2018 ballot measures

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A total of 167 statewide ballot measures were on 2018 ballots in 38 states. Of those, 12 were decided at pre-November elections, and 155 statewide measures were on ballots for the November election in 37 states.

Of the total, 116 statewide measures were approved, and 50 were defeated. The outcome of one measure—the Kentucky Marsy's Law Amendment—wasn't certified due to a court ruling. One of the approved measures in South Dakota was overturned by a court ruling in May 2019.

The average number of statewide measures on the ballot in even-numbered years between 2010 and 2016 was 173.

Click here to see election results for November 2018 statewide ballot measures.

Notable topics and trends in 2018

Click on the arrows (▼) below for details about each topic and a list of notable 2018 ballot measures

Elections policy: Voters in 16 states decided 21 measures concerning redistricting, voting requirements, ballot access, campaign finance, and ethics. Six measures in five states concerning changes to redistricting systems, and all six were approved.[1]

Redistricting measures:

In 2018, voters in five states approved changes to their redistricting systems for state legislative districts, congressional districts, or both. Ohio, Colorado, Michigan, Missouri, and Utah featured measures, with Ohio's on the ballot in May and the rest on the ballot in November. In Michigan, Missouri, and Utah, the redistricting measures were put on the ballot as citizen initiatives. In Ohio and Colorado, the measures were referred to the ballot by state legislatures, compromising with the proponents of citizen initiative efforts.

Measure Description Status
Ohio Issue 1 (May 2018) Changing the standards used and the vote requirements to pass congressional redistricting maps
Approveda
Colorado Amendment Y Creating a 12-member commission responsible for congressional redistricting
Approveda
Colorado Amendment Z Creating a 12-member commission responsible for state legislative redistricting
Approveda
Michigan Proposal 2 Transfering congressional and state legislative redistricting authority to and independent commission
Approveda
Utah Proposition 4 Creating a seven-member independent redistricting commission to recommend congressional and state legislature redistrictign maps and establishing certain redistricting criteria
Repealed, altered, or partially repealed

Measures concerning voting requirements, election systems, and ballot access:

Measures concerning voting requirements, election systems, and ballot access were on the ballot in nine states in November. Topics include ranked-choice voting, voter identification requirements, term limits, automatic and same-day voter registration, the ability to vote after a felony conviction, the ability to run for office after a felony conviction, and ballot collection.


  • Florida Amendment 4, Voting Rights Restoration for Felons Initiative (2018) Approveda - The committee Floridians for a Fair Democracy collected more than the required 766,200 signatures to get Amendment 4 placed on the ballot. The measure was designed to automatically restore the right to vote for people with prior felony convictions, except those convicted of murder or a felony sexual offense, upon completion of their sentences, including prison, parole, and probation. It was approved.
  • Maine Question 1, Ranked-Choice Voting Delayed Enactment and Automatic Repeal Referendum (June 2018) Approveda - Proponents of ranked-choice voting in Maine collected signatures to challenge a bill passed by the legislature to delay and, potentially, repeal the ranked-choice voting initiative approved by voters in 2016. The veto referendum petition results in Question 1 on the June ballot. Maine voters supported ranked-choice voting and rejected the legislature's bill to delay and, potentially, repeal it.
  • North Carolina Voter ID Amendment (2018) Approveda - This amendment was referred to the ballot by the state legislature along party lines with Republicans voting in favor of it and Democrats voting against it. It created a constitutional requirement that voters present a photo ID to vote in person. It was approved.

Arkansas Issue 3, a legislative term limits initiative, was certified for the ballot but was blocked by an Arkansas Supreme Court ruling. The measure would have imposed term limits of six years for members of the Arkansas House of Representatives and eight years for members of the Arkansas Senate. The ruling came too late to remove the measure from the ballot, but the supreme court ordered election officials to not count or certify votes for Issue 3.

Measures concerning campaign finance, political spending, and ethics:

Five states featured measures concerning campaign finance, political spending, and ethics: Colorado, Massachusetts, Missouri, North Dakota, and South Dakota. All of these measures were put on the ballot through citizen initiative petitions.

  • Colorado Amendment 75, Campaign Contribution Limits Initiative (2018) Defeatedd - Proponents collected more than the required 136,328 valid signatures and met the state's distribution requirement to qualify this initiative for the ballot. The measure would have established that if any candidate for state office directs (by loan or contribution) more than one million dollars in support of his or her own campaign, then every candidate for the same office in the same primary or general election may accept five times the aggregate amount of campaign contributions normally allowed. It was defeated.

Marijuana: - seven measures in five states concerning legalization of medical or recreational marijuana

See also: Marijuana on the ballot

Voters in two states—North Dakota and Michigan—decided citizen initiatives to legalize recreational marijuana. In Oklahoma, State Question 788 legalizing medical marijuana was approved in June. Utah and Missouri voters also decided initiatives concerning medical marijuana in November 2018. In Missouri, there were three different medical marijuana measures all competing with one another.

A measure concerning the definition of industrial hemp was also on the ballot in Colorado.

Restrictions on taxes: - eight measures in six states concerning restrictions or limitations on taxes

See also: Taxes on the ballot

In 2018, voters in six states considered ballot measures to cap, limit, or restrict types of taxes. In Oregon and Washington, voters decided ballot initiatives to prohibit governments from enacting taxes on groceries. Oregan voters rejected the grocery tax ban. In Washington, the measure was ahead by 5 percentage points with 64 percent of precincts reporting.

In Arizona, an initiative to prohibit new taxes or increased tax rates on services was approved. Voters in California defeated an initiated measure to require voter approval for the state legislature to impose, increase, or extend fuel taxes or vehicle fees in the future. It would have also repealed a gas tax increase passed in 2017.

Legislatures in Florida and North Carolina referred constitutional amendments capping taxes to the ballot and both were approved. Voters in Florida and Oregon also considered ballot measures to require supermajorities of the state legislature to increase taxes. In Florida, the measure was approved, and, in Oregon, it was defeated.

An additional initiative qualified for the ballot in California but was withdrawn after proponents agreed to a compromise bill with legislators to keep the initiative off the ballot. The initiative would have required a two-thirds vote of the electorate on all local taxes, including soda taxes. The compromise legislation prohibited local soda taxes until 2031.

