Ballot measure campaign finance, 2019

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This page summarizes the campaign finance data for statewide ballot measures certified to go before voters in 2019.

## Contents

* 1 Overview
* 1.1 Top three ballot measure campaigns in 2019
* 1.2 Contributions by state
* 1.3 Contributions by type of measure
* 1.4 Contributions by topic
* 1.5 Contributions per vote
* 1.5.1 Combined contributions per vote
* 1.5.2 Top support
* 1.5.3 Top opposition
* 1.5.4 Support vs. opposition contributions
* 2 2019 ballot measure contributions
* 2.1 Initiatives and veto referendums
* 2.2 Legislative and automatic referrals
* 3 Comparison to prior years
* 4 See also

## Overview[edit]

"Beyond the Headlines: The Money Behind 2019's Most Notable Ballot Measures"

There were 36 statewide ballot measures certified in eight states in 2019. Of the 36 measures, two were initiated by citizens and 34 were either automatically referred to the ballot or were referred to the ballot by state legislatures. Ballotpedia tracked $28.04 million in contributions to the ballot measure campaigns supporting and opposing ten of those measures. This figure includes both cash contributions as well as in-kind goods and services. Support campaigns raised about 70 percent of the campaign funds.

The total amount of contributions includes support campaigns for two pre-November ballot measures in Louisiana, Amendment 1 and Amendment 4. The combined total of the support campaigns registered in favor of two Louisiana constitutional amendments was $736,331.37

In 2019, initiatives received more contributions per measure on average than referrals. Initiatives received an average of $4.1 million per measure in contributions, and the seven referrals that featured reported campaign contributions spurring an average of $2.1 million per measure. This number further decreases when taking into account the other 28 referrals or automatic questions that did not feature either support or opposition campaigns with any contributions. The average amount of contributions per measure for all 34 legislative referrals and advisory questions was $506,603.

In 2017, Ballotpedia tracked a total of $108.76 million in contributions to campaigns in support of and opposition to statewide ballot measures. Support campaigns raised $44 million, while opposition campaigns raised $65 million. Citizen-initiated measures pulled in the majority of contributions with more than $101.24 million in contributions. In comparison, campaigns surrounding legislative referrals and other measures raised about $7.03 million.

Note: This page contains information about the campaign finance for measures certified for 2019 ballots. It does not list information for measures that were proposed for the 2019 ballot but were not put on the ballot. To read articles about 2019 measures that did not make the ballot—some of which do cover campaign finance activity—click here.

### Top three ballot measure campaigns in 2019[edit]

The following chart displays the three ballot measure campaigns that received the most contributions:

Measure | Type | Contributions | Description | Outcome

|
|
|
|

Pennsylvania Marsy's Law Crime Victims Rights Amendment (2019) | LRCA | $6.85 million | Adds a section addressing crime victims' rights to the Pennsylvania Constitution Declaration of Rights | Approved
Colorado Proposition CC, Retain Revenue for Transportation and Education TABOR Measure (2019) | LRSS | $6.56 million | Would have allowed the state to retain revenue it is required to refund under the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights (TABOR) | d
Washington Initiative 976, Limits on Motor Vehicle Taxes and Fees Measure (2019) | ISS | $5.9 million | Limits annual license fees for vehicles weighing under 10,000 pounds at $30 and establishes other restrictions on vehicle taxes and fees | a

### Contributions by state[edit]

In 2019, ballot measure campaigns raised about $28.04 million. Most of the contributions (94.1 percent) were received in three states—Colorado, Pennsylvania, and Washington. The following tables detail the amounts raised in each state:

Out of the five states that reported campaign contributions, all five had support campaigns, and two had opposition campaigns. Campaigns in support of ballot measures received approximately 69 percent of the total raised, and opposition campaigns received about 31 percent.

