Ballot measure signature costs, 2018
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This Ballotpedia report is an in-depth look at the total signature gathering costs and the cost-per-required-signature for measures that qualified for 2018 state ballots.
Of the 26 states that feature a process for some kind of citizen-initiated measure, 21 of them featured either a ballot initiative, a veto referendum, or both in 2018. A total of between $74.4 million and $78.8 million was spent on the signature petitions for the 68 citizen-initiated measures that were on the ballot in 2018. A combined total of 11,110,180 valid signatures from registered voters were required to qualify the measures for the ballots.
Measuring the cost
This report uses two ways to measure the cost of an initiative or veto referendum petition drive.
- According to the total cost of gathering the required signatures to put the initiative or veto referendum on the ballot
- According to the total cost divided by the number of signatures required to qualify the measure for the ballot or Cost Per Required Signature (CPRS)
The total cost depends on all of the factors that can make a petition effort more or less expensive, including the population of the state and the state's signature requirements. This measurement does not necessarily indicate how difficult it is to run a signature petition campaign in a state relative to other states or how hard and expensive it is to collect a given valid signature. It takes into consideration the population and signature requirements for a state. For example, the average total cost of a successful initiative petition drive in California in 2016 was just over $2.9 million, while in Oklahoma the average total cost was about $870,000. Initiatives in California, however, require over four times as many signatures and affect 10 times as many people.
Cost Per Required Signature (CPRS): The cost per required signature cuts out the variable of a state's signature requirements and shows the cost for each signature needed to qualify the measure for the ballot. This second measurement is a better indication of how difficult it is to run a signature petition campaign in a given state relative to other states. For example, the average CPRS in California in 2016 was $6.20 while the average CPRS in Oklahoma was $9.59, but the average total petition cost was $2.9 million in California and about $870,000 in Oklahoma.
From the perspective of a national organization or proponents of a national agenda, this means that a lower CPRS generally means that a campaign could potentially affect more people and achieve more political influence per dollar spent, while the total petition cost might dictate in which states the campaign could actually afford to launch a successful petition drive.
The cost of a petition campaign
Rules and regulations
- See also: Laws governing the initiative process
The cost of getting an initiative before voters varies widely by state and by initiative proposal. The requirements and restrictions imposed by state law form a major factor in the expense of an initiative signature petition effort.
Higher signature requirements are a straightforward example of a reason an initiative petition campaign might be more expensive in one state than in another. Other restrictions that can make a difference in the cost of a petition campaign include:
- Distribution requirements - It is easier and less expensive to collect a lot of signatures in one very populous area than a small number of signatures from lots of smaller, less-populated areas.
- Pay-per-signature bans - Paying signature gatherers by signature is one of the most cost-efficient ways to fund signature gathering efforts.
- Restrictions on circulators - Restricting who can collect signatures limits competition between petition companies and professional signature gatherers.
- Initiative petition circulation periods - If proponents have less time to collect signatures, the process can be more expensive.
Petition companies
The number of professional signature petition companies in the state and the way those companies operate can also make a difference in the CPRS. If more petition companies are active in a state, there will be more competition. Likewise, if more petitions are being circulated, demand could be higher in some years than in others.
Issue topic
Another factor is the topic of the proposed initiative or referendum. Some laws are more compelling to voters and easier to collect signatures for than others.
Analysis, averages, and highlights
- A total of between $74.4 million and $78.8 million was spent on the signature petitions for the 68 citizen-initiated measures that were on the ballot in 2018.[1]
- A combined total of 11,110,180 valid signatures were required to qualify the measures for the ballots across the 21 states with citizen-initiated measures.
- The average total cost for qualifying an initiative or veto referendum for the ballot in 2018 was between $1.1 million and $1.2 million.[2]
- The average CPRS across all the initiatives that were on the ballot in 2018 was between $6.19 and $6.85.
- In 2016, the average total cost was $1.03 million, and the average CPRS was $5.60.
- From 2010 through 2016, the average total cost per initiative in even-numbered years was $801,836, and the average CPRS was $4.2. Citizen-initiated measures were on the ballot in between 14 and 17 states from 2010 through 2016.
- The states with the highest average total cost for initiative petitions were Florida, Ohio, and California.
- The states with the lowest average total cost for initiative petitions were Oklahoma, Maine, and South Dakota.
- The states with the highest average CPRS for initiatives that were on the ballot were Arkansas, Ohio, and Idaho.
- The states with the lowest average CPRS for initiatives that were on the ballot were Michigan, Maine, and Oklahoma.
- The most expensive individual initiative petition drives in 2018 were Arizona Proposition 127 ($5,843,652), Florida Amendment 3 ($5,282,534), and California Proposition 5 ($5,140,990).
- The three individual initiative petition drives with the highest cost per required signature in 2018 were Arizona Proposition 127 ($25.86), Idaho Proposition 1 ($22.27), and Arkansas Issue 4 ($16.69).
- Gambling was the topic with the most expensive signature gathering efforts; the three gambling-related initiatives on the ballot (in Arkansas, Florida, and Idaho) had the highest average CPRS at $15.28.