Measure Origin Description Status
Arizona Proposition 126 Initiative Prohibits the state and local governments from enacting new taxes or increasing tax rates on services
Approveda
California Proposition 6 Initiative Requires voter approval for the state legislature to impose, increase, or extend fuel taxes or vehicle fees in the future
Defeatedd
Florida Amendment 2 Legislature Makes permanent the cap of 10 percent on annual nonhomestead parcel assessment increases set to expire
Approveda
Florida Amendment 5 Legislature Requires a two-thirds vote of each chamber of the state legislature to enact new taxes or fees or increase existing ones
Approveda
North Carolina Amendment Legislature Lowers the maximum allowable state income tax rate from 10 percent to 7 percent
Approveda
Oregon Measure 103 Initiative Prohibits state and local governments from enacting taxes on groceries
Defeatedd
Oregon Measure 104 Initiative Requires a three-fifths vote of each chamber of the state legislature to increase revenue, such as via increasing taxes and decreasing tax exemptions
Defeatedd
Washington Initiative 1634 Initiative Prohibits local governments from enacting taxes on groceries
Approveda

Medicaid expansion and healthcare: - five measures in five states concerning Medicaid expansion or funding for Medicaid expansion and five other measures related to healthcare

In November 2018, voters in Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, and Utah decided ballot initiatives concerning Medicaid expansion and the funding of expanded Medicaid coverage. The Idaho and Nebraska initiatives were designed to provide for expanded Medicaid coverage to 138 percent of the federal poverty line under Obamacare, but did not concern funding mechanisms for the state's share in the costs. Both initiatives were approved. The Montana and Utah initiatives proposed a tobacco tax increase and a sales tax increase, respectively, to provide funding for expanded Medicaid coverage. The Utah initiative was approved. The initiative in Montana was defeated.

The Montana initiative, I-185, was also designed to eliminate the June 2019 automatic expiration date for the existing expanded coverage in Montana. The Utah initiative was designed to expand coverage to 138 percent of the federal poverty line. In January, voters in Oregon approved Measure 101, thereby upholding 2017 legislation to provide funding for the state's portion of costs for expanded Medicaid coverage through a tax on healthcare insurance and the revenue of certain hospitals.

The Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, was enacted in March 2010. In 2010, 2011, and 2012 voters in nine states cast ballots on measures designed to oppose provisions of Obamacare. Except for an initiative in Ohio, the measures were referred to the ballot by state legislators. Between 2013 and 2016, no statewide ballots featured measures related to Obamacare. In 2017, voters in Maine approved a ballot measure to expand Medicaid to persons under the age of 65 and with incomes equal to or below 138 percent of the federal poverty line. The measure was the first citizen initiative to implement an optional provision of Obamacare.

2018 measures:

Measure Description Status
Idaho Proposition 2 Expand coverage to 138 percent of the federal poverty line
Repealed, altered, or partially repealed
Montana I-185 Extend expanded coverage and increase tobacco taxes
Defeatedd
Nebraska Initiative 427 Expand coverage to 138 percent of the federal poverty line
Approveda
Utah Proposition 3 Expand to 138 percent of the federal poverty line and increase sales tax
Repealed, altered, or partially repealed
Oregon Measure 101 Upheld health insurance tax to fund expanded coverage
Approveda


The other 2018 healthcare-related measures on the ballot are listed below:

Healthcare measures on the ballot in 2018
StateMeasures
NevadaNevada Question 4: Medical Equipment Sales Tax Exemption Amendment Approveda
MassachusettsMassachusetts Question 1, Nurse-Patient Assignment Limits Initiative Defeatedd
CaliforniaCalifornia Proposition 4: Children's Hospital Bonds Initiative Approveda

Marsy's Law: - six states with Marsy's Law crime victim rights amendments on the ballot

Marsy's Law describes a set of constitutional protections for crime victims that have been proposed and adopted in some states. The model constitutional amendment released by the organization Marsy's Law for All, which closely resembles amendments proposed and passed in several states, includes the following key provisions:

  • The right to be notified about and present at proceedings;
  • The right to be heard at proceedings involving release, plea, sentencing, disposition, or parole of the accused;
  • The right to have the safety of the victim and victim's family considered when making bail or release decisions;
  • The right to be protected from the accused;
  • The right to be notified about release or escape of the accused;
  • The right to refuse an interview or deposition at the request of the accused;
  • The right to receive restitution from the individual who committed the criminal offense.

2018 measures:

While five out of the six Marsy's Law measures that were approved before 2018 were citizen initiatives, all six of the measures on the ballot in 2018 were referred to the ballot by state legislators or, in the case of Florida, by the Florida Constitution Revision Commission (CRC).

In 2018, the following measures to enact Marsy's Laws appeared on the November ballot:

2018 Marsy's Law measures
State Ballot measure Status
Florida Amendment 6 Approveda
Georgia Amendment 4 Approveda
Kentucky Marsy's Law Amendment Overturnedot
Nevada Question 1 Approveda
North Carolina Marsy's Law Amendment Approveda
Oklahoma State Question 794 Approveda

In South Dakota at the 2018 primary election on June 5, voters decided whether or not to approve alterations proposed by the legislature to the Marsy's Law initiative that they approved in 2016. The proposed alterations—found in Constitutional Amendment Y—were proposed following a compromise with Marsy's Law for All, which supported Amendment Y.

The $29.7 million contributed to the support campaigns for the six pre-2018 Marsy's Law measures was surpassed by contributions in support of one measure in 2018: Florida Amendment 6. As of September 2018, more than $30 million had been contributed to Marsy's Law for Florida from the Marsy's Law for All Foundation and Henry Nicholas. Nicholas also provided $645,000 to support Nevada Question 1 and $900,000 to support Oklahoma State Question 794.

In Florida, constitutional amendments require 60 percent supermajority approval at the ballot to be enacted. Florida Amendment 6 was a combination of three proposals. The other two proposals related to the state judiciary.

