2017 ballot measures

2017 U.S. State
Ballot Measures

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In 2017, twenty-seven (27) statewide ballot measures were certified for the ballot in nine states. Of those, 22 were on the ballot for the election on November 7, 2017.

Click here for an overview of election results for all 22 statewide ballot measures on the ballot on November 7, 2017. In November 2017, voters approved 16 measures, defeated three, and voted to advise repealing three tax bills in Washington.

Besides the 22 measures on the ballot in November, one measure was on the ballot in Maine on June 13, 2017; one measure was on the ballot in West Virginia for the election on October 7, 2017; and three measures were on the ballot in Louisiana for the election on October 14, 2017. Overall, 21 measures were approved, and six were defeated—counting the advisory votes in Washington in which a majority of voters advised repealing the three tax bills presented to them.

This was the lowest number of statewide measures to go before voters in any year between 1947 and 2017.

HIGHLIGHTS

* Four citizen initiatives were on the ballot; two in Ohio and two in Maine; the other measures were put on the ballot by legislatures or automatically triggered by state law.

* Ohioans rejected Issue 2, an initiative to tie drug prices paid by state agencies to those paid by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The support and opposition campaigns raised $ and $, respectively; Issue 2 was similar to California's 2016 Proposition 61.

* New York voters decided against holding a constitutional convention, defeating a question that is automatically referred to the ballot every 20 years. Approval would have led to a delegate election in 2018 and a vote on proposed constitutional changes in 2019. Supporters of a convention included the New York state and city bar associations, the state League of Women Voters, Citizens Union, and Forward March NY; opponents included the NY State AFL-CIO, the United Federation of Teachers, Planned Parenthood Empire State Acts, Right to Life, and the NY State Rifle and Pistol Association.

* In November, Maine voters approved Question 2—an initiative to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, along with deciding three other measures.

## Contents

* 1 Types of measures
* 2 Context of the 2017 elections
* 2.1 Low number of measures
* 3 Analyses and reports
* 3.1 Campaign finance
* 3.2 Signature costs
* 4 By date
* 4.1 June 11
* 4.2 June 13
* 4.3 October 7
* 4.4 October 14
* 4.5 November 7
* 5 By state
* 5.1 Louisiana
* 5.2 Maine
* 5.3 New Jersey
* 5.4 New York
* 5.5 Ohio
* 5.6 Pennsylvania
* 5.7 Texas
* 5.8 Washington
* 5.9 West Virginia
* 6 See also
* 7 Footnotes

## Types of measures[edit]

The chart below breaks out the statewide ballot measures certified for the ballot in 2017 by type and compares these numbers to data from previous odd-numbered years.

Type of ballot measure  | 2017  | 2015  | 2013  | 2011  | 2009

|
|
|
|
|

Legislatively referred constitutional amendments | 16 | 16 | 17 | 21 | 20
Initiatives | 4 | 5 | 3 | 10 | 6
Veto referendums | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3
Legislatively referred state statutes | 0 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 3
Legislatively referred bond questions | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0
Automatic ballot referrals | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
Commission-referred ballot measures | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
Advisory questions | 3 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0
Total | 27 | 28 | 31 | 34 | 32

## Context of the 2017 elections[edit]

### Low number of measures[edit]

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. The year's certifications amounted to just one fewer than in 2015, when voters decided 28 statewide measures.

From 1987 through 2015, the average number of measures on the ballot in odd-numbered years was 51, with an average of 11 states in which measures appeared on the ballot. In the last decade, however, the average dropped to 34 measures in eight states. Since 2001, the average was 41 measures in 10 states. The number of measures on the ballot in odd-numbered years since 1990 peaked in 1999 at 72. In 1989 and 1987, there were 77 and 78 measures, respectively.

| 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

## Analyses and reports[edit]

### Campaign finance[edit]

See also: Ballot measure campaign finance, 2017

Over $100 million was contributed to the campaign supporting and opposing ballot measures in 2017. The most expensive ballot measure battle—Ohio Issue 2, Drug Price Standards—was responsible for three-quarters of that, with opponents outspending supporters three-to-one. The four citizen initiatives on the ballot—two in Ohio and two in Maine—were responsible for 95 percent of campaign contributions. The only other measure to spur six-figure campaigns was New York Proposal 1, the constitutional convention question. Opponents raised over $3 million, and supporters raised about $900,000.

Click here to read Ballotpedia's full campaign finance report for 2017 ballot measures.

### Signature costs[edit]

See also: Ballot measure signature costs, 2017

A total of $7.87 million was spent on the signature petition drives for the four citizen initiatives that made the ballot in 2017. On average, proponents spent $15.4 for every required signature used to put the initiatives before voters. At $2.69 million for 61,123 required signatures—a CPRS of $43.97—the most expensive 2017 initiative petition drive was for Maine Question 1, the casino authorization initiative. The average CPRS across the 76 successful signature petition drives in 2016 was $5.63. The average CPRS in 2015 was $6.49.

Click here to read Ballotpedia's full initiative signature petition costs report for 2017 ballot measures.