According to total cost
| Total signature petition costs by state | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | # of initiatives | Lowest | Median | Highest | Average | Total |
| Alaska | 1 | $196,101.31 | $196,101.31 | $196,101.31 | $196,101 | $196,101.31 |
| Arizona | 3 | $25,050.00 | $1,256,249.98 | $5,843,652.00 | $2,374,984 | $7,124,951.98 |
| Arkansas | 2 | $510,946.70 | $963,714.00 | $1,416,481.70 | $963,714 | $1,927,428.40 |
| California | 8 | $1,648,357.38 | $2,147,066.87 | $5,140,990.49 | $2,560,871 | $20,486,968.40 |
| Colorado | 7 | $146,352 | $567,175 | Unknown | $580,087 - $1,047,426 |
$2,900,435 - $7,331,985.41 |
| Florida | 2 | $3,890,759.12 | $4,586,647.00 | $5,282,534.31 | $4,586,647 | $9,173,293.43 |
| Idaho | 2 | $0.00 | $625,775.00 | $1,251,549.68 | $625,775 | $1,251,549.68 |
| Maine | 2 | $4,306.80 | $95,698.00 | $187,088.68 | $95,698 | $191,395.48 |
| Massachusetts | 3 | $56,056.34 | $153,000.00 | $570,518.17 | $259,858 | $779,574.51 |
| Michigan | 3 | $0.00 | $783,535.66 | $2,258,871.43 | $1,014,136 | $3,042,407.09 |
| Missouri | 6 | $530,296.96 | $916,839.59 | $1,266,514.04 | $899,953 | $5,399,720.90 |
| Montana | 2 | $219,131.60 | $234,557.00 | $249,981.63 | $234,557 | $469,113.23 |
| Nebraska | 1 | $727,178.67 | $727,178.67 | $727,178.67 | $727,179 | $727,178.67 |
| Nevada | 4 | $110,125.00 | $381,477.98 | $1,402,142.75 | $568,806 | $2,275,223.71 |
| North Dakota | 4 | $0.00 | $124,428.50 | $260,000.00 | $127,214 | $508,857.00 |
| Ohio | 1 | $3,669,266.74 | $3,669,266.74 | $3,669,266.74 | $3,669,267 | $3,669,266.74 |
| Oklahoma | 2 | $0.00 | $13,494.00 | $26,988.00 | $13,494 | $26,988.00 |
| Oregon | 5 | $38,326.29 | $179,124.05 | $1,586,178.00 | $654,524 | $3,272,620.48 |
| South Dakota | 3 | $18,750.00 | $18,750.00 | $275,008.50 | $104,170 | $312,508.50 |
| Utah | 3 | $473,798.75 | $1,040,087.00 | $1,329,013.50 | $947,633 | $2,842,899.25 |
| Washington | 4 | $802,695.60 | $1,902,444.51 | $3,785,576.00 | $2,098,290 | $8,393,160.62 |
According to CPRS
| Cost per required signature (CPRS) by state | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | # of initiatives | Lowest | Median | Highest | Average |
| Alaska | 1 | $6.10 | $6.10 | $6.10 | $6.10 |
| Arizona | 3 | $0.33 | $5.56 | $25.86 | $10.58 |
| Arkansas | 2 | $7.53 | $12.11 | $16.69 | $12.11 |
| California | 8 | $3.58 | $5.72 | $8.78 | $6.07 |
| Colorado | 7 | $1.49 | $5.67 | Unknown | $5.87 - $10.62 |
| Florida | 2 | $5.08 | $5.99 | $6.89 | $5.99 |
| Idaho | 2 | $0.00 | $11.14 | $22.27 | $11.14 |
| Maine | 2 | $0.07 | $1.57 | $3.06 | $1.57 |
| Massachusetts | 3 | $1.73 | $2.03 | $7.55 | $3.77 |
| Michigan | 3 | $0.00 | $3.10 | $7.16 | $3.42 |
| Missouri | 6 | $3.31 | $7.31 | $10.56 | $7.19 |
| Montana | 2 | $8.60 | $9.21 | $9.82 | $9.21 |
| Nebraska | 1 | $8.56 | $8.56 | $8.56 | $8.56 |
| Nevada | 4 | $1.99 | $6.91 | $12.46 | $7.07 |
| North Dakota | 4 | $0.00 | $4.63 | $9.66 | $4.73 |
| Ohio | 1 | $11.97 | $11.97 | $11.97 | $11.97 |
| Oklahoma | 2 | $0.00 | $0.21 | $0.41 | $0.21 |
| Oregon | 5 | $0.65 | $1.52 | $13.49 | $5.67 |
| South Dakota | 3 | $1.35 | $1.35 | $9.91 | $4.20 |
| Utah | 3 | $4.19 | $9.19 | $11.75 | $8.38 |
| Washington | 4 | $3.09 | $7.33 | $14.58 | $8.08 |
Petition company breakdown
By petition company
| Total signature petition costs by state | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Company | # of initiatives | Average CPRS | States involved | ||
| FieldWorks, LLC | 11 | $11.03 | • Arizona • Colorado • Idaho • Michigan • Missouri • Nebraska • Nevada | ||
| AAP Holding Company | 8 | $8.64 | • California • Utah • Washington | ||