State  | Number of measures  | State total contributions  | Percentage of U.S. total contributions

|
|
|

Colorado | 2 | $10,426,497.59 | 37.56%
Kansas | 1 | $0.00 | 0.00%
Louisiana | 4 | $736,331.37 | 2.63%
Maine | 2 | $0.00 | 0.00%
New Jersey | 1 | $0.00 | 0.00%
Pennsylvania | 1 | $6,650,000.00 | 23.96%
Texas | 10 | $909,470.18 | 3.28%
Washington | 15 | $9,317,974.94 | 33.57%

### Contributions by type of measure[edit]

The total contribution amount by measure type is listed below:

* Total contributions for citizen-initiated measures:[1] $9,317,974.94
* Total contributions for legislative referrals: $18,722,299.14

### Contributions by topic[edit]

The following list is a breakdown of total contributions by topic:

* Taxes and fees: $15.9 million
* Transportation: $11.6 million
* Gambling: $2.7 million
* Housing: $486,331.37
* Other taxes: $1.1 million
* Law enforcement: $6.7 million
* Affirmative action: $2.9 million

### Contributions per vote[edit]

One method for analyzing the effectiveness of campaigns is to look at the size of their funds relative to the number of votes their position received. This is a contributions-per-votes (CPV) amount.

#### Combined contributions per vote[edit]

The most expensive ballot measure of 2019 was the Pennsylvania Marsy's Law Crime Victims Rights Amendment. Supporters of the amendment raised $6.65 million. There were no funds raised opposing the measure. A total of 2,385,488 residents voted on the amendment (74% in support and 26% against), resulting in a CPV of $2.79. The amendment received a majority of votes in support, however, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court enjoined Acting Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar from certifying election results, pending a court ruling on whether the amendment violates the state constitution's requirement that separate amendments receive separate votes.

Colorado Proposition CC was the second-most expensive measure in 2019 and it also had the highest CPV. Supporters and opponents of the measure raised a combined $6.56 million. A total of 1,562,342 residents voted on the amendment (46% in support and 54% against), resulting in a CPV of $4.20.

The measure with the lowest CPV was Texas Proposition 4, which prohibited the state from levying an income tax on individuals. The CPV was less than one-sixth of one cent. In total, 1.99 million residents voted on the measure (74% in favor and 26% against). The Texans for Prop 4 campaign raised $3,000 to support the measure's passage.

Of the 36 measures on the 2019 ballot, 10 measures had campaign finance activity. The following table includes the combined support and opposition CPV for all ten ballot measures with campaign finance activity in 2019.

Measure  | Outcome  | Votes  | Contributions  | CPV

|
|
|
|

Pennsylvania Marsy's Law | a[2] | 2,385,488 | $6,650,000.00 | $2.79
Washington I-976 | a | 1,992,500 | $5,908,927.37 | $2.97
Washington R-88 | d | 1,925,663 | $3,409,047.57 | $1.77
Colorado Proposition DD | a | 1,557,457 | $3,866,554.44 | $2.48
Colorado Proposition CC | d | 1,562,342 | $6,559,943.15 | $4.20
Texas Proposition 5 | a | 1,983,009 | $733,328.72 | $0.37
Louisiana Amendment 4 | d | 1,213,393 | $486,331.37 | $0.40
Louisiana Amendment 1 | d | 1,218,050 | $250,000.00 | $0.21
Texas Proposition 6 | a | 1,967,337 | $176,141.46 | $0.09
Texas Proposition 4 | a | 1,986,920 | $3,000.00 | $0.0015

#### Top support[edit]

The highest CPV amount for a campaign supporting a ballot measure was $6.41. The committees funding the campaign were Coloradans for Prosperity and the Great Education Colorado Issue Committee which supported Colorado Proposition CC. The campaign raised $4.64 million in support of the measure, which received 46% of the vote on November 5, 2019.

The following table illustrates CPV for the support campaigns only: the amount raised in support of the initiative per each vote cast in favor of the measure.

