FIGURE 15

In-State Donors Still Dominate Ballot Initiative Campaigns, but Out-of-State Contributions Are Rising

Total amount of in-state vs. out-of-state contributions to ballot measures

Split bar chart of the total amount of in-state vs. out-of-state contributions to ballot measures, broken down by contributor type: all donors, non-individual contributors, and individual contributors. Across contributor types, in-state donations dominate, though in recent years there have been more out-of-state contributions.

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Based on data from 667 ballot measures across 25 states, 2006–2022. “Non-individual contributors” include groups such as corporations, labor unions, trade associations, PACs, and advocacy organizations.

Source: Madison Schroder, “Investment Without Return? Individual Out-of-State Contributions to U.S. Direct Democracy Campaigns,” State Politics & Policy Quarterly 25, no. 4 (2025): 407–38.

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