Overview
- In North Dakota, Utah and South Dakota, GOP lawmakers have placed measures on the November ballot to require 60 percent voter approval for citizen-led constitutional changes.
- Missouri legislators advanced a proposal that would force citizen amendments to win in each of the state’s eight U.S. House districts, so a measure could lose even with a large statewide majority.
- In Florida, a new law signed by Governor Ron DeSantis tightened petition rules with higher fees, mandatory training, strict turn-in deadlines and broader criminal exposure, and all 22 citizen initiatives this year failed to qualify.
- With counties now charging up to $4.89 per signature and campaigns typically gathering about 1.3 million signatures to offset invalids, Florida groups face roughly $4.5 million in validation costs before a question reaches the ballot.
- Across the 24 initiative states, legislatures passed 51 restrictions last year and advocates are tracking 76 more proposals this year, as supporters cite out-of-state influence and critics warn the changes blunt voter power.