Energy: - four measures in three states concerning fossil fuel and renewable energy

In 2018, voters in Arizona, Nevada, and Washington decided ballot initiatives designed to reduce the use of fossil fuels and increase the use of renewable resources. In Arizona and Nevada, the environmental organization NextGen Climate Action was financing ballot initiatives, Arizona Proposition 127 and Nevada Question 6, to require electric utilities to acquire 50 percent of their power from renewable sources. Arizona Proposition 127 was defeated, and Nevada Question 6 was approved, which means it goes on to the 2020 ballot where it must be approved again. In Washington, electors rejected Initiative 1631, which would have enacted a fee on carbon emissions from power plants, refineries, and other specified emitters.[2]

Voters in Nevada considered a ballot initiative, Question 3, to eliminate electricity monopolies and require a competitive energy market. Question 3 was rejected. Although Question 3 would not have directly affected the use of renewable resources in Nevada, supporters and opponents of the initiative campaigned on the issue of Question 3's effect on the use of renewable resources, contending that deregulation would either increase or decrease the use of renewable resources.[3]

Below are the most notable energy-related measures of 2018. For a full list, click here.

Measure Description Status
Arizona Proposition 127 Requiring electric utilities in Arizona to acquire 50 percent of electricity from renewable resources by 2020
Defeatedd
Nevada Question 3 Requiring “an open, competitive retail electric energy market” and prohibiting state-sanctioned electrical-generation monopolies
Defeatedd
Nevada Question 6 Requiring electric utilities to acquire 50 percent of their electricity from renewable resources by 2030.
Approveda
Washington Initiative 1631 Enacting a carbon emissions fee with revenue going to fund environmental programs and projects
Defeatedd

Abortion: - three measures in three states concerning abortion access and abortion funding

The measures in Alabama and West Virginia were put on the ballot by state legislators. The Oregon measure was put on the ballot through a citizen initiative petition. All three measures were designed to move state law in a more conservative direction.

Measure Description Status
Alabama Amendment 2 Making it state policy to "recognize and support the sanctity of unborn life and the rights of unborn children, including the right to life" and establishing that nothing in the constitution provides a right to an abortion or requires funding of abortions
Approveda
Oregon Measure 106 Prohibiting public funds from being spent on abortions in Oregon, except when determined to be medically necessary or required by federal law
Defeatedd
West Virginia Amendment 1 Adding language to the West Virginia Constitution stating that "nothing in this Constitution secures or protects a right to abortion or requires the funding of abortion."
Approveda

Minimum wage: - two minimum wage increase measures in two states

Measure Description Status
Arkansas Issue 5 Incrementally raising the minimum wage in Arkansas to $11 an hour by 2021
Approveda
Missouri Proposition B Incrementally raising the minimum wage in Missouri to $12 by 2023
Approveda


Besides the two measures that were on the ballot, minimum wage increases were brought about partially through the initiative process in Michigan and Massachusetts as well. Proponents ran successful initiative petition drives in those states, but, in Michigan, the legislature approved the measure itself, precluding an election on it and also allowing the legislature to amend the initiative at a later date without a supermajority vote. In Massachusetts, a compromise was made between legislators and proponents of three different initiatives concerning minimum wage, paid sick leave, and a sales tax decrease.


Campaign contributions for 2018 measures

See also: Ballot measure campaign finance, 2018

Ballotpedia tracked $1.186 billion in contributions to the ballot measure campaigns supporting and opposing the 108 certified 2018 measures and $1.16 billion in expenditures by those campaigns. These figures included both cash contributions and expenditures as well as in-kind goods and services. Support campaigns raised about 51 percent of the campaign funds. The 46 citizen-initiated measures featured about 83 percent of the campaign finance activity.

Top measures

See also: Individual 2018 measure leaderboard

The five measures that featured the most in campaign contributions tracked by Ballotpedia were California Proposition 8, an initiative to limit the revenue of dialysis clinics and require refunds; Nevada Question 3, an initiative on it's second and final round at the ballot to require deregulation of energy markets and the elimination of energy monopolies; California Proposition 10, an initiative to allow local rent control; Arizona Proposition 127, an initiative to increase the state's renewable portfolio standards requirement; and California Proposition 6, an initiative to repeal fuel tax increases and vehicle fees that were enacted in 2017 and require voter approval for future gas taxes.

Three of the top 10 measures on November ballots featuring the most campaign contributions in support and opposition were in California, and two were in Florida. The following table illustrates the outcomes of the top ten measures:

Measure Status Support Opposition
California Proposition 8: Limits on Dialysis Clinics' Revenue Defeatedd $18,943,227.65 $111,482,980.16
Nevada Question 3: Energy Market Defeatedd $33,432,598.21 $63,960,356.43
California Proposition 10: Local Rent Control Defeatedd $25,295,590.67 $71,366,691.31
Arizona Proposition 127: Renewable Energy Standards Defeatedd $24,126,339.52 $40,879,431.18
California Proposition 6: Voter Approval for Future Gas and Vehicle Taxes and 2017 Tax Repeal Defeatedd $5,161,188.80 $46,719,587.54
Washington Initiative 1631: Carbon Emissions Fee Defeatedd $16,398,381.52 $31,591,364.54
Florida Amendment 3: Voter Approval of Casino Gambling Approveda $46,151,662.59 $1,769,842.00
Florida Amendment 6: Marsy's Law, Judicial Retirement Age, and Judicial Interpretation Approveda $37,252,863.00 $0.00
Massachusetts Question 1: Nurse-Patient Assignment Limits Defeatedd $12,044,919.81 $24,808,566.78
Colorado Proposition 112: Minimum Distance Requirements for New Oil, Gas, and Fracking Projects Defeatedd $1,685,374.63 $31,873,580.51

Summaries of the top ten November measures with most contributions to the support and opposition campaigns are listed below:

