Ballot measure campaign finance, 2015
| 2015 State Ballot Measures | |
|---|---|
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| Part 1: Overview | |
| Measure results | |
| Tuesday Count | |
| Part 2: Campaigns | |
| Part 3: Finances | |
| Contributions | |
| Signature costs | |
| Ballot Measure Monthly | |
| Important 2015 dates | |
For 2015, twenty-eight (28) statewide ballot measures were on the ballot in nine states. Twenty-one (21) measures were approved and seven measures were defeated.
- Twenty-two (22) measures were decided on November 3
- Four measures were decided on October 24 in Louisiana
- One measure was decided on May 5 in Michigan
- One measure was decided on April 7 in Wisconsin
Ballotpedia identified $46.7 million in contributions to support or oppose statewide measures on ballots in 2015.
In 2014, for comparison, $467.5 million was raised to support or oppose 75 statewide measures. Odd-numbered years like 2015 tend to feature fewer measures and lower campaign finance activity.
- See also: 2015 ballot measures
Overview
Comparison to prior years
The following chart shows the total contributions to state ballot measure committees in odd-numbered years from 2015 to 2023. Contributions in odd-numbered years are typically lower than in even-numbered years.
States with most contributions
This section shows the total campaign contributions received by ballot measure committees in each state in 2015.
| State | Measures | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| Ohio | 3 | $22,589,110.61 |
| Michigan | 1 | $9,546,076.75 |
| Mississippi | 2 | $5,950,414.67 |
| Washington | 6 | $5,479,185.58 |
| Maine | 3 | $1,405,669.92 |
| Wisconsin | 1 | $1,140,094.59 |
| Texas | 7 | $593,465.83 |
| Colorado | 1 | $14,250.00 |
| Louisiana | 4 | $0 |
Measures with most contributions
For 2015, campaigns surrounding the following five ballot measures had received the most contributions:
| Measure | Support | Opposition | Total | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio Issue 3, Marijuana Legalization Initiative | $20,095,036.15 | $2,174,608.46 | $22,269,644.61 |  |
| Michigan Proposal 1, Transportation Sales Tax Increase | $9,320,073.93 | $226,002.82 | $9,546,076.75 | |
| Mississippi Initiative 42, Education Funding | $5,950,414.67 | $0 | $5,950,414.67 | |
| Washington Initiative 1401, Animal Trafficking | $3,615,572.40 | $0 | $3,615,572.40 |  |
| Washington Initiative 1366, Tax Policy | $1,704,639.45 | $158,973.73 | $1,863,613.18 | |
2015 ballot measure contributions
The following tables list statewide measures on ballots in 2015, support and opposition contributions for each measure, and the outcome of each measure.
Citizen-initiated ballot measures
The following table lists citizen-initiated ballot measures that were placed on the ballot through a signature drive. The following table lists citizen-initiated ballot measures, including veto referendums, that were placed on the ballot through a signature drive.
| Ballot Measure | Support Contributions | Oppose Contributions | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maine "Clean Elections" Initiative, Question 1 (2015) | $0.00 | $0.00 |
|
| Mississippi Public School Support Amendment, Alternative 42 (2015) | $0.00 | $0.00 |
|
| Mississippi Public School Support Amendment, Initiative 42 (2015) | $5,950,414.67 | $0.00 |
|
| Ohio Issue 3, Marijuana Legalization Initiative (2015) | $20,095,036.15 | $2,174,608.46 |
|
| Washington Animal Trafficking, Initiative 1401 (2015) | $3,615,572.40 | $0.00 |
|
| Washington Initiative 1366, Sales Tax Decrease or Two-Thirds Vote for Tax Increase Measure (2015) | $3,241,637.04 | $158,973.73 |
|
Referred ballot measures
The following table lists referred ballot measures. Legislatures voted to place these measures on the ballot, or the measures, such as constitutional convention questions, were put on the ballot through an automatic legal process.
See also
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