Laws governing ballot measures in the U.S.

---

Laws governing ballot measures in the U.S.

Changes to laws governing ballot measures

Types of ballot measures

Ballot measure policy topics

---

Select a state from the dropdown to learn more about laws governing ballot measures in that state.

Select a stateAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming

This page provides an overview ofsignature requirements for statewide citizen-initiated measures in Arizona. In Arizona, citizens can initiate three types of ballot measures—constitutional amendments,state statutes, andveto referendums.

Requirements

InArizona, the number ofsignatures needed to place a measure on the ballot is based on the total number of votes cast for thegovernor in the preceding election.

The following are the requirements for the types of citizen-initiated measures in Arizona:

• initiated constitutional amendment (ICA): 15 percent of the votes cast for governor
• initiated state statute (ISS): 10 percent of the votes cast for governor
• veto referendum (VR): 5 percent of the votes cast for governor

Below are the signature requirements that initiative proponents must meet to get their initiatives on the ballot in that year, with gubernatorial election years bolded.

See law:Arizona Constitution, Article IV, Part 1, Section 1, ¶ 2-3, 7

Changes in number of signatures

The following graph illustrates the number of signatures required for initiated constitutional amendments (15 percent of the gubernatorial vote), initiated state statutes (10 percent of the gubernatorial vote), and veto referendums (5 percent of the gubernatorial vote) from 1996 through 2026.

Basis of calculation

In Arizona, the number of signatures needed to place a measure on the ballot is based on the total number of votes cast for the governor in the preceding election. The following numbers of votes were cast for the office of governor in each year listed:

Signature deadlines

In Arizona, citizen-initiated ballot measures can appear on general election (even-numbered years) ballots. Proponents are allowed to gather signatures for initiatives for two years. Proponents are allowed to gather signatures for veto referendums for 90 days.

The deadline for submitting signatures to get an initiative or referendum on the ballot for a particular general election is four months before that election. Signatures need to be filed with thesecretary of state's office.

Recall

Torecall an official in Arizona, signatures equal to 25 percent of the vote cast in the last election for the office are required.

See also

• Laws governing the initiative process in Arizona
• History of I & R in Arizona
• Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Arizona

External links

Suggest a link

• Arizona Secretary of State, "Initiative, Referendum and Recall"
• Arizona Secretary of State, "Initiative, Referendum and Recall Guide"

Footnotes

	v • e Signature requirements
Signature requirements	Alabama •Alaska •Arizona •Arkansas •California •Colorado •Connecticut •Delaware •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
Petition companies	American Petition Consultants •Arno Political Consultants •Bader & Associates, Inc. •Canvasser Services •Capitol Assets •Democracy Direct •Democracy Resources •Discovery Petition Management •FieldWorks •JSM, Inc. •Kimball Petition Management •LAMM Political Partners, LLC •Masterson & Wright •National Ballot Access •National Petition Management •National Solutions •National Voter Outreach •PCI Consultants, Inc.
Terms	Approved for circulation •Initiative petition circulation periods •Circulator •Circulator affidavit •Forged signature •Fraudulent signature •Invalid signature •Paid circulator •Petition •Random sampling •Registered voter •Signature certification •Signer •Signer intent •Valid signature •Volunteer circulator •Signature transcription
Petition drive deadlines	2008 deadlines •2009 deadlines •2010 deadlines •2011 deadlines •2012 deadlines •2013 deadlines •2014 deadlines •2015 deadlines •2016 deadlines •2017 deadlines •2018 deadlines •2019 deadlines •2020 deadlines •2021 deadlines •2022 deadlines •2023 deadlines •2024 deadlines •2025 deadlines •2026 deadlines •
Signature law	States where signature requirements are based on votes cast for governor

	v • e State ofArizona Phoenix (capital)
Elections	What's on my ballot? |Elections in 2026 |How to vote |How to run for office |Ballot measures
Government	Who represents me? |U.S. President |U.S. Congress |Federal courts |State executives |State legislature |State and local courts |Counties |Cities |School districts |Public policy