Click on each link to see what the measure was designed to do, arguments and endorsements in support and opposition, a list of top donors, and more.
  • Nevada Question 3: Legislature to Minimize Regulations on the Energy Market and Eliminate Legal Energy Monopolies Initiative Defeatedd - The support campaign raised $33.4 million, and the opposition raised $64.0 million.
    • Las Vegas Sands Corporation and Switch were the two largest contributors to the support campaign. NV Energy was the largest contributor to the opposition campaign providing 99.9 percent of the funds.
    • In Nevada, initiated constitutional amendments need to be approved in two even-numbered election years. On the ballot as Question 3 in 2016, this amendment was approved once.
    • The totals reported here applied only to the committees active following January 2017. For Question 3 of 2016, a combined total of $4.35 million was raised between supporters and opponents. The support committee, Nevadans for Affordable, Clean Energy Choices, raised $3.44 million. The opposition committee, No Handouts to Billionaires Committee, received $910,000.
  • California Proposition 10: Local Rent Control Initaitive Defeatedd - This initiative would have allowed local governments to adopt laws and regulations to govern how much landlords can charge tenants for renting apartments and houses. The support campaign raised $25.3 million—with 91 percent of funds received from the AIDS Healthcare Foundation. The opposition campaign raised $71.4 million. The largest opposition contributions of $8.0 million, $6.6 million, and $5.8 million, respectively, were from (a) the California Association of Realtors Issues Mobilization PAC; (b) Essex Property Trust, Inc., and Affiliated Entities; and (c) Blackstone Property Partners, L.P.; Breit MF Holdings LLC; Blackstone Real Estate Partners (VI Through VIII), L.P.; and their Holdings.
  • Arizona Proposition 127: Renewable Energy Standards Initiative Defeatedd - This initiative would have required electric utilities in Arizona to acquire a certain percentage of electricity from renewable resources each year, with the percentage increasing annually from 12 percent in 2020 to 50 percent in 2030. The support campaign raised $24.1 million, and the opposition campaign raised $40.9 million. The largest donor to the support campaign was NextGen Climate Action, founded by Tom Steyer. NextGen Climate Action contributed 95 percent of support contributions. The largest donor to the opposition campaign was the Pinnacle West Capital Corporation, which provided $40 million.
  • California Proposition 6: Voter Approval for Future Gas and Vehicle Taxes and 2017 Tax Repeal Initiative Defeatedd - This initiative would have repealed fuel tax increases and vehicle fees that were enacted in 2017—including the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017 (RRAA)—and required voter approval (via ballot propositions) for the California State Legislature to impose, increase, or extend fuel taxes or vehicle fees in the future. The ballot measure committee Repeal the Gas Tax - Give Voters A Voice led the campaign in support of Proposition 6. The Repeal the Gas Tax and allied committees raised $5.1 million, including $467,143 from the California Republican Party; $300,000 from Kevin McCarthy's campaign committee; $250,000 from John Cox's campaign committee; and $250,000 from Protect Prop. 13, A Project of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.
On July 3, 2018, The Coalition to Protect Local Transportation Improvements, which supported Proposition 69, reorganized as No on Prop 6. No on Prop 6 and allied committees raised $46.7 million. Around $1.2 million was spent on Proposition 69 and local ballot measures, leaving the opposing campaign with about $45.5 million for opposition to Proposition 6. The largest contributors to the opposition committees included the California Alliance for Jobs - Rebuild California Committee ($5.0 million), the Laborers Pacific Southwest Regional Organizing Coalition Issues PAC ($1.9 million), Southern California District Council of Laborers Issues PAC ($1.7 million), Members' Voice of the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California ($1.6 million), and International Union of Operating Engineers ($1.5 million).
  • Washington Initiative 1631: Carbon Emissions Fee Measure Defeatedd - This initiative was designed to establish a carbon fee applied to large sources of carbon emissions. The support committees Clean Air Clean Energy WA and Fuse Voters raised $16.4 million. The top donors to the support campaign were The Nature Conservancy, the League of Conservation Voters, and Bill and Melinda Gates. The opposition campaign was funded by two different committees: No on 1631 (Sponsored by Western States Petroleum Association) and I-1631 Sponsored by the Association of Washington Business. Together the two committees raised $31.6 million. The top donors in opposition to the measure were BP America, Phillips 66, and Andeavor.
  • Massachusetts Question 1: Nurse-Patient Assignment Limits Initiative Defeatedd - This initiative was designed to establish patient assignment limits for registered nurses working in hospitals. The support committee, the Committee to Ensure Safe Patient Care, raised $12.0 million. The Massachusetts Nurses Association provided 96 percent of the support contributions. The opposition committee, the Coalition to Protect Patient Safety, raised $24.9 million. The Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association provided 95 percent of the opposition contributions.
  • Colorado Proposition 112: Minimum Distance Requirements for New Oil, Gas, and Fracking Projects Defeatedd - This initiative would have mandated that new oil and gas development projects, including fracking, be a minimum distance of 2,500 feet from occupied buildings and other areas designated as vulnerable. Colorado Rising for Health and Safety and allied support committees raised $1.7 million. The top donor was the Food and Water Watch Action Fund, which provided $445,984.00 to the support campaign. Protecting Colorado's Environment, Economy, and Energy Independence—also known as Protect Colorado—was registered to oppose Proposition 112. The committee raised a net of $31.9 million, with the largest amounts from the Anadarko Petroleum Corp. ($6.9 million), Noble Energy Inc. ($6.2 million), and PDC Energy ($5.6 million). The Protect Colorado committee provided an additional $10.8 million in contributions to the Committee for Colorado's Shared Heritage, a committee which supported Amendment 74. Amendment 74 was designed to require property owners to be compensated for any reduction in property value caused by state laws or regulations.


A more detailed leaderboard featuring the top 10 measures in 2018 with the most reported campaign contributions so far is available here.

Top states

See also: State leaderboard

Types of measures

Of the 100 measures on the ballot in November, 41 were citizen-initiated measures, 49 were binding measures referred to the ballot by state legislatures, 7 were referred to the Florida ballot by the Florida Constitution Revision Commission (CRC), and the remaining 3 measures were advisory votes or automatically referred to the ballot.

Of the 41 citizen-initiated measures on the November ballot, 62 were ballot initiatives—which propose new laws—and two were veto referendums—which challenge laws recently passed by state legislatures.

The chart below breaks out the statewide ballot measures certified for 2018 ballots—including the 12 pre-November ballot measures—by type and compares these numbers to data from previous even-numbered years.