| The Monaco Group | 5 | $6.51 | • California • Utah | ||
| National Petition Management | 4 | $7.20 | • California • Michigan • Missouri | ||
| Advanced Micro Targeting | 3 | $8.34 | • Alaska • North Dakota | ||
| National Ballot Access | 3 | $10.71 | • Arkansas • Missouri | ||
| Ballot Access LLC | 2 | $12.72 | • Oregon | ||
| Direct Action Partners | 2 | $7.14 | • Colorado • Montana | ||
| PCI Consultants, Inc. | 2 | $4.52 | • Florida • Washington | ||
| Gathering, Inc. | 1 | $4.19 | • Utah | ||
| GOCO Consulting | 1 | $3.58 | • California | ||
| Grassroots Utah | 1 | $9.19 | • Utah | ||
| Innovative Quotient Management, LLC | 1 | $0.33 | • Arizona | ||
| JEF Associates | 1 | $7.55 | • Massachusetts | ||
| Kennedy Enterprises | 1 | $3.26 | • Colorado | ||
| Kimball Petition Management | 1 | $4.51 | • California | ||
| M&R Strategic Services | 1 | $9.82 | • Montana | ||
| Masterton & Wright | 1 | $5.15 | • California | ||
| Ballot Access Management LLC | 1 | $2.03 | • Massachusetts | ||
| AZ Petition Partners, LLC | 1 | $5.56 | • Arizona | ||
| National Voter Outreach, Inc. | 1 | $6.89 | • Florida | ||
| Paladin Petitions | 1 | $1.73 | • Massachusetts | ||
| Ramirez Group | 1 | $6.48 | • Nevada | ||
| SMI Enterprises LLC and the Operation Group Inc. | 1 | $11.97 | • Ohio | ||
| Scott Kohlhaas | 1 | $6.10 | • Alaska | ||
By state
Below are the 21 states featuring initiatives or veto referendums in 2018 and the petition companies used in each state:
|
Petition costs by issue
| Cost per required signature (CPRS) by state | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Topic | # of initiatives | Lowest CPRS | Highest CPRS | Average CPRS | |
| Taxes | 11 | $0.65 | $13.49 | $6.15 | |
| Marijuana | 7 | $0.00 | $10.56 | $4.21 | |
| Healthcare | 6 | $0.00 | $11.75 | $6.71 | |
| Bond issues | 4 | $3.26 | $7.23 | $5.41 | |
| Energy | 4 | $3.09 | $25.86 | $12.19 | |
| Gambling | 3 | $6.89 | $22.27 | $15.28 | |
| Direct democracy measures | 2 | $1.35 | $3.58 | $2.47 | |
| Environment | 2 | $6.10 | $9.82 | $7.96 | |
| Minimum wage | 2 | $6.86 | $7.53 | $7.20 | |
| Abortion | 1 | $1.52 | $1.52 | $1.52 | |
| Banking | 1 | $12.94 | $12.94 | $12.94 | |
| Charter schools and vouchers | 1 | $0.33 | $0.33 | $0.33 | |
| Civil and criminal trials | 1 | $11.97 | $11.97 | $11.97 | |
| Civil service | 1 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| Elections (including redistricting) | 11 | $0.07 | $9.91 | $5.78 - $7.82 | |
| Firearms | 1 | $14.58 | $14.58 | $14.58 | |
| Fracking | 1 | $5.67 | $5.67 | $5.67 | |
| Housing | 1 | $5.42 | $5.42 | $5.42 | |
| Immigration | 1 | $0.74 | $0.74 | $0.74 | |
| Labor and unions | 4 | $4.51 | $7.91 | $6.93 | |
| LGBT issues | 1 | $1.73 | $1.73 | $1.73 | |
| Treatment of animals | 1 | $6.01 | $6.01 | $6.01 | |
Signatures costs by state
Alaska
- See also: Alaska 2018 ballot measures
A total of $196,101 was spent on the petition drive for the one citizen initiative on the ballot.
| Ballot Measure: | Topic: | Petition company | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Ballot Measure 1 | Environment | Scott Kohlhaas and Advanced Micro Targeting | $196,101.31 | 32,127 | $6.10 |
| Averages: | N/A | N/A | $196,101 | N/A | $6.10 |
Arizona
- See also: Arizona 2018 ballot measures
A total of $7.1 million was spent on successful initiative petition drives in 2018. Of that, 82 percent was spent on the petition drive for Arizona Proposition 127, the renewable energy standards initiative. Proposition 127 was the most expensive individual initiative petition drive in 2018 and had the higest CPRS in 2018.
