As of Jan. 1, proponents have filed 160 ballot initiatives in four states for elections in 2023. Washington leads with 151 ballot initiatives. The three other states include Colorado (one initiative), Maine (six initiatives), and Ohio (two initiatives).
Between 2011 and 2021, an average of 161 ballot initiatives were filed for odd-numbered year ballots. The highest number of initiatives filed during that period was 296 measures in 2021. The average number of initiatives certified for ballots during that period was five.
Washington had the highest average number of initiatives filed during that period with 125 initiatives, but it had the lowest certification rate at 1.7%, which amounts to an average of two measures over the 10-year period. The state with the highest certification rate for odd-numbered year ballots was Mississippi with 27.7%. The average number filed in Mississippi was eight.