Type 2018 2016 2014 2012 2010 Average
(2010-2020)
Initiated ballot measures 68 76 40 61 50
59
Initiated constitutional amendments[4] 26 25 8 19 17
19
Initiated state statutes 37 46 27 29 29
34
Veto referendums 5 5 5 13 4
6
Referred ballot measures 99 86 118 125 134
112
Legislative constitutional amendment 66 69 91 98 106
86
Legislative state statute 9 2 5 8 8
6
Commission-referred measure 7 0 1 0 0
2
Automatically referred measure 1 1 1 3 4
2
Bond issues 14 11 15 14 15
14
Advisory question 2 3 5 2 1
3
Total: 167 162 158 186 184
171

Historical context

In 2018, 108 statewide ballot measures were certified to appear before voters. The total number of statewide measures peaked in 1998 at 274. The average number of measures that appeared on the ballot during even-numbered years from 2008 through 2016 was 172. The average from 1980 through 2016 was 192.

Although the trend over the previous two decades had been for fewer total statewide measures on the ballot, in 2016 and 2018, there were spikes in the number of measures put on the ballot through citizen initiative or veto referendum petitions rather than by state legislatures.

  • In 2016, 38 citizen initiatives and five veto referendums were certified for the ballot. This was more citizen-initiated measures than since 2006.
  • In 2018, 68 citizen-initiated measures were put on the ballot. There were also 16 other initiatives that were either enacted by state legislators or replaced by a compromise between legislators, different sets of initiative proponents, and other interests in the state. Moreover, several citizen-initiated measures were previously certified for the ballot but were removed or ruled invalid by court decisions.
  • From 1980 through 2014, an average of 54 citizen initiatives appeared on the ballot during even-numbered years.
  • From 2008 through 2014, this average decreased to 49.
See also: Ballotpedia's Tuesday Count for 2018

By date

January 23

April 3

May 8

June 5

June 12

June 26

August 7

November 6


By state

Alabama

See also: Alabama 2018 ballot measures
Type Title Subject Description Result
LRCA Amendment 1 Religion Display of Ten Commandments on state property
Approveda
LRCA Amendment 2 Abortion States that the Alabama Constitution recognizes and supports the sanctity of unborn life and does not protect abortion
Approveda
LRCA Amendment 3 Education and Administration University of Alabama Board of Trustees Membership
Approveda
LRCA Amendment 4 State legislatures Changes legislatively vacancy procedure to allow seats to remain vacant if the remaining term is no more than a certain length
Approveda

Alaska

See also: Alaska 2018 ballot measures
Type Title Subject Description Result
IndISS Ballot Measure 1 Environment Creates salmon habitat protection standards and permit requirements
Defeatedd

Arizona

See also: Arizona 2018 ballot measures
Type Title Subject Description Result
LRCA Proposition 125 Pension Allow for adjustments to the Elected Officials’ Retirement Plan and Corrections Officer Retirement Plan
CICA Proposition 126 Taxes Prohibits the government from increasing taxes on services in the future
Approveda
CICA Proposition 127 Energy Requires 50 percent of energy to come from renewable resources by 2030
Defeatedd
VR Proposition 305 Education Upholds SB 1431, expanding Empowerment Scholarship Accounts program
Defeatedd
LRSS Proposition 306 Elections Designates unlawful contributions from clean election accounts and removes commission exemption from rulemaking requirements
Approveda

Arkansas

See also: Arkansas 2018 ballot measures
Type Title Subject Description Result
LRCA Issue 2 Elections Requires a voter photo identification to vote
Approveda
CICA Issue 4 Gambling Authorizes four new casinos in specific counties to specific licensees
Approveda
CISS Issue 5 Minimum wage Increases the state's minimum wage to $11 per hour by 2021
Approveda

California

See also: California 2018 ballot measures

June 5, 2018:

Type Title Subject Description Result
LBM Proposition 68 Bonds Issues $4 billion in bonds for parks, environmental protection, and water infrastructure
Approveda
LRCA Proposition 69 Budget Requires certain tax and fee revenue related to transportation be used for transportation purposes
Approveda
LRCA Proposition 70 Budget Requires a one-time two-thirds vote to use revenue from the cap-and-trade program
Defeatedd
LRCA Proposition 71 Direct Democracy Changes the date for when voter-approved ballot measures take effect
Approveda
LRCA Proposition 72 Taxes Excludes rainwater capture systems from property tax assessments
Approveda


November 6, 2018:

Type Title Subject Description Result
LBM Proposition 1 Bonds Issues $4 billion in bonds for housing programs and veterans' home loans
Approveda
LRSS Proposition 2 Bonds Authorizes state to use revenue from millionaire's tax for $2 billion in bonds for homelessness prevention housing
Approveda
CISS Proposition 3 Bonds Issues $8.877 billion in bonds for water-related infrastructure and environmental projects
Defeatedd
CISS Proposition 4 Bonds Issues $1.5 billion in bonds for children's hospitals
Approveda
CICA/SS Proposition 5 Taxes Revises process for homebuyers who are age 55 or older or severely disabled to transfer their tax assessments
Defeatedd
CICA Proposition 6 Taxes Repeals 2017's fuel tax and vehicle fee increases and requires public vote on future increases
Defeatedd
LRSS Proposition 7 Time Authorizes legislature to provide for permanent daylight saving time if federal government allows
Approveda
CISS Proposition 8 Healthcare Requires dialysis clinics to issue refunds for revenue above a certain amount
Defeatedd
CISS Proposition 10 Housing Allows local governments to regulate rent on any type of housing
Defeatedd
CISS Proposition 11 Labor Allow ambulance providers to require workers to remain on call during breaks paid
Approveda
CISS Proposition 12 Animals Bans sale of meat from animals confined in spaces below specific sizes
Approveda

Colorado

See also: Colorado 2018 ballot measures
Type Title Subject Description Result
LRCA Amendment A Constitutional rights and Constitutional language Repeals a constitutional exception on the ban of slavery that allowed for slavery and involuntary servitude as punishment for a crime
Approveda
LRCA Amendment V Legislature Reduces age qualification for legislative members from 25 to 21
Defeatedd
LRCA Amendment W Elections and campaigns Shortens language on the Colorado ballot regarding judicial retention by consolidating questions
Defeatedd
LRCA Amendment X Marijuana Changes the definition of industrial hemp from a constitutional definition to a statutory definition
Approveda
LRCA Amendment Y Redistricting measures Establishes an independent commission for congressional redistricting
Approveda
LRCA Amendment Z Redistricting measures Establishes an independent commission for state legislative redistricting
Approveda
CICA/SS Amendment 73 Taxes and Education Establishes income tax brackets and raises taxes to fund education
Defeatedd
CICA Amendment 74 Property Requires that property owners be compensated for any reduction in property value caused by state laws or regulations
Defeatedd
CICA Amendment 75 Elections and campaigns Changes campaign finance contribution limits and requirements
Defeatedd
CISS Proposition 109 Bond issues and Transportation issues Authorizes bonds for transportation projects without raising taxes
Defeatedd
CISS Proposition 110 Taxes, Bonds, and Transportation Authorizes bonds for transportation projects and raises taxes to repay the debt
Defeatedd
CISS Proposition 111 Banking Restricts the charges on payday loans to a yearly rate of 36 percent
Approveda
CISS Proposition 112 Fracking Mandates minimum setbacks for new oil and gas development projects, including fracking
Defeatedd

