Official Ballot Drop Box placed ready to accept Voting Ballots for the upcoming election. Santa Ana, CA, Sept. 23, 2020. (Photo: mikeledray/Shutterstock)
How Many Measures Have Been on the California Ballot?
The California State Legislature voted to refer 863 ballot measures to the state ballot between 1910 and 2025 – nearly twice the number of initiatives placed on the ballot by voters
By Chris Micheli, July 17, 2026 12:39 pm
By Chris Micheli and Vincent Micheli
With the upcoming November 3, 2026 General Election, we wanted to compile the number of measures on the statewide ballot this year in comparison to past years. The following information provides the desired data for comparison purposes over the one hundred and ten years.
In total, Californians decided on 1,307 statewide ballot measures between 1910 and 2025. Voters approved 753 (57.6%) measures and rejected 554 (42.4%) measures during that time period.
The California State Legislature has voted to refer 863 ballot measures to the state ballot between 1910 and 2025, which is nearly twice the number of initiatives (444) placed on the ballot by voters. Also, Legislature-referred measures were approved 69% of the time, as compared to 36% for ballot initiatives placed by voters.
The following chart lists the election month and year, followed by the total number of statewide ballot measures voted on, with the number approved and rejected by voters for that particular election:
| Election | Number of Statewide Ballot Measures | Statewide Measures Approved | Statewide Measures Rejected |
| November 2026 | 14 | ? | ? |
| November 2025 (Special) | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| November 2024 | 10 | 6 | 4 |
| March 2024 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| November 2022 | 7 | 3 | 4 |
| November 2020 | 12 | 5 | 7 |
| March 2020 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| November 2018 | 11 | 6 | 5 |
| June 2018 | 5 | 4 | 1 |
| November 2016 | 17 | 12 | 5 |
| June 2016 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| November 2014 | 6 | 3 | 3 |
| June 2014 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| November 2012 | 11 | 5 | 6 |
| November 2010 | 9 | 4 | 5 |
| June 2010 | 5 | 2 | 3 |
| May 2009 (Special) | 6 | 1 | 5 |
| November 2008 | 12 | 7 | 5 |
| June 2008 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| February 2008 | 7 | 4 | 3 |
| November 2005 (Special) | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| November 2006 | 13 | 7 | 6 |
| June 2006 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| November 2004 | 16 | 9 | 7 |
| March 2004 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| October 2003 (Special) | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| November 2002 | 7 | 5 | 2 |
| March 2002 | 6 | 5 | 1 |
| November 2000 | 8 | 5 | 3 |
| June 2000 | 20 | 12 | 8 |
| November 1998 | 12 | 8 | 4 |
| June 1998 | 9 | 6 | 3 |
| November 1996 | 15 | 8 | 7 |
| March 1996 | 12 | 7 | 5 |
| November 1994 | 10 | 6 | 4 |
| June 1994 | 9 | 6 | 3 |
| November 1993 (Special) | 7 | 2 | 5 |
| November 1992 | 13 | 5 | 8 |
| June 1992 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| November 1990 | 28 | 6 | 22 |
| June 1990 | 17 | 15 | 2 |
| November 1988 | 29 | 23 | 6 |
| June 1988 | 12 | 8 | 4 |
| November 1986 | 13 | 11 | 2 |
| June 1986 | 11 | 11 | 0 |
| November 1984 | 16 | 11 | 5 |
| June 1984 | 9 | 8 | 1 |
| November 1982 | 15 | 7 | 8 |
| June 1982 | 12 | 7 | 5 |
| November 1980 | 11 | 6 | 5 |
| June 1980 | 11 | 6 | 5 |
| November 1979 (Special) | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| November 1978 | 8 | 5 | 3 |
| June 1978 | 13 | 7 | 6 |
| November 1976 | 15 | 8 | 7 |
| June 1976 | 15 | 10 | 5 |
| November 1974 | 17 | 12 | 5 |
| June 1974 | 9 | 8 | 1 |
| November 1973 (Special) | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| November 1972 | 22 | 15 | 7 |
| June 1972 | 10 | 9 | 1 |
| November 1970 | 20 | 14 | 6 |
| June 1970 | 8 | 3 | 5 |
| November 1968 | 10 | 5 | 5 |
| June 1968 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| November 1966 | 17 | 11 | 6 |
| June 1966 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| November 1964 | 17 | 15 | 2 |
| November 1962 | 25 | 12 | 13 |
| June 1962 | 6 | 3 | 3 |
| November 1960 | 15 | 10 | 5 |
| June 1960 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| November 1958 | 18 | 11 | 7 |
| November 1956 | 19 | 14 | 5 |
| November 1954 | 20 | 13 | 7 |
| November 1952 | 24 | 17 | 7 |
| November 1950 | 11 | 7 | 4 |
| June 1950 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| November 1948 | 19 | 8 | 11 |
| November 1946 | 17 | 12 | 5 |
| November 1944 | 12 | 8 | 4 |
| May 1944 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| November 1942 | 18 | 7 | 11 |
| November 1940 | 17 | 8 | 9 |
| November 1939 (Special) | 5 | 2 | 3 |
| November 1938 | 25 | 7 | 18 |
| November 1936 | 23 | 4 | 19 |
| August 1935 (Special) | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| November 1934 | 23 | 14 | 9 |
| December 1933 (Special) | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| June 1933 (Special) | 10 | 6 | 4 |
| November 1932 | 20 | 11 | 9 |
| May 1932 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| November 1930 | 26 | 12 | 14 |
| November 1928 | 21 | 16 | 5 |
| November 1926 | 28 | 16 | 12 |
| November 1924 | 18 | 12 | 6 |
| November 1922 | 30 | 13 | 17 |
| November 1920 | 20 | 8 | 12 |
| November 1918 | 25 | 10 | 15 |
| November 1916 | 7 | 3 | 4 |
| November 1914 | 48 | 27 | 21 |
| November 1912 | 8 | 2 | 6 |
| October 1911 (Special) | 23 | 22 | 1 |
| November 1910 | 12 | 12 | 0 |
Vincent Micheli is a registered lobbyist and an associate at Snodgrass & Micheli, LLC.
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Recently looked up what wondrous breakthroughs gained our huge state taxpayer investment in “stem cell research”, that voters approved a while back. The website said it all: reported (1) how many jobs were created and (2) how many dollars had been recirculated back into the economy. That’s it. Not a hint about any stem cell research breakthroughs.
So “Stem Cell” bond issue appears also to be just one more huge Democrat-run slush fund, like “carbon credits”. Not a single mention of any “science” or health care break throughs at all – just more taxpayer funded raid the treasury and hire the relatives.
I suspect all bond issues end up with similar results. in time. First Five sure crashed and burned on its original promise too – just free baby sitting now with no proof of any promised longterm benefits for the children served. .
The free flow of bond issue cash and zero accountability is too much for the reigning Democrats to ignore . Just like the 100% failed Prop 98 for automatic K-12 funding that only funded California K-12’s race to the bottom nationwide. After Prop 98 money started flowing directly into teacher union veins. .
Well-timed analysis for ALL past bond issues. Candidate Hilton, I hope you pick up on this. How much more money should we keep handing over to Democrats slush funds with no benefit for the general population?
RAID THE TREASURY AND HIRE THE RELATIVES was not on the bond issue ballot measure, but it should have been.