced to death by the state for committing certain crimes. The death penalty is also known as capital punishment. The topic is grouped within the criminal justice and law enforcement policy area.

This page provides information on:

• upcoming ballot measures and
• a comprehensive list of ballot measures by year and state.

Upcoming ballot measures

See also: 2026 ballot measures and 2027 ballot measures

The following is a list of state ballot measures related to the death penalty certified for this year and future elections:

There are no ballot measures related to this topic that have qualified for the ballot.

List of state ballot measures

Click the tabs to view state ballot measures related to the death penalty, organized by year or state.

Years

States

2022

1. Alabama Amendment 3, Notice to Victim's Family Required for Commutation or Reprieve of Death Sentences Amendment (2022)

2016

1. California Proposition 62, Abolition of Death Penalty Measure (2016)
2. California Proposition 66, Death Penalty Procedures Measure (2016)
3. Nebraska Referendum 426, Death Penalty Measure (2016)
4. Oklahoma State Question 776, Allow State to Impose Death Penalty Amendment (2016)

2012

1. California Proposition 34, Abolition of the Death Penalty Initiative (2012)

2006

1. Wisconsin Question 2, Death Penalty for First Degree Murder Advisory Question (2006)

2002

1. Florida Amendment 1, Permit Death Penalty For Capital Crimes Amendment (2002)

2000

1. California Proposition 18, Permit Death Penalty or Life Sentence for Lying in Wait First Degree Murder Measure (March 2000)

1998

1. Florida Amendment 2, Permit Death Penalty Amendment (1998)

1996

1. California Proposition 195, Permit Death Penalty or Life Sentence for Certain First-Degree Murders Measure (March 1996)
2. California Proposition 196, Death Penalty or Life Imprisonment for Drive-by Shooting Murders Measure (March 1996)

1994

1. Ohio Jurisdiction of Death Penalty Appeals Amendment (1994)
2. Wyoming Amendment 1, Legislative Authority to Create Penalty of Life Imprisonment Without Parole Not Subject to Commutation by Governor Amendment (1994)

1992

1. Arizona Proposition 103, Require Lethal Injection for Death Penalty Amendment (1992)
2. New Jersey Public Question No. 3, Permit Death Penalty Amendment (1992)

1990

1. California Proposition 114, Reclassification of Peace Officers Covered by the Death Penalty Measure (June 1990)

1984

1. Oregon Measure 6, Permit Death Penalty for Aggravated Murder Initiative (1984)
2. Oregon Measure 7, Require Death Penalty by Lethal Injection for Aggravated Murder Initiative (1984)

1982

1. Massachusetts Question 2, Permit Death Penalty Amendment (1982)

1978

1. California Proposition 7, Expand Death Penalty and Life Imprisonment for Murders Initiative (1978)
2. Oregon Measure 8, Require Separate Sentencing and Death Penalty for Murders Initiative (1978)

1975

1. Washington Initiative 316, Require Death Penalty for Aggravated Murder Measure (1975)

1974

1. Colorado Amendment No. 2, Require Death Penalty for Certain Class One Felonies Amendment (1974)

1973

1. Rhode Island Proposal 3, Require Grand Jury Indictment for Crimes Punishable by Death or Imprisonment for Life Amendment (1973)

1972

1. California Proposition 17, Permit Death Penalty Amendment (1972)

1970

1. Illinois Abolition of Death Penalty Amendment (December 1970)

1968

1. Massachusetts Question 6, Permit Death Penalty Advisory Question (1968)

1966

1. Colorado Referred Law No. 2, Abolition of Death Penalty Measure (1966)

1964

1. Oregon Measure 1, Abolition of Death Penalty Amendment (1964)

1958

1. Oregon Measure 4, Repeal of Capital Punishment Amendment (1958)

1944

1. Virginia Board for the Review of Capital Punishment, Reprieves, and Pardons Amendment (1944)

1933

1. Arizona Measure Nos. 102-103, Permit Death Penalty by Lethal Gas Amendment (1933)

1931

1. Michigan Define Murder in the First Degree and Require Death Penalty by Electrocution Referendum (April 1931)

1920

1. Oregon Measure Nos. 304-305, Permit Death Penalty for First Degree Murder Amendment (May 1920)

1918

1. Arizona Measure Nos. 306-307, Require Life Imprisonment or Death Penalty for First-Degree Murder Convictions Initiative (1918)

1916

1. Arizona Measure Nos. 300-301, Abolition of Death Penalty Initiative (1916)

1914

1. Arizona Measure Nos. 308-309, Abolition of Death Penalty Initiative (1914)
2. Oregon Measure Nos. 334-335, Abolition of the Death Penalty Initiative (1914)