Connecticut

See also: Connecticut 2018 ballot measures
Type Title Subject Description Result
LRCA Amendment 1 Budget Creates a lockbox for transportation funds
Approveda
LRCA Amendment 2 Legislature Requirements to transfer of state property
Approveda

Florida

See also: Florida 2018 ballot measures
Type Title Subject Description Result
LRCA Amendment 1 Taxes Increases the amount of a home's value exempted from property tax
Defeatedd
LRCA Amendment 2 Taxes Makes the cap on nonhomestead parcel assessment increases permanent
Approveda
CICA Amendment 3 Gambling Requires voter approval of casino gambling
Approveda
CICA Amendment 4 Suffrage Restores the right to vote for most people with prior felony convictions upon completion of their sentences
Approveda
LRCA Amendment 5 Legislature Requires 2/3 vote of legislature to impose or increase tax or fee
Approveda
CR Amendment 6 Judiciary Adds a Marsy's Law to state constitution, increases judicial retirement age to 75, and prohibits judges from deferring to administrative agencies in interpreting law
Approveda
CR Amendment 7 Education Requires death benefits for first responders and military members, a supermajority vote for college fees, and adds state college system structure to constitution
Approveda
CR Amendment 9 Environment Bans offshore oil and gas drilling and vaping in enclosed indoor workplaces
Approveda
CR Amendment 10 Admin of Gov't Prohibits counties from abolishing certain local offices, changes start date of legislative sessions, and adds an executive office and executive department to constitution
Approveda
CR Amendment 11 Admin of Gov't Repeals the following: (a) a prohibition against aliens owning property, (b) a requirement for a high-speed ground transportation system, and (c) a provision saying that changes to a criminal statute are not retroactive
Approveda
CR Amendment 12 Gov't Acc Prohibits public officials from lobbying for compensation while in office and six years thereafter
Approveda
CR Amendment 13 Gambling Prohibits pari-mutuel (a type of betting pool) operations from racing greyhounds or any other dogs for wagering, prohibits persons in Florida from wagering on the outcome of live dog races occurring in the state
Approveda

Georgia

See also: Georgia 2018 ballot measures
Type Title Subject Description Result
LRCA Amendment 1 Budgets and Environment Creates a land conservation trust fund with 0.75 percent of revenue from sales and use taxes on outdoor recreation equipment
Approveda
LRCA Amendment 2 State judiciary Creates a business court and establishes procedures and rules for judicial selection, term length, and qualifications
Approveda
LRCA Amendment 3 Natural Resources Revises method for determining market value of forest land and creates a timberland property class
Approveda
LRCA Amendment 4 Law Enforcement Adds rights of crime victims to state constitution
Approveda
LRCA Amendment 5 Education Allows a school district or multiple districts with a majority of students within a county to call for a county sales tax referendum
Approveda
LRSS Referendum A Taxes Provides for a municipal property tax exemption within certain cities
Approveda
LRSS Referendum B Taxes and Housing Applies existing tax exemption for non-profit housing for mentally disabled to business-financed property
Approveda

Hawaii

See also: Hawaii 2018 ballot measures
Type Title Subject Description Result
ConCon Constitutional Convention ConCon Voters determine whether Hawaii will hold a constitutional convention
Defeatedd

Idaho

See also: Idaho 2018 ballot measures
Type Title Subject Description Result
CISS Proposition 1 Gambling Allows betting on historical horse races at video terminals in certain locations
Defeatedd
CISS Proposition 2 Healthcare Expands Medicaid under the ACA
Repealed, altered, or partially repealed

Indiana

See also: Indiana 2018 ballot measures
Type Title Subject Description Result
LRCA Public Question 1 Gov't Budgets Requires the legislature to enact a balanced budget each fiscal year
Approveda

Kentucky

See also: Kentucky 2018 ballot measures
Type Title Subject Description Result
LRCA Marsy's Law Amendment Law Provides for constitutional rights of crime victims Overturnedot

Louisiana

See also: Louisiana 2018 ballot measures
Type Title Subject Description Result
LRCA Amendment 1 Elections Prohibits felons from running for office for five years
Approveda
LRCA Amendment 2 Trials Requires a unanimous jury verdict for felony trials
Approveda
LRCA Amendment 3 Local Gov't Allows political subdivisions to exchange public equipment and personnel
Approveda
LRCA Amendment 4 Taxes Ends the dedication of revenue from the Transportation Trust Fund to state police
Approveda
LRCA Amendment 5 Property Allows special assessments for certain homes in trusts
Approveda
LRCA Amendment 6 Taxes Provides for a phase-in of certain property tax increases due to reappraisal
Approveda

Maine

See also: Maine 2018 ballot measures

June 12:

Type Title Subject Description Result
VR Question 1 Elections Repeals ranked-choice voting for primaries and congressional elections by overturning a bill to delay and potentially repeal it
Approveda

November 6:

Type Title Subject Description Result
IndISS Question 1 Taxes Creates a 3.8 percent payroll tax and non-wage income tax to fund a home care program
Defeatedd
BI Question 2 Bonds Issues $30 million in bonds for wastewater infrastructure
Approveda
BI Question 3 Bonds $106 million in bonds for transportation infrastructure
Approveda
BI Question 4 Bonds $49 million in bonds for the University of Maine System
Approveda
BI Question 5 Bonds $15 million in bonds for the state's seven community colleges
Approveda