Measure  | Outcome  | Support votes  | Support contributions  | Support CPV

|
|
|
|

Pennsylvania Marsy's Law | a[3] | 1,765,384 | $6,650,000.00 | $3.77
Washington I-976 | a | 1,055,749 | $695,348.94 | $0.66
Washington R-88 | d | 952,053 | $1,885,431.50 | $1.98
Colorado Proposition CC | d | 724,060 | $4,638,093.25 | $6.41
Colorado Proposition DD | a | 800,745 | $3,866,554.44 | $4.83
Texas Proposition 5 | a | 1,745,353 | $733,328.72 | $0.42
Louisiana Amendment 4 | d | 1,477,373 | $3,000.00 | $0.002
Louisiana Amendment 1 | d | 1,745,353 | $250,000.00 | $0.43
Texas Proposition 6 | a | 1,259,398 | $176,141.46 | $0.14
Texas Proposition 4 | a | 1,986,920 | $3,000.00 | $0.0015

#### Top opposition[edit]

Of the 10 measures with campaign finance activity, three saw opposition campaigns. The highest CPV amount for a campaign opposing a ballot measure was $5.57. The campaign was Keep WA Rolling which opposed Washington I-976. The campaign raised $5.2 million opposing the measure, which was approved by a vote of 53% to 47%.

The following table illustrates CPV for the opposition campaigns only: the amount raised opposing the initiative per each vote cast against the measure.

Measure  | Outcome  | Opposition votes  | Opposition contributions  | Opposition CPV

|
|
|
|

Colorado Proposition CC | d | 838,282 | $1,921,849.90 | $2.29
Washington I-976 | a | 936,751 | $5,213,578.43 | $5.57
Washington R-88 | d | 973,610 | $1,523,616.07 | $1.56

#### Support vs. opposition contributions[edit]

Of the three measures that had both active support and opposition campaigns, the side with the most money lost in all three cases. Of all measures on the ballot, including those with $0.00 in opposition contributions, the side with the most money lost in five cases and won in the other five cases. This is displayed in the chart below.

Measure  | Outcome  | Support contributions  | Opposition contributions  | Money side: won or lost?

|
|
|
|

Washington R-88 | d | $1,885,431.50 | $1,523,616.07 | Lost
Colorado Proposition CC | d | $4,638,093.25 | $1,921,849.90 | Lost
Louisiana Amendment 4 | d | $486,331.37 | $0.00 | Lost
Louisiana Amendment 1 | d | $250,000.00 | $0.00 | Lost
Washington I-976 | a | $695,348.94 | $5,213,578.43 | Lost
Colorado Proposition DD | a | $3,866,554.44 | $0.00 | Won
Pennsylvania Marsy's Law | a[4] | $6,650,000.00 | $0.00 | Won
Texas Proposition 5 | a | $733,328.72 | $0.00 | Won
Texas Proposition 6 | a | $176,141.46 | $0.00 | Won
Texas Proposition 4 | a | $3,000.00 | $0.00 | Won

## 2019 ballot measure contributions[edit]

The charts below list all of the measures certified to appear on the ballot in 2019, along with the supporting and opposing contributions for each measure, the outcome of each measure—when available—and the date on which the campaign finance information was last updated. Blank cells in the charts below indicate that campaign finance information is unavailable or not yet compiled.

Click on the arrows at the top of each column to sort the data according to that column. Measures put on the ballot through citizen petitions generally attract more spending than measures put before voters by the legislature. The measures listed below are broken out into one chart for citizen initiatives and veto referendums and another chart for legislative referrals and automatic ballot referrals.

### Initiatives and veto referendums[edit]

The measures listed in this section were put on the ballot through citizen signature petition campaigns to propose a new law through initiatives or to seek the repeal of a law passed by the legislature through a veto referendum.

### Legislative and automatic referrals[edit]

The measures listed below were put on the ballot by the state legislature or automatically required by state law or the state constitution. These types of measures usually generate less campaign spending than initiatives and veto referendums.

