2021 ballot measures

2021 U.S. state ballot measures
2022 » « 2020
Overview
Scorecard
Tuesday Count
Deadlines
Requirements
Lawsuits
Readability
Voter guides
Election results
Year-end analysis
Campaigns
Polls
Media editorials
Filed initiatives
Finances
Contributions
Signature costs
Ballot Measure Monthly
Signature requirements
Have you subscribed yet? Join the hundreds of thousands of readers trusting Ballotpedia to keep them up to date with the latest political news. Sign up for the Daily Brew. Click here to learn more.

A total of 39 statewide ballot measures were certified for the 2021 ballot in nine states. Twenty-six measures were approved, and 13 were defeated.

• 24 measures were on the November 2 ballot. 14 were approved, and 10 were defeated.
• 4 measures were on the November 13 ballot in Louisiana. One was approved, and three were defeated.
• 4 measures were on the ballot on May 18 in Pennsylvania. They were approved.
• 7 bond measures were on the ballot on March 2 in Rhode Island. They were approved.

This page contains the following:

• the types of odd-year measures from 2009 through 2021
• historical context
• a list of statewide measure election dates in 2021
• a list of statewide measures by state
• information on local ballot measures

Other content and analysis of 2021 ballot measures:

• Click here for Nov. 2 election results.
• Click here for 2021 ballot measure campaign finance data and analysis.
• Click here for Ballotpedia's top 15 most notable ballot measures on Nov. 2.

Types of measures

Type of ballot measure	2021	2019	2017	2015	2013	2011	2009	Average
Legislatively referred constitutional amendments	23	19	16	16	17	21	20	18
Initiatives	4	1	4	5	3	10	6	5
Veto referendums	0	1	0	0	0	2	3	1
Legislatively referred state statutes	1	2	0	1	6	1	3	2
Legislatively referred bond questions	8	1	3	2	0	0	0	1
Automatic ballot referrals	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0
Commission-referred ballot measures	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Advisory questions	3	12	3	4	5	0	0	4
Total	39	36	27	28	31	34	32	31

By date

March 2

1. Rhode Island Question 1, Higher Education Bond Measure (March 2021) a
2. Rhode Island Question 4, Transportation Bond Measure (March 2021) a
3. Rhode Island Question 5, Early Childhood Care and Education Capital Fund Bond Measure (March 2021) a
4. Rhode Island Question 6, Cultural Arts and State Preservation Grant Programs Bond Measure (March 2021) a
5. Rhode Island Question 7, Improvements to Industrial Facilities Infrastructure Bond Measure (March 2021) a

May 18

1. Pennsylvania Question 1, Legislative Resolution to Extend or Terminate Emergency Declaration Amendment (May 2021) a
2. Pennsylvania Question 2, Emergency Declarations Amendment (May 2021) a
3. Pennsylvania Question 3, Equal Rights Regardless of Race or Ethnicity Amendment (May 2021) a
4. Pennsylvania Question 4, Municipal Fire and EMS Services Loans Measure (May 2021) a

November 2

• See 2021 Ballot Measure Scorecard

Looking to buy this data? Email us!

November 13

1. Louisiana Amendment 4, Increase Limit on Funding Reductions and Redirections During Budget Deficits Measure (2021) d
2. Louisiana Amendment 2, Reduction of the Maximum Individual Income Tax Rate Measure (2021) a
3. Louisiana Amendment 1, Creation of the State and Local Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Commission Measure (2021) d

By state

Colorado

See also: Colorado 2021 ballot measures

Type	Title/number	Subject	Description	Result
CICA/SS	Amendment 78	State and local government budgets, spending and finance	Transfers the power to appropriate custodial funds (state revenue not generated through taxes) from the state treasurer to the state legislature	d
CISS	Proposition 119	Taxes, Education, and Marijuana	Creates an out-of-school education program and a board to govern it and increases the marijuana retail sales tax by 5% to partially fund the program	d
CISS	Proposition 120	Taxes	Reduces the residential and non-residential property tax rates; authorizes the state to retain and spend $25 million in revenue above the state's TABOR spending cap, which it would otherwise be required to refund to taxpayers	d

Louisiana

See also: Louisiana 2021 ballot measures

November 13:

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Amendment 1	Taxes	Amends the Louisiana Constitution to create the State and Local Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Commission
LRCA	Amendment 2	Taxes	Amends the Louisiana Constitution to decrease the maximum rate of individual income tax from 6% to 4.75%
LRCA	Amendment 3	Taxes	Allows Louisiana levee districts created after 2006 to levy an annual property tax of up to five mills ($5 per $1,000 of assessed value) without voter approval if those districts approve the 2021 constitutional amendment (continues voter approval requirement for property taxes levied in districts that do not approve the amendment)
LRCA	Amendment 4	State budget	Increases the amount of funds (from 5% to 10%) that can be redirected to a purpose other than what was originally provided for by law or as stated in the constitution during a projected budget deficit

Maine

See also: Maine 2021 ballot measures

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
IndISS	Question 1	Energy	Prohibits the construction of electric transmission lines in the Upper Kennebec Region and requires a two-thirds vote of each state legislative chamber to approve electric transmission line projects defined as high-impact	a
BI	Question 2	Bonds	Issues $100 million in bonds for transportation infrastructure	a
LRCA	Question 3	Constitutional Rights	Creates a state constitutional right to a produce, harvest, and consume food	a

