By one metric, Mass. has the lowest bar for ballot questions

All states that allow residents to place proposed laws on the ballot require campaigns to collect thousands of signatures.

In Massachusetts, the 87,003 signatures needed in 2026 represent about 1.7 percent of all registered voters — the lowest share in the nation.

All voter registration data included reflect mid-2026 statistics.
Wyoming requires enough signatures to equal 15 percent of the votes cast in the last general election. However, voter registration fluctuates significantly year over year, and because the state offers Election Day registration, actual turnout can exceed the number of voters registered before the election.
Chart: Chris Lisinski/CommonWealth BeaconSource: Ballotpedia, NCSL, CommonWealth analysis of state elections websitesGet the data