Ballotwatch®
2012 Election
Voters decided 174 ballot propositions across 38 states on November 6, delivering breakthrough victories for advocates of marijuana legalization and same-sex marriage. Based on current returns, 112 measures have been approved, 60 have failed, and 2 are too close to call. The 65% approval rate is up from 59% in 2010 and 2008. Noteworthy outcomes include approval of initiatives legalizing possession and use of marijuana in Colorado and Washington, voter approval of same-sex marriage in Maine, Maryland, and Washington, and rejection of a marriage ban in Minnesota.
Election Results 2012 (BW 2012-3) [Updated 11/8/2012]
Election Preview 2012 (BW 2012-2) [Updated 10/26/2012]
IRI Report on Same-Sex Marriage Propositions (BW 2012-1) [Posted 9/3/2012]
Historical overview of state-level initiatives in the United States: IRI Report on Initiative Use, 1900-2012
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 view information on the state's political history and a link to the state's election division.
Local Initiative and Referendum Elections of Interest
For information on local land and environmental ballot measures see Land Trust Alliance. For local transportation related ballot measures see the Center for Transportation Excellence.
International Initiative and Referendum
For information on ballot measures in other countries, visit Initiative and Referendum Institute-Europe and the Center for Direct Democracy
2011 Election
Election Results 2011 (BW 2011-2)
Election Preview 2011 (BW 2011-1)
2010 Election
Election Results 2010 (BW 2010-2)
Election Preview 2010 (BW 2010-1)
2009 Election
Election Results 2009 (BW 2009-2)
Election Preview 2009 (BW 2009-1)
2008 Election
Election Results 2008 (BW 2008-4)
Same-Sex Marriage (BW 2008-2) [Updated version BW 2012-1]
Election Preview 2008 (BW 2008-1)
Through a Planner's Lens (State Resource Strategies)
2007 Election
Election Results 2007 (BW 2007-2)
Election Preview 2007 (BW 2007-1)
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 Results 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)
Election Preview 2004 (BW 2004-0)
Election Results 2004 (BW 2004-10)
Post-election Report: Environmental Measures (BW 2004-11)
Election Results 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.
