Initiative frequency and success throughout the decades

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The ballot initiative is a means by which a petition signed by a certain minimum number of registered voters brings about a public vote on a proposed statute or constitutional amendment or on a referendum to repeal a law passed by the legislature.

Oregon was the first state to feature initiatives on state ballots in 1904. As of 2023, a total of 26 states allow initiative or veto referendum processes at the statewide level, although the process has been suspended in Mississippi due to a court ruling.

HIGHLIGHTS

From 1904 to 2023, a total of 3,217 citizen-initiated measures appeared on state ballots, with voters approving 1,324 (41%).

The decade with the highest number of citizen-initiated measures was from 2000 to 2009 with 410. The rate of approval for that decade was 41%.

The decade with the highest rate of approval was 1900 to 1909, with 70% of 33 citizen-initiated measures approved. The decade with the lowest rate of approval was 1920 to 1929, with 26% of 277 citizen-initiated measures approved.

This chart shows the frequency and success of initiatives and veto referendums throughout the decades. The total number of citizen-initiated measures is the total number of initiatives and veto referendums that achieved ballot access. This list is in reverse chronological order.

Decade	Total # of citizen-initiated measures	Percent approved	# of approved citizen-initiated measures
2020-2023	84	64%	54
2010-2019	326	49%	161
2000-2009	410	41%	169
1990-1999	409	46%	189
1980-1989	281	42%	118
1970-1979	205	38%	78
1960-1969	144	41%	59
1950-1959	157	36%	56
1940-1949	193	42%	81
1930-1939	324	36%	118
1920-1929	277	26%	71
1910-1919	374	39%	147
1900-1909	33	70%	23

Information source: John Matsusaka, Initiative & Referendum Institute

See also

• Initiative states compared by number of initiatives on their ballot

External resources

• IRI: Initiative Comparison Report
• IRI: Initiatives by State-year (1904-2010), Information source: John Matsusaka, I&R Institute
• Initiatives by State, Alphabetical Order (1904-2010), Information source: John Matsusaka, I&R Institute
• Initiatives by State, By Order of Approval Rate % (1904-2010), Information source: John Matsusaka, I&R Institute
• Initiatives by State, By Order of # of Initiatives Approved (1904-2010), Information source: John Matsusaka, I&R Institute
• Initiatives by State, By Order of # of Initiatives (1904-2010), Information source: John Matsusaka, I&R Institute