Ballotwatch®
2009 Election
Election Results (BW 2009-2) [Posted November 4, 2009]
Election Preview (BW 2009-1) [Posted October 17, 2009]
Twenty-six propositions were on state ballots in November, far below the 153 in November 2008, but typical for off-year elections. By way of comparison, there were 34 measures in November 2007, 39 in November 2005, and 22 in November 2003. Despite the limited number of measures, there were some high-profile contests. Voters in Maine repealed a same-sex marriage law passed by the state legislature, while voters in Washington upheld a domestic partnership law granting gay couples the same rights as married couples. Voters in Maine and Washington rejected initiatives that proposed to limit the growth of government spending, while Ohio voters approved a measure allowing casinos is four major cities. IRI's Ballotwatch reports highlight key issues and provide a state-by-state list all of ballot measures.
For the decade as a whole (2000-2009), the number of initiatives was 367, short of the record 379 for the decade 1990-1999, but still the second busiest decade since the initiative process was adopted in 1898. See IRI Report on Initiative Use, 1904-2008.
For additional nonpartisan information on ballot propositions, see Ballotpedia and the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Please direct media inquiries to Gilien Silsby, Director of Public Relations, (213) 740-9690 (office), (213) 500-8673 (cell), gsilsby@law.usc.edu.
Select a state on the map below to transfer to a page with other information on the state's political history and a link to the state's election division.
Local Initiative, Referendum and Recall Elections of Interest
For local land and environmental ballot measure information visit the Land Trust Alliance. For local transportation related ballot measures visit the Center for Transportation Excellence.
International Initiative, Referendum and Recall Elections of Interest
For information on ballot measures in other countries, visit the Initiative and Referendum Institute-Europe and the Center for Direct Democracy
2008 Election
Through a Planner's Lens (State Resource Strategies)
2007 Election
Election Results 2007 (BW 2007-2)
Election Preview 2007 (BW 2007-1)
Report on Historical Initiative Use, 1904-2006
Report on Constitutional Amendments (IRI Report 2006-3)
2006 Election
Election Results 2006 (BW 2006-5)
Tobacco-related ballot measures (BW 2006-4)
Election Preview 2006 (BW 2006-3)
IRI report on how ballot propositions may spill over onto candidate elections (IRI Report 2006-2)
IRI statement on Florida constitutional amendments
IRI report on constitutional amendments (IRI Report 2006-2)
2005 Election
Election Review 2005 (BW 2005-3)
Election Preview 2005 (BW 2005-2)
California Special Election
Democracy on the Brink: Nov. 1 Conference
Report on California Special Election (BW 2005-1)
Report on Redistricting in California (IRI Report 2005-1)
Article: "Have Initiatives Paralyzed the California Budget Process?"
2004 Election
Overview of all measures (BW 2004-1)
Seven Worth Watching (BW 2004-3)
The "Long" California Ballot (BW 2004-4)
Complete state-by-state election preview (BW 2004-0)
Complete state-by-state election results (BW 2004-10)
Post-election Report: Environmental Measures (BW 2004-11)
Complete state-by-state election results from November 2003
Center for Transportation Excellence - 2003 Transportation Ballot Measures
Center for Transportation Excellence - 2002 Transportation Ballot Measures
2002 Ballot Measure Donor Report
IRI Historical Database
The database lists all statewide initiatives to appear on the ballot since the first statewide initiative in Oregon in 1904. This list does not contain information on issues placed on the ballot by state legislatures which are commonly referred to as legislative measures. The Institute has only tracked legislative referendums since the 1998 general election and a listing of those ballot measures can be found in the above general election reports. For information on accessing the database, contact John G. Matsusaka, President, matsusak@usc.edu.