## By date[edit]

### June 11[edit]

* Puerto Rico Statehood, Independence, Free Association, or Current Status Referendum (2017) a

### June 13[edit]

* Maine Question 1, Technology Sectors Funds and Business Loans Bond Issue (June 2017) a

### October 7[edit]

* West Virginia Amendment 1, Bonds for Roads and Bridges Measure (October 2017) a

### October 14[edit]

* Louisiana Amendment 1, No Property Tax on Properties Under Construction Measure (October 2017) a
* Louisiana Amendment 2, Property Tax Exemption for Surviving Spouses of Emergency Responders Killed Performing Duties Measure (October 2017) a
* Louisiana Amendment 3, Dedicate New Taxes on Fuel to Transportation Construction Fund Measure (October 2017) a

### November 7[edit]

* See 2017 Ballot Measure Scorecard

## By state[edit]

### Louisiana[edit]

See also: Louisiana 2017 ballot measures

October 14:

Type  | Title  | Subject  | Description  | Result

|
|
|
|

LRCA | Amendment 1 | Taxes | Exempts properties under construction from property taxes until completion | a
LRCA | Amendment 2 | Taxes | Creates property tax exemption for surviving spouses of emergency responders killed performing duties | a
LRCA | Amendment 3 | Budget | Dedicates revenue from new taxes to transportation projects | a

### Maine[edit]

See also: Maine 2017 ballot measures

June 13:

Type  | Title  | Subject  | Description  | Result

|
|
|
|

BI | Question 1 | Bonds | $50 million in bonds for investment in tech sectors and businesses | a

November 7:

Type  | Title  | Subject  | Description  | Result

|
|
|
|

IndISS | Question 1 | Gambling | Casino or slot machines in York County | d
IndISS | Question 2 | Healthcare | Expand Medicaid under the ACA | a
BI | Question 3 | Bonds | $105 million in bonds for highways, bridges, ports, railroads, aviation, transit, and trails | a
LRCA | Question 4 | Pension | Time to pay off unfunded liabilities from experience losses | a

### New Jersey[edit]

See also: New Jersey 2017 ballot measures
Type  | Title  | Subject  | Description  | Result

|
|
|
|

BI | Question 1 | Bonds | $125 million in bonds for library grants | a
LRCA | Question 2 | Environment | Revenue from environmental lawsuits to environmental projects | a

### New York[edit]

See also: New York 2017 ballot measures
Type  | Title  | Subject  | Description  | Result

|
|
|
|

ConCon | Proposal 1 |  ConCon | Holds a constitutional convention | d
LRCA | Proposal 2 |  Gov't Acc | Allows judges to revoke the state pension of a public officer convicted of a felony related to officer's duties | a
LRCA | Proposal 3 | Forests and Parks | Creates a 250-acre land bank to provide forest preserve land for local projects | a

### Ohio[edit]

See also: Ohio 2017 ballot measures
Type  | Title  | Subject  | Description  | Result

|
|
|
|

CICA | Issue 1 | Law Enforcement | Constitution rights of crime victims | a
IndISS | Issue 2 | Healthcare | State to purchase drugs at prices no more than what the VA pays | d

### Pennsylvania[edit]

See also: Pennsylvania 2017 ballot measures
Type  | Title  | Subject  | Description  | Result

|
|
|
|

LRCA | Allow Local Taxing Authorities to Exempt Full Value of Homestead Amendment | Taxes | Authorizes local taxing authorities to exempt the full value of homesteads from property taxes | a

### Texas[edit]

See also: Texas 2017 ballot measures
Type  | Title  | Subject  | Description  | Result

|
|
|
|

LRCA | Proposition 1 | Taxes | Authorizes tax exemption for property of partially disabled veterans received as donations | a
LRCA | Proposition 2 | Housing | Makes changes to home equity loan provision of constitution | a
LRCA | Proposition 3 | State Exec | Provides for how long an appointed officer may serve after his or her term expires | a
LRCA | Proposition 4 | State Exec | Requires a court to provide notice to the attorney general of a challenge to a statute | a
LRCA | Proposition 5 | Gambling | Defines professional sports team in charitable raffles | a
LRCA | Proposition 6 | Taxes | Authorizes property tax exemption for surviving spouses of first responders killed in line of duty | a
LRCA | Proposition 7 | Banking | Authorizes financial institutions to offer prizes to promote savings | a

### Washington[edit]

See also: Washington 2017 ballot measures
Type  | Title  | Subject  | Description  | Result

|
|
|
|

AQ | Advisory Vote 16 | Taxes | Status of HB 1597, which increased commercial fishing fees | d
AQ | Advisory Vote 17 | Taxes | Status of HB 2163, which made changes to sales and use tax and business and occupation tax | d
AQ | Advisory Vote 18 | Taxes | Status of HB 2242, which increased the state property tax | d

### West Virginia[edit]

See also: West Virginia 2017 ballot measures

October 7:

Type  | Title  | Subject  | Description  | Result

|
|
|
|

LRCA | Amendment 1 | Bonds | Authorizes $1.6 billion in bonds for highways, roads, and bridges | a

## See also[edit]

* Potential 2017 ballot measures
* Polls, 2017 ballot measures
* Calendar
* Ballot measure petition deadlines and requirements, 2017
* 2017 ballot measure media endorsements
* How to find campaign finance information about ballot measure campaigns
* Local ballot measure elections in 2017

## Footnotes[edit]

v • e

2017 ballot measures

I&R States|

Colorado • Maine • Ohio • Washington

Non I&R States|

Louisiana • New Jersey • New York • Pennsylvania • Texas • West Virginia

Political topics|

Athletics • Banking • Bond issues • Constitutional conventions • County and municipal governance • Economic development • Education • Environment • Forests and parks • Gambling • Government accountability • Healthcare • Housing • Hunting and fishing • Law enforcement • Pension • Property • State and local government budgets, spending and finance • State executive officials • State judiciary • Taxes • Transportation • Veterans • Welfare

Other|

Scorecard • Petition drive deadlines and requirements • Polls • Lawsuits • Potential measures • Ballot Measure Monthly • Changes in 2017 to laws governing the initiative process • Not on the ballot • Signature costs • Cost per required signatures analysis • Campaign finance • Endorsements • Voter guides

State ballot measures

State

Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming

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