2019 ballot measures

2019 U.S. state ballot measures
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On November 5, voters in seven states decided 32 statewide ballot measures. Of the 32 measures, 20 were approved and 12 were defeated.

A total of 36 statewide ballot measures were certified for 2019 ballots in eight states: Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington. Four constitutional amendments referred by the Louisiana state legislature were on the October 12 ballot. The other 32 measures were on the November ballot. Twenty-four measures were legally binding. Twelve measures were advisory questions in Washington.

HIGHLIGHTS

Of the 24 binding 2019 statewide measures, two were put on the ballot by signature petitions: a ballot initiative in Washington limiting vehicle registration fees and taxes and a veto referendum in Washington concerning the authorization of affirmative action policies.

Nineteen constitutional amendments, two proposed changes to state statute, and one bond issue were referred to statewide ballots by legislators.

Texas voters decided a below-average 10 constitutional amendments, including a measure prohibiting an income tax. Nine were approved, and one was defeated, making it the first constitutional amendment Texas voters have rejected since 2011.

Types of ballot measures

Type of ballot measure	2019	2017	2015	2013	2011	2009
Legislatively referred constitutional amendments	19	16	16	17	21	20
Initiatives	1	4	5	3	10	6
Veto referendums	1	0	0	0	2	3
Legislatively referred state statutes	2	0	1	6	1	3
Legislatively referred bond questions	1	3	2	0	0	0
Automatic ballot referrals	0	1	0	0	0	0
Commission-referred ballot measures	0	0	0	0	0	0
Advisory questions	12	3	4	5	0	0
Total	36	27	28	31	34	32

Historical context

2019 compared to prior odd-numbered years

The average number of statewide measures on the ballot in odd-numbered years from 2009 through 2017 was between 30 and 31. A Washington law requiring advisory, nonbinding votes on any revenue-increasing bills passed by the legislature triggered its first odd-year advisory question in 2013. The 12 advisory questions on the ballot in 2019 was the largest number of advisory questions on tax increases in Washington required by the state's automatic process. There were between three and five in 2017, 2015, and 2013.

Comparing only binding statewide measures to previous years,

• 24 were certified for 2019 ballots in eight states,
• 24 were certified for 2017 ballots in eight states,
• 24 were certified for 2015 ballots in nine states, and
• 26 were certified for 2013 ballots in six states.

Year	States	Measures
2021	9	39
2019	8	36
2017	9	27
2015	9	28
2013	6	31
2011	9	34
2009	7	32
2007	10	45
2005	13	47
2003	15	68
2001	9	39
1999	16	72
1997	8	44
1995	11	61
1993	15	62
1991	9	48
1989	13	77
1987	13	78
Averages:	11	48

States with odd-numbered year measures

Four of the 26 states with a process for citizen-initiated measures allow for ballot initiatives or veto referendums on ballots for elections in any odd-numbered years: Colorado, Maine, Ohio, and Washington. Moreover, citizen-initiated measures could have gone on the Mississippi ballot because of the gubernatorial election in 2019. Legislatively referred measures can also go on the ballot in these states in 2019.

Other states that frequently feature statewide measures referred to the ballot by the legislature in odd-numbered years include Louisiana, New Jersey, New York, and Texas.

By date

March 30

• U.S. Virgin Islands Legislative Apportionment Initiative (March 2019) d

October 12

• Louisiana Amendment 1, Property Tax Exemption for Stored Materials Routed for Outer Continental Shelf Amendment (October 2019) d
• Louisiana Amendment 2, Education Excellence Fund Uses Amendment (October 2019) a
• Louisiana Amendment 4, New Orleans Affordable Housing Property Tax Exemption Amendment (October 2019) a
• Louisiana Amendment 3, Board of Tax Appeals Jurisdiction Amendment (October 2019) d

November 5

• See 2019 Ballot Measure Scorecard

By state

Colorado

See also: Colorado 2019 ballot measures

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRSS	Proposition CC	State spending & finance, Transportation, and Education	Allows the state to retain excess revenue it is currently required to refund under the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights (TABOR); directs retained funds to be used for education and transportation purposes	d
LRSS	Proposition DD	Gambling and Taxes	Authorizes and taxes wagering on sporting events (sports betting)	a

Kansas

See also: Kansas 2019 ballot measures

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Eliminate Revision of Census Population Amendment	Census	Eliminates requirement that census population be adjusted for students and military personnel	a

Louisiana

See also: Louisiana 2019 ballot measures

October 12:

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Amendment 1	Taxes	Extends the ad valorem tax exemption for certain property destined for the Outer Continental Shelf	d
LRCA	Amendment 2	Education	Provides for additional uses of the Education Excellence Fund	a
LRCA	Amendment 3	Government	Allows legislature to expend jurisdiction of Board of Tax Appeals to constitutional issues	a
LRCA	Amendment 4	Taxes	Authorizes New Orleans to exempt properties from taxes to, according to the amendment, incentivize affordable housing	d

Maine

See also: Maine 2019 ballot measures

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
BI	Question 1	Bonds	Authorizes $105 million in bonds for transportation infrastructure projects	a
LRCA	Question 2	Direct Democracy	Authorizes legislation allowing for persons with physical disabilities to use alternative signatures to sign initiative petitions	a

New Jersey

See also: New Jersey 2019 ballot measures

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Public Question 1	Taxes	Extends veterans' property tax deduction to continuing care retirement communities providing housing to veterans	a

Pennsylvania

See also: Pennsylvania 2019 ballot measures

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Marsy's Law Amendment	Law	Adds a Marsy's Law to the Pennsylvania Constitution	ot

Texas

See also: Texas 2019 ballot measures

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Proposition 1	Municipal	Allows persons to serve as more than one appointed or elected municipal judge	d
LRCA	Proposition 2	Bonds	Allows the Texas Water Development Board to issue up to $200 million in bonds	a
LRCA	Proposition 3	Taxes	Authorizes temporary property tax exemption for disaster areas	a
LRCA	Proposition 4	Taxes	Prohibits the state from levying an income tax on individuals	a
LRCA	Proposition 5	Budgets	Dedicates revenue from the sales tax on sporting goods to parks, wildlife, and historical agencies	a
LRCA	Proposition 6	Bonds	Authorizes the legislature to increase bonds for the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute	a
LRCA	Proposition 7	Budgets	Increases distributions to the state school fund	a
LRCA	Proposition 8	Budgets	Creates a Flood Infrastructure Fund	a
LRCA	Proposition 9	Taxes	Authorizes property tax exemption for precious metals held in depositories	a
LRCA	Proposition 10	Animals	Allows for transfer of law enforcement animals to handlers or others if in animal's best interest	a

Washington

See also: Washington 2019 ballot measures

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
VR	Referendum 88	Affirmative action	Upholds or rejects the legislature's approval of Initiative 1000, which authorizes affirmative action by the state	d
ITL	Initiative 976	Taxes and Transportation	Limits annual registration renewal fees to $30 for vehicles under 10,000 pounds; other restrictions on vehicle taxes and fees	a/ot
LRCA	Senate Joint Resolution 8200	Legislature	Authorizes Legislature to pass legislation for government continuation during catastrophic incidents	a
AQ	Advisory Vote 20	Taxes and Healthcare	Advises legislature to either repeal or maintain House Bill 1087, which was designed to levy 0.58% tax on wages to fund a program for long-term healthcare services	d
AQ	Advisory Vote 21	Taxes	Advises legislature to either repeal or maintain House Bill 1324, which was designed to extend a surcharge on timber products through July 2045, which was otherwise set to expire in June 2024	d
AQ	Advisory Vote 22	Taxes and Environment	Advises legislature to either repeal or maintain House Bill 1652, which was designed to require producers of interior or exterior architectural paint sold in containers of 5 gallons or less to fund and take part in programs related to paint waste management	d
AQ	Advisory Vote 23	Taxes and Tobacco	Advises legislature to either repeal or maintain House Bill 1873, which was designed to levy a tax on e-cigarettes and vapor products	a
AQ	Advisory Vote 24	Taxes and Education	Advises legislature to either repeal or maintain House Bill 2158, which creates and funds the Workforce Education Investment Account, which was designed to fund higher education programs through a tax on certain business activities	d
AQ	Advisory Vote 25	Taxes and Banking	Advises legislature to either repeal or maintain House Bill 2167, which was designed to impose an additional tax on certain financial institutions	d
AQ	Advisory Vote 26	Taxes	Advises legislature to either repeal or maintain Senate Bill 5581, which was designed to apply retail sales taxes on online retailers	d
AQ	Advisory Vote 27	Taxes	Advises legislature to either repeal or maintain Senate Bill 5993, which was designed to increase taxes on petroleum products	d
AQ	Advisory Vote 28	Taxes	Advises legislature to either repeal or maintain Senate Bill 5997, which was designed to limit the tax exemptions that residents from other U.S. states and Canada can receive while in Washington	a
AQ	Advisory Vote 29	Taxes and Property	Advises legislature to either repeal or maintain Senate Bill 5998, which was designed to increase the excise tax on real property	d
AQ	Advisory Vote 30	Taxes	Advises legislature to either repeal or maintain Senate Bill 6004, which was designed to increase the business and occupation tax on specified tour operators and travel agents	d
AQ	Advisory Vote 31	Taxes	Advises legislature to either repeal or maintain Senate Bill 6016, which was designed to increase the business and occupation tax on specified international investment management services	a

Ballot measures in odd-numbered years

The charts below show the number of measures appearing on state ballots in odd years from 1987 to 2017.