| Ballot Measure: | Topic: | Petition company | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona Proposition 126 | Taxes | AZ Petition Partners, LLC | $1,256,249.98 | 225,963 | $5.56 |
| Arizona Proposition 127 | Energy | FieldWorks, LLC | $5,843,652.00 | 225,963 | $25.86 |
| Arizona Proposition 305 | Charter schools and vouchers | Innovative Quotient Management, LLC | $25,050.00 | 75,321 | $0.33 |
| Averages: | N/A | N/A | $2,374,984 | N/A | $10.58 |
Arkansas
- See also: Arkansas 2018 ballot measures
A total of $1.9 million was spent on successful initiative petition drives in Arkansas in 2018.
| Ballot Measure: | Topic: | Petition company | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas Issue 5 | Minimum wage | National Ballot Access | $510,946.70 | 67,887 | $7.53 |
| Averages: | N/A | National Ballot Access | $963,714 | N/A | $12.11 |
Arkansas initiatives removed from the ballot:
Issue 3, a citizen initiative to enact stricter term limits on state legislators, was certified for the ballot but ruled invalid by the Arkansas Supreme Court on October 19, 2018; the ruling stated that signatures initially verified by state officials should not have been counted as valid and ordered that votes for Issue 3 would not be counted despite remaining on the ballot. The signature cost information for Issue 3 is below:
- Total cost: $475,553.00
- Petition company: Arno Petition Consultants
- Signatures required: 84,859 valid signatures
- Cost per required signature (CPRS): $5.60
California
- See also: California 2018 ballot propositions
A total of $20.5 million was spent on the eight initiative signature petition drives that resulted in measures on the ballot in California in 2018; this was a little over a quarter of the total spent in 2018 on all 68 citizen-initiated measures. Besides the eight measures voters decided in November 2018, three other initiatives qualified for the ballot, but were withdrawn by initiative proponents upon compromises with the state legislature, and one other initiative, the Three Californias initiative, was certified for the ballot but was then removed by a court ruling.
| Ballot Measure: | Topic: | Petition company | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California Proposition 4 | Bond issues | National Petition Management, INC. | $2,645,311.84 | 365,880 | $7.23 |
| California Proposition 11 | Labor and unions | National Petition Management, Inc. | $2,892,967.03 | 365,880 | $7.91 |
| California Proposition 12 | Treatment of animals | AAP Holding Company, Inc. and The Monaco Group | $2,199,613.72 | 365,880 | $6.01 |
| Averages: | N/A | The Monaco Group | $2,560,871 | N/A | $6.07 |
Colorado
- See also: Colorado 2018 ballot measures
Seven citizen initiatives were on the ballot in Colorado in November 2018, second only to California with eight. A total of $7,331,985.41 was spent by committees behind the citizen-initiated measures that qualified for the ballot. All seven citizen initiatives required 98,492 valid signatures to qualify for the ballot. Initiated constitutional amendments, however, also had to meet the state's distribution requirement of signatures equal to 2 percent of the registered voters from each of the state's 35 senate districts.
The signature costs for Amendment 74 and Amendment 75 are unknown because expenditures for signature gathering were not found by the committees officially registered to support those initiatives. The signature costs, petition companies, required signatures, and the cost per required signatures (CPRS) for the other initiatives on the ballot are below:
| Ballot measure: | Topic: | Petition company: | Cost: | Signatures: | CPRS: |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Amendment 73 | Taxes | various individuals | $146,352.15 | 98,492 | $1.49 |
| Colorado Proposition 109 | Bond issues and transportation | Kennedy Enterprises | $321,112.62 | 98,492 | $3.26 |
| Colorado Proposition 110 | Bond issues and transportation | Kennedy Enterprises, Rocky Mountain Voter Outreach, and FieldWorks | $591,356.82 | 98,492 | $6.00 |
| Colorado Proposition 111 | Banking | FieldWorks | $1,274,439 | 98,492 | $12.94 |
| Colorado Proposition 112 | Fracking | Direct Action Partners and Encore Political Services | $567,174.82 | 98,492 | $5.67 |
Of the total, $4.4 million was spent by Protect Colorado, the committee opposing Proposition 112 and that provided at least $10 million to the committee behind Amendment 74. It is unclear on what initiative or initiatives this $4.4 million was spent. As of October 25, Protect Colorado did not respond to Ballotpedia's requests for information on which initiatives these expenditures were used. Besides contributing to the committee behind Amendment 74, Protect Colorado reported in-kind contributions of $187,500 to the committee backing Proposition 110 in the form of paid signature gathering. Protect Colorado hired PAC/West to gather signatures. PAC/West and the Colorado Farm Bureau—which was also behind Amendment 74—provided contributions of $23,806.76 and $10,000, respectively, to the committee behind Amendment 75. According to the secretary of state's records on which organizations and companies were licensed to collect signatures for which initiative petitions, every organization or company that was licensed to collect signatures for Amendment 74 (Initiative #108) was also licensed to collect signatures for Amendment 75 (Initiative #173). Many on the list, however, were licensed for multiple different initiative efforts.
