Referendum

Types of ballot measures
Initiated
• Initiated constitutional amendment
• Initiated state statute
• Veto referendum
Legislative
• Legislative constitutional amendment
• Legislative state statute
• Legislative bond issue
• Advisory question
Other
• Automatic ballot referral
• Commission-referred measure
• Convention-referred amendment
Select a state from the menu below to learn more about that state's types of ballot measures.
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The term referendum has been used to describe citizen-initiated veto referendums and legislative referendums.

Both types of ballot measures regard bills that legislators passed and have been placed on the ballot for voters to decide, either through a citizen-initiated process (veto referendum) or a legislative referral process (legislative referendum).

Veto referendum

See also: Veto referendum

A veto referendum is a citizen-initiated ballot measure that asks voters whether to uphold or repeal an enacted law. This type of ballot measure is also called statute referendum, popular referendum, people's veto, or citizen's veto. There are 23 states that allow citizens to initiate veto referendums. Proponents of a veto referendum collect petition signatures from a certain minimum number of registered voters in a state.

The 23 states that provide for veto referendums are:

Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Idaho

Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Missouri Montana

Nebraska Nevada New Mexico North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma

Oregon South Dakota Utah Washington Wyoming

Legislative referendum

See also: Legislatively referred state statute

A legislatively referred state statute is a legislative referral that amends state statute. This type of ballot measure is also called legislative referendum or referendum bill.

Statutes, also referred to as state codes, are different from constitutional laws, which require voter approval in 49 states. Statutes do not require voter approval in most cases. However, in some states, certain changes require voter approval, such as those that address specific topics or those that amend voter-approved initiated state statutes. Legislatures in most states also have the option to refer a state statute to voters.

Types of ballot measures

Most ballot measures are placed on the ballot through citizen initiatives or legislative processes. Others are placed on the ballot automatically, by a special commission, or by a state constitutional convention. The following is a list of different types of state ballot measures:

Types of state ballot measures

Citizen-initiated ballot measure

• Initiated constitutional amendment

• Direct initiated constitutional amendment

• Indirect initiated constitutional amendment

• Initiated state statute

• Direct initiated state statute

• Indirect initiated state statute

• Combined initiated constitutional amendment and state statute

• Veto referendum

• Statute affirmation (Nevada)

Legislatively referred ballot measure

• Legislatively referred constitutional amendment

• Legislatively referred state statute

• Legislatively referred bond measure

• Advisory question

Other type of state ballot measure

• Automatic ballot referral

• Constitutional convention question

• Commission-referred ballot measure

• Convention-referred constitutional amendment

See also

• Forms of direct democracy in the American states
• Veto referendum
• Legislatively referred state statute
• Types of ballot measures
• Types of citizen-initiated ballot measures
• List of ballot measures by state