Maryland

See also: Maryland 2018 ballot measures
Type Title Subject Description Result
LRCA Question 1 Gambling and Education Dedicating certain gambling revenue to education
Approveda
LRCA Question 2 Elections Authorizes the legislature to enact laws allowing for same-day voter registration
Approveda

Massachusetts

See also: Massachusetts 2018 ballot measures
Type Title Subject Description Result
IndISS Question 1 Healthcare Sets limits on the number of patients a nurse can be assigned to
Defeatedd
IndISS Question 2 Campaign finance and Definition of a corporation Creates citizens commission to advocate for changes to the U.S. Constitution regarding political spending and corporate personhood
Approveda
VR Question 3 LGBT issues Concerns a law prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity
Approveda

Michigan

See also: Michigan 2018 ballot measures
Type Title Subject Description Result
IndISS Proposal 1 Marijuana Legalizes marijuana for recreational use
Approveda
CICA Proposal 2 Redistricting Creates an independent citizens redistricting commission
Approveda
CICA Proposal 3 Elections Creates state constitutional rights to certain voting policies
Approveda

Missouri

See also: Missouri 2018 ballot measures

August 7, 2018:

Type Title Subject Description Result
VR Proposition A Unions Approval upholds Senate Bill 19, a right to work law; defeat rejects the law. Defeatedd

November 6, 2018:

Type Title Subject Description Result
CICA Amendment 1 Elections Addresses lobbying, campaign finance, and redistricting procedures
Approveda
CICA Amendment 2 Marijuana Legalizes marijuana for medical purposes
Approveda
CICA Amendment 3 Marijuana Legalizes marijuana for medical purposes
Defeatedd
LRCA Amendment 4 Gambling Changes requirement to manage bingo games and advertising at bingo games
Approveda
CISS Proposition B Minimum Wage Increases the minimum wage to $12
Approveda
CISS Proposition C Marijuana Legalizes marijuana for medical purposes
Defeatedd
LRSS Proposition D Taxes Increases gas tax, provides tax exemption for Olympic prizes, and creates fund for projects to improve roads and alleviate bottleneck traffic
Defeatedd


Montana

See also: Montana 2018 ballot measures
Type Title Subject Description Result
LRSS LR-128 Taxes Continues a six-mill property tax to fund the Montana University System for 10 years
Approveda
LRSS LR-129 Elections Bans all but certain individuals from collecting another individual's ballot
Approveda
CISS I-185 Taxes and Tobacco Extends Medicaid expansion, increases tobacco taxes to fund health programs
Defeatedd
CISS I-186 Natural resources Restricts new hard rock mine permits, including water quality requirements for restoration plans
Defeatedd

Nebraska

See also: Nebraska 2018 ballot measures
Type Title Subject Description Result
CISS Initiative 427 Healthcare Expands Medicaid under the ACA
Approveda

Nevada

See also: Nevada 2018 ballot measures
Type Title Subject Description Result
LRCA Question 1 Trials Expands the rights of crime victims
Approveda
LRSS Question 2 Taxes Exempts feminine hygiene products from sales tax
Approveda
CICA Question 3 Energy Regulations on the energy market
Defeatedd
CICA Question 4 Taxes Sales tax exemption for medical equipment
Approveda
IndISS Question 5 Elections Automatic voter registration with the Department of Motor Vehicles
Approveda
CICA Question 6 Energy Requires 50 percent of energy to come from renewable resources by 2030
Approveda

New Hampshire

See also: New Hampshire 2018 ballot measures
Type Title Subject Description Result
LRCA Question 1 Constitutional rights Provides that a taxpayer can bring legal action against government over funds
Approveda
LRCA Question 2 Trials Provides a right to live free from governmental interference in private or personal information
Approveda

New Jersey

See also: New Jersey 2018 ballot measures
Type Title Subject Description Result
BI Public Question 1 Bonds Issues $500 million in bonds for school projects
Approveda

New Mexico

See also: New Mexico 2018 ballot measures
Type Title Subject Description Result
LRCA Constitutional Amendment 1 Judiciary Empowers the legislature to pass laws determining the judicial appeal process for certain courts
Approveda
LRCA Constitutional Amendment 2 Gov't Acc Creates an independent state ethics commission
Approveda
BI Bond Question A Bonds Issues $10.77 million in bonds for senior citizen facilities
Approveda
BI Bond Question B Bonds Issues $12.876 million in bonds for libraries
Approveda
BI Bond Question C Bonds Issues $6.137 million in bonds for school buses
Approveda
BI Bond Question D Bonds Issues $128.405 million for higher education, special schools, and tribal schools
Approveda

North Carolina

See also: North Carolina 2018 ballot measures
Type Title Subject Description Result
LRCA Right to Hunt and Fish Amendment Hunting Creates a constitutional right to hunt and fish Approveda
LRCA Marsy's Law Amendment Law Enforcement Expands the constitutional rights of crime victims Approveda
LRCA Income Tax Cap Amendment Taxes Changes cap on income tax from 10 percent to 7 percent Approveda Overturnedot
LRCA Voter ID Amendment Elections Requires a photo ID to vote in person Approveda
LRCA Legislative Appointments to Elections Board and Commissions Amendment Legislature Makes the legislature responsible for appointments to election board Defeatedd
LRCA Judicial Selection for Midterm Vacancies Amendment Judiciary Creates a process, involving a commission, legislature, and governor to appoint to vacant state judicial seats Defeatedd

North Dakota

See also: North Dakota 2018 ballot measures
Type Title Subject Description Result
CICA Measure 1 Elections and Gov. accountability Establishes an ethics commission, bans foreign political contributions, and enacts provisions related to lobbying and conflicts of interest
Approveda
CICA Measure 2 Suffrage Clarifies that only U.S. citizens and North Dakota residents can vote in federal, state, local, or school elections
Approveda
CISS Measure 3 Marijuana Removes marijuana and other products from list of controlled substances and provides for automatic expungement of convictions from legalized controlled substances
Defeatedd
CISS Measure 4 Civil service and Parks Requires free access to state parks and personalized license plates for volunteer emergency responders
Approveda

Ohio

See also: Ohio 2018 ballot measures

May 8, 2018:

Type Title Subject Description Result
LRCA Issue 1 Redistricting Creates procedures for congressional redistricting
Approveda

November 6, 2018:

