Ballot Measure Analytics
Trends and insights across state ballot measures (1960–2026)
Ballot Measures by Category & Decade, 1960–2026
Stacked bars show total measures per category per decade. Highlights the rise and fall of distinct policy waves — tax revolt in the 1970s–80s, term limits and criminal justice in the 1990s, cannabis and healthcare in the 2000s–2010s.
Pass Rate by Year
Volume by Year
Citizen vs. Legislature Pass Rates by Year
Pass Rate by Topic (Top 12)
Pass Rate by Measure Type
Top 15 States by Volume
A veto referendum lets voters decide whether to keep or reject a law the legislature has already passed. It is distinct from a legislatively referred amendment or initiative, where lawmakers ask voters to approve a new policy. Only about half the states allow veto referendums, and they remain comparatively rare — typically triggered by organized opposition gathering signatures within a short post-passage window.
Veto Referendums by Year, 1960–2026
Methodology note: veto-referendum ballot questions are phrased differently across states — some ask voters to "approve" the law, some to "veto" it — so a "Pass Rate" here refers to the ballot measure passing, not necessarily voters keeping (or repealing) the underlying law. For policy-impact analysis, consult the individual measure pages.