Given the uncertainties surrounding the expenditures by Protect Colorado and the signature petition costs for Amendments 74 and 75, Ballotpedia is providing a range of possible average and total signature petition costs in Colorado:
- Total state petition costs: $2,900,435 - $7,331,985
- Average petition costs: $580,087 - $1,047,426
- Average cost per required signatures (CPRS): $5.87 - $10.62
Florida
- See also: Florida 2018 ballot measures
A total of $9.2 million was spent on signature gathering costs for the two initiatives in Florida. Florida was the state with the highest average total petition cost in 2018. The second most expensive initiative petition drive in 2018 was for Amendment 3.
| Ballot Measure: | Topic: | Petition company | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida Amendment 3 | Gambling | National Voter Outreach, Inc. | $5,282,534.31 | 766,200 | $6.89 |
| Florida Amendment 4 | Suffrage | PCI Consultants, Inc. | $3,890,759.12 | 766,200 | $5.08 |
| Averages: | N/A | N/A | $4,586,647 | N/A | $5.99 |
Signature petition costs in Florida include the cost of verifying signatures unless committees state they are unable to pay for verification, in which case proponents are not allowed to pay signature gatherers. Proponents of both 2018 initiatives used paid signature gatherers and paid for signature verification. For Amendment 3 and Amendment, the signature verification costs were $108,385.79 and $143,973.64, respectively.
Idaho
- See also: Idaho 2018 ballot measures
Proposition 1 had the second highest cost per required signature (CPRS) in 2018. Initiatives designed to authorize gambling in 2018 and 2017 had higher than average CPRS rates, both for the state and as compared to overall rates.
| Ballot Measure: | Topic: | Petition company | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho Proposition 2 | Healthcare | $0.00 | 56,192 | $0.00 | |
| Averages: | N/A | FieldWorks LLC | $625,775 | N/A | $11.14 |
Maine
- See also: Maine 2018 ballot measures
A total of $191,395 was spent on petition drives in Maine in 2018. All but $4,300 was spent on the November initiative, Question 1. The other measures was a veto referendum concerning ranked-choice voting that was on the ballot in June 2018 for which the CPRS was $0.07.
| Ballot Measure: | Topic: | Petition company | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maine Question 1 | Taxes | individuals | $187,088.68 | 61,123 | $3.06 |
| Maine Question 1 (June) | Electoral systems | $4,306.80 | 61,123 | $0.07 | |
| Averages: | N/A | N/A | $95,698 | N/A | $1.57 |
Massachusetts
- See also: Massachusetts 2018 ballot measures
A total of $779,575 was spent on the three initiatives on the ballot. Beyond the three initiatives voters decided, enough signatures were submitted for three other initiatives to go before the legislature. The initiative efforts were abandoned without submitted the smaller, second round of signatures required to qualify for the ballot as part of a compromise with initiative proponents. The compromise involved the passage of legislation called the grand bargain.
| Ballot Measure: | Topic: | Petition company | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Question 3 | LGBT issues | Paladin Petitions | $56,056.34 | 32,375 | $1.73 |
| Massachusetts Question 2 | Campaign finance | Ballot Access Management LLC | $153,000.00 | 75,542 | $2.03 |
| Massachusetts Question 1 | Healthcare | JEF Associates | $570,518.17 | 75,542 | $7.55 |
| Averages: | N/A | N/A | $259,858 | N/A | $3.77 |
Michigan
- See also: Michigan 2018 ballot measures
A total of $3.0 million was spent on the three initiatives that decided in Michigan. Of that, $2.26 million was spent on Michigan Proposal 3, an initiative to put certain voting policies into the state constitution. Beyond these three initiatives, another three qualified for the ballot, but they were approved by the state legislature and not put on the ballot; initiatives in Michigan are indirect and go to the legislature and only to the ballot if the legislature does not approve them.
| Ballot Measure: | Topic: | Petition company | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan Proposal 1 | Marijuana | National Petition Management | $783,535.66 | 252,523 | $3.10 |
| Michigan Proposal 3 | Voting policy measures | FieldWorks, LLC | $2,258,871.43 | 315,654 | $7.16 |
| Michigan Proposal 2 | Redistricting measures | $0.00 | 315,654 | $0.00 | |
| Michigan | Labor and unions | National Petition Management | $1,283,724.99 | 252,523 | $5.08 |
| Averages: | N/A | N/A | $1,014,136 | N/A | $3.42 |
Missouri
- See also: Missouri 2018 ballot measures
In Missouri, a total of $5.4 million was spent on the six successful initiative petition drives. Three of those initiatives were medical marijuana legalization initiatives. The petitions for the marijuana measures cost a combined total of $2.85 million.
| Ballot Measure: | Topic: | Petition company | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missouri Proposition B | Minimum wage | FieldWorks, LLC | $686,714.90 | 100,126 | $6.86 |
| Missouri Amendment 2 | Marijuana | FieldWorks, LLC | $530,296.96 | 160,199 | $3.31 |
| Missouri Amendment 3 | Marijuana | National Ballot Access | $1,266,514.04 | 160,199 | $7.91 |
| Missouri Proposition C | Marijuana | National Petition Management | $1,057,185.00 | 100,126 | $10.56 |
| Missouri Proposition A (August) | Labor and unions | FieldWorks, LLC | $776,494.17 | 100,126 | $7.76 |
| Missouri Amendment 1 | Elections and campaigns | FieldWorks, LLC | $1,082,515.83 | 160,199 | $6.76 |
| Averages: | N/A | FieldWorks, LLC | $899,953 | N/A | $7.19 |
Including multiple versions of similar proposals, a total of 373 initiatives were submitted to state official for circulation. This was more than three times the average in even-numbered years from 2010 through 2016.