From 1987 through 2017, the average number of measures on the ballot in odd-numbered years was 50, with an average of 11 states in which measures appeared on the ballot. In odd-numbered years from 2007 to 2017, an average of about 33 measures appeared on the ballot in an average of 8 states. In 2017, a seven-decade record for the lowest number of statewide ballot measure certifications was set. This continued a general trend toward fewer statewide measures. The last year in which there were fewer than 27 statewide measures was 1947.

Year	States	Measures
2021	9	39
2019	8	36
2017	9	27
2015	9	28
2013	6	31
2011	9	34
2009	7	32
2007	10	45
2005	13	47
2003	15	68
2001	9	39
1999	16	72
1997	8	44
1995	11	61
1993	15	62
1991	9	48
1989	13	77
1987	13	78
Averages:	11	48

Impact of 2018 elections on legislative referrals

Legislatures can refer measures, including constitutional amendments, state statutes, and bond issues, to the ballot for voter consideration. Amendments do not require a governor's signature, but referred statutes and bond issues do, with exceptions in some states. Changes in the membership of state legislatures and governor's offices, as a result of elections on November 6, 2018, could have an impact on legislative referrals in 2019. There are three states, in particular, that often feature legislative referrals on their odd-numbered year ballots and had partisan shifts in 2018 that could impact the referral process.

• Colorado: Democrats won the governor's office and both legislative chambers in Colorado, making the state one of six to flip from a divided government to trifecta control in 2018. The change in partisan control wasn't large enough to give Democrats the power to refer constitutional amendments without the support of some Republicans, as constitutional amendments require a two-thirds vote of each legislative chamber. The change in partisan control could, however, impact the rules for revenue increases set forth in Colorado's TABOR. TABOR, passed as a ballot initiative in 1992, requires a simple majority vote in the state legislature and voter approval of tax increases that generate revenue in excess of a formula based on inflation and population growth. In 2017, there was an attempt to alter TABOR itself, basing the cap on state government revenue on changes in state personal income instead of inflation. The Democratic-controlled House passed the bill, but a committee in the Republican-controlled Senate voted down the bill along partisan lines. With Democrats in control of both chambers in 2019, measures to override the cap on revenue will be easier to refer to the ballot for voter consideration without the support of Republicans.

• Maine: In 2019, Democrats controlled both chambers of the state legislature, as well as the governor's office, making Maine a Democratic trifecta. Prior to 2019, Maine was a divided government. As Democrats had trifecta control of in 2019, no legislative Republicans were needed to put statutes or bond issues before voters. Amendments to the Maine Constitution, however, still required support from some Republicans as Democrats did not control two-thirds of the seats in either legislative chamber.

• Texas: Republicans kept trifecta control of Texas. However, Republicans lost seats in both chambers of the Texas State Legislature. Changes in the state Senate could have an impact on the prospects of constitutional amendments, which require a two-thirds vote, making the ballot. Republicans held 21 seats in the state Senate in 2018, which was enough to pass an amendment without support from Democrats. In 2019, Republicans held 19 seats, meaning at least two Democrats were needed to pass a constitutional amendment in the state Senate.

Ohio and Washington often see legislative referrals on the ballot in odd-numbered years, but the changes in partisan control weren't large enough for Democrats to overcome thresholds for referring ballot measures. In Ohio, Republicans maintained more than 60 percent of the seats in each legislative chamber, allowing constitutional amendments to be referred without the support of Democrats. In Washington, Democrats picked up seats but did not secure a two-thirds supermajority to pass amendments without the support of Republicans. Two other state legislatures that often refer ballot measures in odd-numbered years—Louisiana and New Jersey—elect their legislators in odd-numbered years.

Local ballot measures

To see Ballotpedia's coverage of local ballot measure elections in 2019, click here.

See also

• Laws governing ballot measures
• States with initiative or referendum
• Local ballot measure elections in 2019