California voters have considered over 500 propositions on statewide ballots since 1974. Some propositions are put on the ballot by the state Legislature, including measures to modify the state Constitution or approve bond financing for various projects. In addition, Californians have used the initiative process over the years to directly put propositions on the ballot, including measures to change the state Constitution or other state laws.
| Legislative | Initiative | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Election | Constitutional | Bond | Othera | Constitutional | Statuteb | Both | Referenda | Total |
| June 1974 | 5 | 3 | — | — | 1 | — | — | 9 |
| November 1974 | 15 | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | — | 17 |
| June 1976 | 10 | 4 | — | — | 1 | — | — | 15 |
| November 1976 | 9 | 3 | 1 | — | 2 | — | — | 15 |
| June 1978 | 10 | 2 | — | 1 | — | — | — | 13 |
| November 1978 | 3 | 1 | 1 | — | 3 | — | — | 8 |
| November 1979 | 3 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 4 |
| June 1980 | 6 | 2 | — | 2 | 1 | — | — | 11 |
| November 1980 | 7 | 2 | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | 11 |
| June 1982 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 3 | 1 | 4 | 12 |
| November 1982 | 5 | 5 | — | 1 | 4 | — | — | 15 |
| June 1984 | 4 | 4 | — | — | 1 | — | — | 9 |
| November 1984 | 4 | 6 | — | 1 | 3 | 2 | — | 16 |
| June 1986 | 6 | 4 | — | — | 1 | — | — | 11 |
| November 1986 | 4 | 4 | — | 1 | 3 | 1 | — | 13 |
| June 1988 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 4 | — | — | 12 |
| November 1988 | 8 | 9 | — | — | 10 | 2 | — | 29 |
| June 1990 | 4 | 6 | 2 | — | 2 | 3 | — | 17 |
| November 1990 | 4 | 10 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 3 | — | 28 |
| June 1992 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 3 |
| November 1992 | 4 | 2 | — | 1 | 4 | 2 | — | 13 |
| November 1993 | 5 | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | 7 |
| June 1994 | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | 9 |
| November 1994 | 4 | 1 | — | — | 4 | 1 | — | 10 |
| March 1996 | 1 | 2 | 4 | — | 5 | — | — | 12 |
| November 1996 | — | 3 | — | 2 | 10 | — | — | 15 |
| June 1998 | 3 | 1 | — | 1 | 3 | 1 | — | 9 |
| November 1998 | 3 | 1 | 1 | — | 6 | 1 | — | 12 |
| March 2000 | 2 | 5 | 3 | — | 6 | 1 | 3 | 20 |
| November 2000 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | — | 8 |
| March 2002 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 6 |
| November 2002 | 1 | 2 | — | — | 4 | — | — | 7 |
| October 2003 | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 2 |
| March 2004 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | 1 | — | 4 |
| November 2004 | 4 | — | — | 1 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 16 |
| November 2005 | — | — | — | 3 | 5 | — | — | 8 |
| June 2006 | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | — | 2 |
| November 2006 | 1 | 4 | — | 2 | 3 | 3 | — | 13 |
| February 2008 | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | 4 | 7 | |
| June 2008 | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | 2 |
| November 2008 | — | 2 | — | 2 | 6 | 2 | — | 12 |
| May 2009 | 4 | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | 6 |
| June 2010 | 1 | — | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 5 |
| November 2010 | — | — | — | 4 | 4 | 1 | — | 9 |
| June 2012 | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | 2 |
| November 2012 | — | — | — | 1 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 11 |
| June 2014 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 |
| November 2014 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 3 | — | 1 | 6 |
| June 2016 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| November 2016 | — | — | 1 | 2 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 17 |
| June 2018 | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 5 |
| November 2018 | — | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 | — | 11 |
| March 2020 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| November 2020 | 4 | — | — | 1 | 6 | — | 1 | 12 |
| November 2022 | 1 | — | — | — | 3 | 2 | 1 | 7 |
| March 2024 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| November 2024 | 3 | 2 | — | — | 5 | — | — | 10 |
| Totals | 169 | 115 | 23 | 44 | 157 | 42 | 17 | 568 |
a Generally, measures which change statutes previously approved by the voters.
b Includes initiatives containing bond funds.