Montana
- See also: Montana 2018 ballot measures
A total of $469,113 was spent on the two successful initiative petition drives in Montana in 2018.
| Ballot Measure: | Topic: | Petition company | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montana I-186 | Environment | M&R Strategic Services | $249,981.63 | 25,468 | $9.82 |
| Averages: | N/A | N/A | $234,557 | N/A | $9.21 |
Nebraska
- See also: Nebraska 2018 ballot measures
| Ballot Measure: | Topic: | Petition company | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nebraska Initiative 427 | Healthcare | FieldWorks, LLC | $727,178.67 | 84,908 | $8.56 |
| Averages: | N/A | N/A | $727,179 | N/A | $8.56 |
Nevada
- See also: Nevada 2018 ballot measures
A total of $2.3 million was spent on the four successful initiative petition drives in 2018 in Nevada.
| Ballot Measure: | Topic: | Petition company | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada Question 4 | Taxes | Bennett Medical Services[3] | $110,125.00 | 55,234 | $1.99 |
| Averages: | N/A | FieldWorks, LLC | $568,806 | N/A | $7.07 |
There were also four initiatives on the ballot in 2016; there was one initiative in 2014 and zero in 2012 and 2010.
North Dakota
- See also: North Dakota 2018 ballot measures
A total of $508,857 was spent on the successful initiative petition drives in North Dakota in 2018. It was all spent on Measure 1 and Measure 2; Ballotpedia was not able to identify spending on the signature petition drives for Measure 3 and Measure 4.
| Ballot Measure: | Topic: | Petition company | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota Measure 3 | Marijuana | $0.00 | 13,452 | $0.00 | |
| North Dakota Measure 1 | Elections and campaigns | Advanced Micro Targeting | $260,000.00 | 26,904 | $9.66 |
| North Dakota Measure 2 | Suffrage | Advanced Micro Targeting | $248,857.00 | 26,904 | $9.25 |
| North Dakota Measure 4 | Civil service | $0.00 | 13,452 | $0.00 | |
| Averages: | N/A | Advanced Micro Targeting | $127,214 | N/A | $4.73 |
Ohio
- See also: Ohio 2018 ballot measures
| Ballot Measure: | Topic: | Petition company | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio Issue 1 | Drug crime policy | Stand Up for Ohio, Ohio Voter Action Fund, SMI Enterprises LLC, and The Operation Group Inc. | $3,669,266.74 | 306,591 | $11.97 |
| Averages: | N/A | N/A | $3,669,267 | N/A | $11.97 |
Oklahoma
- See also: Oklahoma 2018 ballot measures
| Ballot Measure: | Topic: | Petition company | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma State Question 793 | Business regulation | $0 | 123,725 | $0 | |
| Oklahoma State Question 788 | Marijuana | $26,988.00 | 65,987 | $0.41 | |
| Oklahoma State Question 788 | Marijuana | $26,988.00 | 65,987 | $0.41 | |
| Averages: | N/A | N/A | $13,494 | N/A | $0.21 |
Oregon
- See also: Oregon 2018 ballot measures
A total of $3.3 million was spent on the five successful initiative petition drives in 2018.
| Ballot Measure: | Topic: | Petition company | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon Measure 105 | Immigration | $65,000.00 | 88,184 | $0.74 | |
| Oregon Measure 101 (January) | Taxes | $38,326.29 | 58,789 | $0.65 | |
| Averages: | N/A | Ballot Access LLC | $654,524 | N/A | $5.67 |
South Dakota
- See also: South Dakota 2018 ballot measures
A total of $312,508.5 was spent on the three successful initiative petition drives. The effort for Initiated Measure 24 and Initiated Measure 25 was combined. A total of between $35,000 and $40,000 was spent on those efforts combined according to the sponsor.
| Ballot Measure: | Topic: | Petition company | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Dakota Initiated Measure 25 | Taxes | individuals | $18,750.00 | 13,871 | $1.35 |
| South Dakota Initiated Measure 24 | Direct democracy measures | individuals | $18,750.00 | 13,871 | $1.35 |
| South Dakota Constitutional Amendment W | Elections and campaigns | unknown recipients | $275,008.50 | 27,741 | $9.91 |
| Averages: | N/A | N/A | $104,170 | N/A | $4.20 |
Utah
- See also: Utah 2018 ballot measures
A total of $2.8 million was spent on the three successful initiative petition drives in 2018.
