On the Ballot

map of the United States Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

 

2009 & 2010 Landscape

 

***Get the latest TRENDLINES and learn how the issues are playing out in the states. Click here to get your TRENDLINES***

 

We have prepared our 2009 and 2010 maps that will give you an idea of the many real and potential battles ahead.

- 2009 Ballot Initiative & Referenda Map

- 2010 Gubernatorial Races and Initiative States

- 2010 Senate Races and Initiative States

In 2009, four states will vote on ballot initiatives - Colorado, Ohio, Maine and Washington. In addition, with statewide elections for governor in Virginia and New Jersey (both non-initiative states) it's possible that the state legislatures could forward to the ballot state referenda measures.

In 2010, there will be 36 Gubernatorial elections with eighteen of those states being initiative states where ballot initiatives will be voted on. There will also be 36 US Senate races. Seventeen of those elections will share the ballot with statewide initiatives.

In 13 states, citizens will vote on US Senate, Gubernatorial and statewide ballot initiatives in addition to local US House and state legislative races.

 

2008 Landscape: Qualified Ballot Measures

In 2008, 153 measures were on the 2008 November ballot across 35 states. Sixty-one of 153 measures were citizen petitioned initiatives (including popular referenda or citizen vetos). Ninety-two of the 153 were referred to the ballot by state legislators or other administrative bodies.

While it's been reported that the number of ballot measures were significantly down in 2008, that analysis is inaccurate. Ballot measure usage in a given year should be compared to previous election years of the same kind (i.e. Presidential to Presidential, midterm to midterm, odd year to odd year and so on).

Click here to download a chart detailing the number of ballot measures over the years and their passage rate.

Ballot Measure Usage In Presidential Years

2008
153 measures
(61 initiatives)
2004
162 measures
(55 initiatives)
2000
204 measures
(71 initiatives)

Six more ballot initiatives qualified for the 2008 election compared to the Presidential election of 2004. In fact, what's notable about this year is how many measures were attempted, but failed to gain steam or were kicked off the ballot despite serious efforts to qualify (29 in all). Had those 29 measures made it on the ballot, this year would have been close to matching the most active ballot initiative year in history (1996 when 92 initiatives qualified).

The reality is that ballot measures, no matter the year, are a permanent part of American politics. Initiative campaigns have become more complicated, expensive and impactful. Furthermore, ballot initiatives have become more political in nature - often helping voters draw distinction among candidates and influencing the debate on a particular subject matter, or in the case of mid-term elections in particular, increasing voter turnout. 


Click here to download the 2008 BISC Post-Election Report. 

Click here to download the 2008 BISC Pre-Election Report.

Click here to download maps of the most significant issues on the ballot this year.