Type Title Subject Description Result
CICA Issue 1 Trials Makes drug possession and use offenses misdemeanors and allocates savings to programs
Defeatedd

Oklahoma

See also: Oklahoma 2018 ballot measures

June 26, 2018:

Type Title Subject Description Result
CISS State Question 788 Marijuana Legalizes medical marijauna
Approveda

November 6, 2018:

Type Title Subject Description Result
CICA State Question 793 Business Allows optometrists and opticians to operate in retail
Defeatedd
LRCA State Question 794 Law Enforcement Expands the constitutional rights of crime victims
Approveda
LRCA State Question 798 Elections Provides for a joint ticket for governor and lt. governor
Defeatedd
LRCA State Question 800 Budgets Creates a fund for the investment of 5% of oil and gas development tax revenue
Defeatedd
LRCA State Question 801 Taxes and Budgets Allows certain property taxes to fund school operations
Defeatedd

Oregon

See also: Oregon 2018 ballot measures

January 23, 2018:

Type Title Subject Description Outcome
VR Measure 101 Taxes Approves tax on certain insurance premiums for Medicaid funding
Approveda

November 6, 2018:

Type Title Subject Description Result
LRCA Measure 102 Housing Removes restriction that affordable housing projects funded by city and county bonds must be government owned
Approveda
CICA Measure 103 Taxes Bans taxes on groceries
Defeatedd
CICA Measure 104 Budget Defines raising revenue for the three-fifths vote requirement for bills raising revenue
Defeatedd
CISS Measure 105 Immigration Repeals law forbidding state resources from being used to apprehend persons violating federal immigration laws
Defeatedd
CICA Measure 106 Abortion Prohibits public funds from being spent on abortions
Defeatedd


Rhode Island

See also: Rhode Island 2018 ballot measures
Type Title Subject Description Result
BI Question 1 Bonds Issues $250 million for school buildings
Approveda
BI Question 2 Bonds Issues $70 million for higher education facilities
Approveda
BI Question 3 Bonds Issues $47.3 million for environment, recreation, and water infrastructure
Approveda

South Carolina

See also: South Carolina 2018 ballot measures
Type Title Subject Description Result
LRCA Amendment 1 Executive Official Makes the Superintendent of Education an appointed position
Defeatedd

South Dakota

See also: South Dakota 2018 ballot measures

June 5, 2018:

Type Title Subject Description Result
LRCA Constitutional Amendment Y Law enforcement Changes 2016 Marsy's Law crime victim rights amendment
Approveda

November 6, 2018:

Type Title Subject Description Result
CISS Initiated Measure 24 Direct Democracy Bans out-of-state contributions to ballot question committees
Approveda/Overturnedot
CISS Initiated Measure 25 Taxes and Tobacco Increases the tobacco tax
Defeatedd
CICA Constitutional Amendment W Elections and campaigns Revises campaign finance and lobbying laws, creates an accountability board, and prohibits legislative changes to initiatives without voter approval
Defeatedd
LRCA Constitutional Amendment X Direct demcracy 55 percent supermajority requirement for constitutional amendments
Defeatedd
LRCA Constitutional Amendment Z Direct democracy Single-subject rule for constitutional amendments
Approveda

Utah

See also: Utah 2018 ballot measures
Type Title Subject Description Result
LRCA Constitutional Amendment A Taxes Changes the time of service required to qualify for the tax exemption
Approveda
LRCA Constitutional Amendment B Taxes Allows tax exemption for property leased by a government entity
Defeatedd
LRCA Constitutional Amendment C State legislatures Allows legislature to convene a special session with restrictions
Approveda
AQ Nonbinding Opinion Question 1 Taxes 10-Cent Gas Tax Increase for Education and Local Roads
Defeatedd
CISS Proposition 2 Marijuana Legalizes the medical use of marijuana
Repealed, altered, or partially repealed
CISS Proposition 3 Healthcare Expands Medicaid under the ACA
Repealed, altered, or partially repealed
CISS Proposition 4 Redistricting Creates an independent redistricting commission
Repealed, altered, or partially repealed

Virginia

See also: Virginia 2018 ballot measures
Type Title Subject Description Result
LRCA Question 1 Taxes Authorizes local property tax exemptions for flood abatement, mitigation, or resiliency
Approveda
LRCA Question 2 Taxes Removes a restriction on a tax exemption for the surviving spouse of a disabled veteran
Approveda

Washington

See also: Washington 2018 ballot measures
Type Number Subject Description Result
ITL Initiative 940 Law Enforcement Requires specific trainings for law enforcement and changes the standards for use of deadly force
Approveda
ITP Initiative 1631 Taxes and Environment Establishes a carbon fee and funds environmental programs
Defeatedd
ITP Initiative 1634 Food and agriculture and Taxes Prohibits local governments from enacting taxes on groceries
Approveda
ITP Initiative 1639 Firearms Implements changes to gun ownership and purchase requirements
Approveda
AQ Advisory Vote 19 Taxes and Energy Advises legislature to either repeal or maintain Senate Bill 6269 which expanded the oil spill response tax to apply to pipelines
Defeatedd


West Virginia

See also: West Virginia 2018 ballot measures
Type Title Subject Description Result
LRCA Amendment 1 Abortion States that there is no right to abortion or abortion funding in the state constitution
Approveda
LRCA Amendment 2 State judiciary and budget Gives the legislature authority of budgeting for state judiciary with restrictions
Approveda

Wisconsin

See also: Wisconsin 2018 ballot measures

April 3, 2018:

Type Title Subject Description Result
LRCA Question 1 State Exec Eliminate the position of state treasurer
Defeatedd

Local ballot measures

See also: Local ballot measure elections in 2018

Click here to see Ballotpedia's 2018 local ballot measure coverage.

See also

Footnotes

  1. Arkansas Issue 3, a term limits initiative, was certified for the ballot, but it was blocked by the Arkansas Supreme Court.
  2. The Atlantic, "Will Washington State Voters Make History on Climate Change?" August 15, 2018
  3. Nevada Current, "What Question 3 and Question 6 say about renewable energy," August 23, 2018
  4. This includes combined initiated constitutional amendment and state statutes.
  5. A compromise was also made in Washington over Initiative 940, but the compromise was overturned in court and Initiative 940 was put back on the ballot.