| Ballot Measure: | Topic: | Petition company | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utah Proposition 3 | Healthcare | AAP Holding Company | $1,329,013.50 | 113,143 | $11.75 |
| Utah Proposition 2 | Marijuana | Gathering, Inc. and various individuals | $473,798.75 | 113,143 | $4.19 |
| Utah Proposition 4 | Redistricting measures | Grassroots Utah | $1,040,087.00 | 113,143 | $9.19 |
| Averages: | N/A | N/A | $947,633 | N/A | $8.38 |
Washington
- See also: Washington 2018 ballot measures
A total of $8.4 million was spent on the four successful initiative petition drives in 2018.
| Ballot Measure: | Topic: | Petition company | Cost | Signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Initiative 940 | Law enforcement | PCI Consultants and various individuals | $1,024,704.92 | 259,622 | $3.95 |
| Averages: | N/A | AAP Holding Company | $2,098,290 | N/A | $8.08 |
Signature costs data for all measures
The charts below list citizen-initiated measures, the costs associated with collecting signatures to qualify the measures for the ballot, and the company or companies hired to collect signatures. The charts are broken out by type, with initiated constitutional amendments in the first chart, initiated state statutes in the second, and veto referendums in the third.
Note: Some citizen initiatives can be designed to change both state statutes and the state constitution. Such combined initiatives will be listed twice below, once in each type's section.
Initiated constitutional amendments
- See also: initiated constitutional amendment
| Ballot Measure: | Topic: | Petition company | Cost | Required signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida Amendment 3 | Gambling | National Voter Outreach, Inc. | $5,282,534.31 | 766,200 | $6.89 |
| Florida Amendment 4 | Suffrage | PCI Consultants, Inc. | $3,890,759.12 | 766,200 | $5.08 |
| Nevada Question 4 | Taxes | Bennett Medical Services[3] | $110,125.00 | 55,234 | $1.99 |
| Missouri Amendment 2 | Marijuana | FieldWorks, LLC | $530,296.96 | 160,199 | $3.31 |
| Missouri Amendment 3 | Marijuana | National Ballot Access | $1,266,514.04 | 160,199 | $7.91 |
| Oklahoma State Question 793 | Business regulation | $0 | 123,725 | $0 | |
| North Dakota Measure 1 | Elections and campaigns | Advanced Micro Targeting | $260,000.00 | 26,904 | $9.66 |
| Michigan Proposal 3 | Voting policy measures | FieldWorks, LLC | $2,258,871.43 | 315,654 | $7.16 |
| North Dakota Measure 2 | Suffrage | Advanced Micro Targeting | $248,857.00 | 26,904 | $9.25 |
| South Dakota Constitutional Amendment W | Elections and campaigns | unknown recipients | $275,008.50 | 27,741 | $9.91 |
| Michigan Proposal 2 | Redistricting measures | $0.00 | 315,654 | $0.00 | |
| Missouri Amendment 1 | Elections and campaigns | FieldWorks, LLC | $1,082,515.83 | 160,199 | $6.76 |
| Arizona Proposition 126 | Taxes | AZ Petition Partners, LLC | $1,256,249.98 | 225,963 | $5.56 |
| Arizona Proposition 127 | Energy | FieldWorks, LLC | $5,843,652.00 | 225,963 | $25.86 |
| Ohio Issue 1 | Drug crime policy | Stand Up for Ohio, Ohio Voter Action Fund, SMI Enterprises LLC, and The Operation Group Inc. | $3,669,266.74 | 306,591 | $11.97 |
Initiated state statutes
- See also: initiated state statute
| Ballot Measure: | Topic: | Petition company | Cost | Required signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missouri Proposition B | Minimum wage | FieldWorks, LLC | $686,714.90 | 100,126 | $6.86 |
| Oregon Measure 105 | Immigration | $65,000.00 | 88,184 | $0.74 | |
| Idaho Proposition 2 | Healthcare | $0.00 | 56,192 | $0.00 | |
| Massachusetts Question 2 | Campaign finance | Ballot Access Management LLC | $153,000.00 | 75,542 | $2.03 |
| Massachusetts Question 1 | Healthcare | JEF Associates | $570,518.17 | 75,542 | $7.55 |
| Utah Proposition 3 | Healthcare | AAP Holding Company | $1,329,013.50 | 113,143 | $11.75 |
| Michigan Proposal 1 | Marijuana | National Petition Management | $783,535.66 | 252,523 | $3.10 |
| North Dakota Measure 3 | Marijuana | $0.00 | 13,452 | $0.00 | |
| Oklahoma State Question 788 | Marijuana | $26,988.00 | 65,987 | $0.41 | |
| Colorado Proposition 109 | Bond issues | Kennedy Enterprises | $321,112.62 | 98,492 | $3.26 |
| Washington Initiative 940 | Law enforcement | PCI Consultants and various individuals | $1,024,704.92 | 259,622 | $3.95 |
| Maine Question 1 | Taxes | individuals | $187,088.68 | 61,123 | $3.06 |
| Alaska Ballot Measure 1 | Environment | Scott Kohlhaas and Advanced Micro Targeting | $196,101.31 | 32,127 | $6.10 |
| Utah Proposition 2 | Marijuana | Gathering, Inc. and various individuals | $473,798.75 | 113,143 | $4.19 |
| South Dakota Initiated Measure 25 | Taxes | individuals | $18,750.00 | 13,871 | $1.35 |