Ballot Measure:| Support contributions:| Opposition contributions:| Outcome:

|
|
|

Washington Advisory Vote 22, Nonbinding Question on Paint Tax to Fund Paint Waste Management Programs (2019)| $0.00| $0.00| d
Maine Question 1, Transportation Infrastructure Bond Issue (2019)| $0.00| $0.00| a
Maine Question 2, Allow for Alternative Initiative Signatures for Persons with Disabilities Amendment (2019)| $0.00| $0.00| a
Texas Proposition 4, Prohibit State Income Tax on Individuals Amendment (2019)| $3,460.00| $0.00| a
New Jersey Public Question 1, Property Tax Deduction for Veterans Extended to Continuing Care Retirement Communities Amendment (2019)| $0.00| $0.00| a
Louisiana Amendment 4, New Orleans Affordable Housing Property Tax Exemption Amendment (October 2019)| $486,331.37| $0.00| d
Washington Senate Joint Resolution 8200, Government Continuation Legislation for Catastrophic Incidents Amendment (2019)| $0.00| $0.00| a
Louisiana Amendment 1, Property Tax Exemption for Stored Materials Routed for Outer Continental Shelf Amendment (October 2019)| $250,000.00| $0.00| d
Pennsylvania Marsy's Law Crime Victims Rights Amendment (2019)| $| $| ot
Texas Proposition 8, Flood Infrastructure Fund Amendment (2019)| $0.00| $0.00| a
Colorado Proposition DD, Legalize Sports Betting with Tax Revenue for Water Projects Measure (2019)| $3,866,554.44| $0.00| a
Colorado Proposition CC, Retain Revenue for Transportation and Education TABOR Measure (2019)| $4,638,093.25| $1,921,849.90| d

## Comparison to prior years[edit]

In 2017, there was a total of $109.3 million in contributions to campaigns in support of and opposition to statewide ballot measures. There were 27 measures on the ballot in 2017, including four citizen initiatives. The average for each citizen initiative was $25.3 million. The range was from $3.1 million to $77.4 million. The average for the legislative and automatic referrals was $347,917.

In 2015, a total of $32.1 million was raised for campaigns surrounding 28 ballot measures. An average of $1.1 million was raised per measure, with $4.3 million as the average for the five initiatives and $460,083 as the average for the 23 legislative referrals.

Since there are fewer statewide ballot measures in odd-numbered years than in even-numbered years, campaign contribution totals are also lower. In 2016 and 2018, total ballot measure campaign contributions were over $1 billion each year.

The table below provides the data for the charts above covering the total and average contributions to ballot measure campaigns from 2016 through 2022:

Note: The following table sums contributions for each measure. Some PACs supported multiple measures.
Contributions and average contributions by year[5]

Year |  | Initiatives | Referrals | Total
Average per measure | $4,302,856.94 | $460,083.16 | $1,146,292.76
2016 | Total | $936,000,000.00 | $76,000,000.00 | $1,012,000,000.00
Average per measure | $12,318,977.91 | $881,907.49 | $6,246,913.58
2017 | Total | $101,243,242.47 | $7,520,734.80 | $108,763,977.27
Average per measure | $25,310,810.62 | $326,988.47 | $4,028,295.45
2018 | Total | $984,133,527.91 | $201,569,517.77 | $1,185,703,045.68
Average per measure | $14,472,551.88 | $2,036,055.74 | $7,100,018.24
2019 | Total | $9,317,974.94 | $18,722,299.14 | $28,040,274.08
Average per measure | $4,658,987.47 | $550,655.86 | $778,896.50
2020 | Total | $988,404,738.19 | $281,531,292.72 | $1,269,936,030.91
Average per measure | $23,533,446.15 | $3,235,991.87 | $9,844,465.36
2021 | Total | $105,470,164.28 | $1,626,754.58 | $107,004,044.04
Average per measure | $26,367,541.07 | $46,478.70 | $2,743,693.44
2022 | Total | $1,075,470,522.80 | $138,543,927.22 | $1,214,014,450.02
Average per measure | $35,849,017.43 | $4,198,300.82 | $19,272,448.82