New Jersey

See also: New Jersey 2021 ballot measures

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Public Question 1	Gambling	Allows wagering on postseason college sport competitions held in N.J. and competitions in which a N.J.-based college team participates	d
LRCA	Public Question 2	Gambling	Allows organizations to use raffle money to raise money for their own organization	a

New York

See also: New York 2021 ballot measures

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Proposal 1	Redistricting	Makes changes to the redistricting process in New York	d
LRCA	Proposal 2	Environment	Creates a state constitutional right to clean air, clean water, and a healthful environment	a
LRCA	Proposal 3	Elections	Authorizes the legislature to pass a law for same-day voter registration	d
LRCA	Proposal 4	Elections	Authorizes the legislature to pass a law for no-excuse absentee voting	d
LRCA	Proposal 5	Judiciary	Increases the NYC Civil Court's jurisdiction from civil cases involving $25,000 to $50,000	a

Pennsylvania

See also: Pennsylvania 2021 ballot measures

May 18, 2021:

Type	Name	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Question 1	Legislature	Empowers the legislature to extend or terminate a emergency declaration by resolution	a
LRCA	Question 2	Executive	Addresses the governor's emergency powers, including requiring legislative approval to continue beyond 21 days	a
LRCA	Question 3	Constitutional	Prohibits denial or abridgement of rights on account of an individual's race or ethnicity	a
LRSS	Question 4	Budgets	Expands the state's loan program to volunteer fire companies to municipal fire companies and EMS service nonprofits	a

Rhode Island

See also: Rhode Island 2021 ballot measures

March 2:

Type	Name	Subject	Description	Result
BI	Question 1	Bond issues	Issues $107.3 million in bonds for the University of Rhode Island Fine Arts Center, the Rhode Island College Clarke Science Building, and the Community College of Rhode Island	a
BI	Question 2	Bond issues	Issues $74 million in bonds for state beaches, parks, recreational facilities, and water projects	a
BI	Question 3	Bond issues	Issues $65 million in bonds for building and renovating housing projects	a
BI	Question 4	Bond issues	Issues $71.7 million in bonds for transportation infrastructure	a
BI	Question 5	Bond issues	Issues $15 million in bonds for the Early Childhood Care and Education Capital Fund	a
BI	Question 6	Bond issues	Issues $7 million in bonds for the Cultural Arts and the Economy Grant Program and the State Preservation Grants Program	a
BI	Question 7	Bond issues	Issues $60 million in bonds to fund improvements to industrial facilities infrastructure	a

Texas

See also: Texas 2021 ballot measures

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Proposition 1	Gambling	Authorizes professional sports team charitable organizations to conduct raffles at rodeo venues	a
LRCA	Proposition 2	Bond issues	Authorizes a county to issue bonds to fund infrastructure and transportation projects in undeveloped and blighted areas	a
LRCA	Proposition 3	Religion	Amends the Texas Constitution to prohibit the state or any political subdivision from enacting a law, rule, order, or proclamation that limits religious services or organizations	a
LRCA	Proposition 4	State judiciary	Changes the eligibility requirements for the following judicial offices: a justice of the supreme court, a judge of the court of criminal appeals, a justice of a court of appeals, and a district judge	a
LRCA	Proposition 5	State judiciary	Authorizes the Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct to accept and investigate complaints and reports against candidates running for state judicial office	a
LRCA	Proposition 6	Healthcare and Constitutional rights	Amends the Texas Constitution to state that residents of nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, or state-supported living centers have a right to designate an essential caregiver that may not be prohibited from visiting the resident	a
LRCA	Proposition 7	Taxes	Amends the Texas Constitution to allow the legislature to extend a homestead tax limit for surviving spouses of disabled individuals as long as the spouse is 55 years old and resides at the home	a
LRCA	Proposition 8	Taxes and Veterans	Amends the Texas Constitution to allow the legislature to apply a homestead tax exemption for surviving spouses of members of the military to those fatally injured in the line of duty	a

Washington

See also: Washington 2021 ballot measures

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Ruling
AQ	Advisory Vote 36	Taxes	Advises the legislature to either maintain or repeal a tax on phone lines to fund behavioral health and suicide prevention services passed in House Bill 1477	d
AQ	Advisory Vote 37	Taxes	Advises the legislature to either maintain or repeal a capital gains tax increase to fund education and child services passed in Senate Bill 5096	d
AQ	Advisory Vote 38	Taxes	Advises the legislature to either maintain or repeal a tax on captive insurers passed in Senate Bill 5315	d

Historical context

Ballot measures in odd-numbered years

The charts below show the number of measures appearing on state ballots in odd years from 1987 to 2019.

From 1987 through 2017, there was an average of 50 statewide measures in an average of 11 states on the ballot in odd-numbered years. From 2007 to 2017, the average dropped to 33 measures in 8 states. The 27 measures in 2017 set a seven-decade record for the lowest number of statewide ballot measure certifications. The last year in which there were fewer than 27 statewide measures was 1947. In 2019, there were 36 statewide measures in eight 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. Legislatively referred measures can also go on the ballot in these states in 2021. Other states that frequently feature statewide measures referred to the ballot by the legislature in odd-numbered years include Louisiana, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Texas.

In 2019, 36 statewide ballot measures were certified for the ballot in eight states. In 2017, there were 27 total statewide measures certified for the ballot. In 2015, there were 28 total statewide measures certified for the ballot.

Local ballot measures

To see Ballotpedia's coverage of local ballot measure elections in 2021, click here.

See also

• Laws governing ballot measures
• States with initiative or referendum
• Local ballot measure elections in 2021