| Missouri Proposition C | Marijuana | National Petition Management | $1,057,185.00 | 100,126 | $10.56 |
| South Dakota Initiated Measure 24 | Direct democracy measures | individuals | $18,750.00 | 13,871 | $1.35 |
| Montana I-186 | Environment | M&R Strategic Services | $249,981.63 | 25,468 | $9.82 |
| Nebraska Initiative 427 | Healthcare | FieldWorks, LLC | $727,178.67 | 84,908 | $8.56 |
| North Dakota Measure 4 | Civil service | $0.00 | 13,452 | $0.00 | |
| Michigan | Labor and unions | National Petition Management | $1,283,724.99 | 252,523 | $5.08 |
| Arkansas Issue 5 | Minimum wage | National Ballot Access | $510,946.70 | 67,887 | $7.53 |
| California Proposition 11 | Labor and unions | National Petition Management, Inc. | $2,892,967.03 | 365,880 | $7.91 |
| California Proposition 12 | Treatment of animals | AAP Holding Company, Inc. and The Monaco Group | $2,199,613.72 | 365,880 | $6.01 |
| California Proposition 4 | Bond issues | National Petition Management, INC. | $2,645,311.84 | 365,880 | $7.23 |
| Oklahoma State Question 788 | Marijuana | $26,988.00 | 65,987 | $0.41 | |
| Utah Proposition 4 | Redistricting measures | Grassroots Utah | $1,040,087.00 | 113,143 | $9.19 |
Veto referendums
- See also: Veto referendum
| Ballot Measure: | Topic: | Petition company | Cost | Required signatures | CPRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon Measure 101 (January) | Taxes | $38,326.29 | 58,789 | $0.65 | |
| Massachusetts Question 3 | LGBT issues | Paladin Petitions | $56,056.34 | 32,375 | $1.73 |
| Missouri Proposition A (August) | Labor and unions | FieldWorks, LLC | $776,494.17 | 100,126 | $7.76 |
| Maine Question 1 (June) | Electoral systems | $4,306.80 | 61,123 | $0.07 | |
| Arizona Proposition 305 | Charter schools and vouchers | Innovative Quotient Management, LLC | $25,050.00 | 75,321 | $0.33 |
Comparison to previous years
- See also: Ballot measure signature costs, 2016
2016:
- See also: Ballot measure signature costs, 2016
- In 2016, a total of $78.12 million[4] was spent on signature gathering efforts across 17 states to put 76 citizen-initiated measures on statewide ballots—more than in any year from 2006 through 2016. A total of 13,677,856 valid signatures were required to qualify 2016's initiatives and veto referendums for the ballot.[5]
- The average cost of a successful initiative or veto referendum petition drive was $1,027,890.77 across the 17 states featuring such measures in 2016.
- The average CPRS across the 17 states with initiatives or referendums was $5.6.
2014:
- In 2014, a total of $16.9 million was spent on signature gathering across 15 states to put 40 citizen-initiated measures on statewide ballots.
- The average total cost of a successful initiative or veto referendum petition drive was $608,516.
- The average CPRS across the 15 states was $3.2.
2012:
- In 2012, a total of $51.9 million was spent on signature gathering across 17 states to put 61 citizen-initiated measures on statewide ballots.
- The average total cost of a successful initiative or veto referendum petition drive was $850,936.
- The average CPRS across the 17 states was $4.30.
2010:
- In 2010, a total of $36 million was spent on signature gathering across 14 states to put 50 citizen-initiated measures on statewide ballots.
- The average total cost of a successful initiative or veto referendum petition drive was $720,000.
- The average CPRS across the 14 states was $3.7.
See also
Other petition cost reports
- 2012 ballot measure petition signature costs
- 2013 ballot measure petition signature costs
- 2014 ballot measure petition signature costs
- 2015 ballot measure petition signature costs
- Ballot measure signature costs, 2016
- Ballot measure signature costs, 2017
- Ballot measures cost per required signatures analysis
- Ballot measure signature costs, 2019
- Ballot measure signature costs, 2020
- Ballot measure signature costs, 2021
- Ballot measure signature costs, 2022
- Ballot measure signature costs, 2023
- Ballot measure signature costs, 2024
Footnotes
- ↑ A range was required because of unknown variables concerning petition costs in Colorado. Exact range: $74,380,285.97 and $78,811,835.97
- ↑ A range was required because of unknown variables concerning petition costs in Colorado. Exact range: Between $1,110,153.52 and $1,158,997.59
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Bennett Medical Services provided in-kind signature gathering.
- ↑ The exact figure was $78,119,698.89.
- ↑ Note: Many more than that were collected. 13.7 million was the minimum number of valid signatures that were required.
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