1912

1. Ohio Abolition of the Death Penalty Amendment (September 1912)
2. Oregon Measure Nos. 366-367, Abolition of the Death Penalty Initiative (1912)

Alabama

1. Alabama Amendment 3, Notice to Victim's Family Required for Commutation or Reprieve of Death Sentences Amendment (2022)

Arizona

1. Arizona Measure Nos. 102-103, Permit Death Penalty by Lethal Gas Amendment (1933)
2. Arizona Measure Nos. 300-301, Abolition of Death Penalty Initiative (1916)
3. Arizona Measure Nos. 306-307, Require Life Imprisonment or Death Penalty for First-Degree Murder Convictions Initiative (1918)
4. Arizona Measure Nos. 308-309, Abolition of Death Penalty Initiative (1914)
5. Arizona Proposition 103, Require Lethal Injection for Death Penalty Amendment (1992)

California

1. California Proposition 114, Reclassification of Peace Officers Covered by the Death Penalty Measure (June 1990)
2. California Proposition 17, Permit Death Penalty Amendment (1972)
3. California Proposition 18, Permit Death Penalty or Life Sentence for Lying in Wait First Degree Murder Measure (March 2000)
4. California Proposition 195, Permit Death Penalty or Life Sentence for Certain First-Degree Murders Measure (March 1996)
5. California Proposition 196, Death Penalty or Life Imprisonment for Drive-by Shooting Murders Measure (March 1996)
6. California Proposition 34, Abolition of the Death Penalty Initiative (2012)
7. California Proposition 62, Abolition of Death Penalty Measure (2016)
8. California Proposition 66, Death Penalty Procedures Measure (2016)
9. California Proposition 7, Expand Death Penalty and Life Imprisonment for Murders Initiative (1978)

Colorado

1. Colorado Amendment No. 2, Require Death Penalty for Certain Class One Felonies Amendment (1974)
2. Colorado Referred Law No. 2, Abolition of Death Penalty Measure (1966)

Florida

1. Florida Amendment 1, Permit Death Penalty For Capital Crimes Amendment (2002)
2. Florida Amendment 2, Permit Death Penalty Amendment (1998)

Illinois

1. Illinois Abolition of Death Penalty Amendment (December 1970)

Massachusetts

1. Massachusetts Question 2, Permit Death Penalty Amendment (1982)
2. Massachusetts Question 6, Permit Death Penalty Advisory Question (1968)

Michigan

1. Michigan Define Murder in the First Degree and Require Death Penalty by Electrocution Referendum (April 1931)

Nebraska

1. Nebraska Referendum 426, Death Penalty Measure (2016)

New Jersey

1. New Jersey Public Question No. 3, Permit Death Penalty Amendment (1992)

Ohio

1. Ohio Abolition of the Death Penalty Amendment (September 1912)
2. Ohio Jurisdiction of Death Penalty Appeals Amendment (1994)

Oklahoma

1. Oklahoma State Question 776, Allow State to Impose Death Penalty Amendment (2016)

Oregon

1. Oregon Measure 1, Abolition of Death Penalty Amendment (1964)
2. Oregon Measure 4, Repeal of Capital Punishment Amendment (1958)
3. Oregon Measure 6, Permit Death Penalty for Aggravated Murder Initiative (1984)
4. Oregon Measure 7, Require Death Penalty by Lethal Injection for Aggravated Murder Initiative (1984)
5. Oregon Measure 8, Require Separate Sentencing and Death Penalty for Murders Initiative (1978)
6. Oregon Measure Nos. 304-305, Permit Death Penalty for First Degree Murder Amendment (May 1920)
7. Oregon Measure Nos. 334-335, Abolition of the Death Penalty Initiative (1914)
8. Oregon Measure Nos. 366-367, Abolition of the Death Penalty Initiative (1912)

Rhode Island

1. Rhode Island Proposal 3, Require Grand Jury Indictment for Crimes Punishable by Death or Imprisonment for Life Amendment (1973)

Virginia

1. Virginia Board for the Review of Capital Punishment, Reprieves, and Pardons Amendment (1944)

Washington

1. Washington Initiative 316, Require Death Penalty for Aggravated Murder Measure (1975)

Wisconsin

1. Wisconsin Question 2, Death Penalty for First Degree Murder Advisory Question (2006)

Wyoming

1. Wyoming Amendment 1, Legislative Authority to Create Penalty of Life Imprisonment Without Parole Not Subject to Commutation by Governor Amendment (1994)

See also

• List of ballot measures by topic

Footnotes

State ballot measures

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