## See also[edit]

* 2019 ballot measures
* Ballot measure signature costs, 2019
* Ballot Measure Scorecard, 2019

v • e

2019 ballot measures

I&R States|

• Colorado • Maine • Washington

Non I&R States|

• Kansas • Louisiana • New Jersey • Pennsylvania • Texas

Political topics|

• Administration of government‎ • Affirmative action‎ • Bond issues‎ • Civil and criminal trials‎ • County and municipal governance‎ • Direct democracy measures‎ • Education‎ • Healthcare‎ • Law enforcement‎ • Property‎ • State and local government budgets, spending and finance‎ • State legislatures measures‎ • Taxes‎ • Treatment of animals‎ • Water‎

Other|

Scorecard • Petition drive deadlines and requirements • Polls • Lawsuits • Readability analysis • Signature costs • Cost per required signatures analysis • Campaign finance • Media editorial endorsements • Voter guides • Potential measures • Ballot Measure Monthly • Changes in 2019 to laws governing the initiative process • Not on the ballot • Filed initiatives

v • e

Statewide ballot measures

State|

A • Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • C • California • Colorado • Connecticut • F • Florida • G • Georgia • H • Hawaii • I • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • K • Kansas • Kentucky • L • Louisiana • M • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • N • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • O • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • P • Pennsylvania • R • Rhode Island • S • South Carolina • South Dakota • T • Tennessee • Texas • U • Utah • V • Vermont • Virginia • W • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming

* * *

By topic|

A • Abortion • Admin of gov't • Affirmative action • Alcohol • Animal rights • Assisted death • B • Bonds • Budgets • Business regulation • C • Campaigns • Civil rights • Constitutional conventions • Constitutional language • County government • D • Daylight Saving Time • Death penalty • Direct democracy • E • Earthquakes • Education • Elections • Eminent domain • English • Environment • Executives • F • Federal constitutional issues • Firearms • G • Gambling • Government accountability • H • Healthcare • Housing • Hunting • I • Immigration • Insurance • J • State judiciary • L • LGBT • Labor • Law enforcement • Legislatures • M • Marijuana • Marriage • Minimum wage • Mottos • Municipal government • N • Natural resources • P • Pensions • Property • Public finance • R • Recall • Redistricting • Race and ethnicity • Religion • Rules about Sunday • S • Salaries of elected officials • Smoking bans • State budgets • State executives • State judiciary • State legislatures • Stem cells • Supermajority requirements • Sundays • T • Taxes • Tobacco • Transportation • U • Unions • Utilities • V • Veterans • W • Wages • War and peace • Water • Welfare

* * *

By type|

Advisory vote • Automatic referral • Bond measure • Commission referral • Constitutional amendment (by initiative) • Constitutional amendment (referred by legislature) • Grand Jury Panels • State statute (by initiative) • State statute (referred by legislature) • Veto referendum

* * *

Forms of direct democracy in the American states

* * *

By year|

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* * *

Other|

State Ballot Measure Monthly reports • Features of official voter guides • Ballot measures cost per required signatures analysis • 2025 ballot measure campaign finance • 2025 ballot language readability analysis

1. ↑ Citizen-initiated measures include initiatives and veto referendums.
2. ↑ The amendment was approved by voters, but the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court enjoined Acting Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar from certifying election results, pending a court ruling on whether the amendment violates the state constitution's requirement that separate amendments receive separate votes.
3. ↑ The amendment was approved by voters, but the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court enjoined Acting Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar from certifying election results, pending a court ruling on whether the amendment violates the state constitution's requirement that separate amendments receive separate votes.
4. ↑ The amendment was approved by voters, but the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court enjoined Acting Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar from certifying election results, pending a court ruling on whether the amendment violates the state constitution's requirement that separate amendments receive separate votes.
5. ↑ The totals below could contain duplications from campaigns working on multiple ballot measure efforts.