Ballotwatch®
2007 Election
Election Results 2007 (BW 2007-2) [updated November 13, 2007]
Election Preview 2007 (BW 2007-1) [updated November 3, 2007]
Report on Historical Initiative Use, 1904-2006
Report on Constitutional Amendments (IRI Report 2006-3)
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
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)
As with most odd year elections, few statewide ballot measures appeared on the ballot in 2003. The most notable election was the California recall election in which Governor Gray Davis became only the second governor ever to be recalled from office. List of all November 2003 statewide ballot measures and outcomes.
Center for Transportation Excellence - 2003 Transportation Ballot Measures
So what did the voter’s decide – were they cautious as we had predicted or did they disregard the concerns of war, terrorism and the economy and do as they pleased? In short, “cautious” was the word of the day. The voters once again defied party labeling and voted their conscience when it came to ballot measures. In a time of great uncertainty, voters picked through the list of statewide ballot measures and systematically made their feelings known while at the same time not revealing whether their underlying principles lean more liberal or conservative. The great race to categorize the voter’s political beliefs will once again have to wait for another election day.
Center for Transportation Excellence - 2002 Transportation Ballot Measures
2002 Ballot Measure Donor Report
The voters turned out on Tuesday to cast their ballots on 204 statewide ballot measures in 42 states and approved approximately 63% of them. 71 were placed on the ballot by the people and 133 were placed on the ballot by the state legislatures. Of the measures placed on the ballot by the people, 48% were approved. This number is a little higher than the 100-year average of 41% but a lot lower than 1998’s passage rate of 61%. In looking at the measures placed on the ballot by the state legislatures, the voters continued the trend of passing those at a higher percentage than citizen measures by adopting almost 71% of them.
1998 proved to be no different than previous elections with the people utilizing the initiative process to place the issues on the ballot that elected officials typically have been unwilling or unable to deal with. Issues from all political persuasions blanketed the ballot - from the conservative backed I-200 in Washington State that ended racial preferences to the liberal backed enactment of campaign finance reform in Arizona and Massachusetts. There were initiatives that limited government as well as those that expanded government, those that increased taxes or lowered taxes and those that empowered government and those that empowered citizens. 1998 had a little of something for voters of every political persuasion.
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 referendum 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.
