Death penalty ballot measures

Issues
Measures by topic
Measures by year
Measures by state

As a state ballot measure topic, death penalty includes measures regarding legal punishment in which a person is sentenced to death by the state for committing certain crimes. The death penalty is also known as capital punishment. The topic is grouped within the criminal justice and law enforcement policy area.

This page provides information on:

• upcoming ballot measures and
• a comprehensive list of ballot measures by year and state.

Upcoming ballot measures

See also: 2025 ballot measures and 2026 ballot measures

The following is a list of state ballot measures related to the death penalty certified for this year and future elections:

There are no ballot measures related to this topic that have qualified for the ballot.

List of state ballot measures

Click the tabs to view state ballot measures related to the death penalty, organized by year or state.

Years

States

2022

1. Alabama Amendment 3, Notice to Victim's Family Required for Commutation or Reprieve of Death Sentences Amendment (2022)

2016

1. California Proposition 62, Repeal of the Death Penalty (2016)
2. California Proposition 66, Death Penalty Procedures (2016)
3. Nebraska Death Penalty Repeal, Referendum 426 (2016)
4. Oklahoma Death Penalty, State Question 776 (2016)

2012

1. California Proposition 34, Abolition of the Death Penalty Initiative (2012)

2006

1. Wisconsin Question 2, Death Penalty Advisory Question (2006)

2002

1. Florida Amendment 1, Death Penalty Amendment (2002)

1998

1. Florida Amendment 2, Death Penalty Amendment (1998)

1994

1. Ohio Jurisdiction of Death Penalty Appeals Amendment (1994)
2. Wyoming Life Imprisonment without Parole, Amendment 1 (1994)

1992

1. Arizona Proposition 103, Death Penalty Lethal Injection Execution Amendment (1992)
2. New Jersey Public Question No. 3 (1992)

1990

1. California Proposition 114, Reclassification of Peace Officers Covered by the Death Penalty Measure (June 1990)

1984

1. Oregon Measure 6, Death Penalty for Aggravated Murder Initiative (1984)
2. Oregon Measure 7, Death Penalty for Aggravated Murder Initiative (1984)

1982

1. Massachusetts Question 2, Death Penalty for Certain Crimes Amendment (1982)

1978

1. California Proposition 7, Expand Death Penalty and Life Imprisonment for Murders Initiative (1978)
2. Oregon Measure 8, Separate Sentencing and Death Penalty for Murders Initiative (1978)

1975

1. Washington Initiative 316, Mandatory Death Penalty for Aggravated Murder Measure (1975)

1974

1. Colorado Amendment No. 2, Reinstatement of the Death Penalty Amendment (1974)

1972

1. California Proposition 17, Death Penalty is Constitutional Initiative (1972)

1970

1. Illinois Death Penalty Amendment (December 1970)

1968

1. Massachusetts Question 6, Death Penalty Advisory Question (1968)

1966

1. Colorado Referred Law No. 2, Abolishment of the Death Penalty and Life Imprisonment Measure (1966)

1964

1. Oregon Measure 1, Abolition of Death Penalty Amendment (1964)

1958

1. Oregon Measure 4, Repeal of Capital Punishment Amendment (1958)

1944

1. Virginia Board for the Review of Capital Punishment, Reprieves, and Pardons Amendment (1944)

1933

1. Arizona Measure Nos. 102-103, Death Penalty Lethal Gas Execution Amendment (1933)

1931

1. Michigan Death Penalty Referendum (April 1931)

1920

1. Oregon Measure Nos. 304-305, Restoration of Capital Punishment Amendment (May 1920)

1918

1. Arizona Measure Nos. 306-307, Life Imprisonment or Death Penalty for First-Degree Murder Convictions Initiative (1918)

1916

1. Arizona Measure Nos. 300-301, Abolish Death Penalty Initiative (1916)

1914

1. Arizona Measure Nos. 308-309, Abolish Death Penalty Initiative (1914)
2. Oregon Measure Nos. 334-335, Prohibit the Death Penalty Initiative (1914)

1912

1. Ohio Abolition of the Death Penalty Amendment (September 1912)
2. Oregon Measure Nos. 366-367, Abolition of Capital Punishment Initiative (1912)

Alabama

1. Alabama Amendment 3, Notice to Victim's Family Required for Commutation or Reprieve of Death Sentences Amendment (2022)

Arizona

1. Arizona Measure Nos. 102-103, Death Penalty Lethal Gas Execution Amendment (1933)
2. Arizona Measure Nos. 300-301, Abolish Death Penalty Initiative (1916)
3. Arizona Measure Nos. 306-307, Life Imprisonment or Death Penalty for First-Degree Murder Convictions Initiative (1918)
4. Arizona Measure Nos. 308-309, Abolish Death Penalty Initiative (1914)
5. Arizona Proposition 103, Death Penalty Lethal Injection Execution Amendment (1992)

California

1. California Proposition 114, Reclassification of Peace Officers Covered by the Death Penalty Measure (June 1990)
2. California Proposition 17, Death Penalty is Constitutional Initiative (1972)
3. California Proposition 34, Abolition of the Death Penalty Initiative (2012)
4. California Proposition 62, Repeal of the Death Penalty (2016)
5. California Proposition 66, Death Penalty Procedures (2016)
6. California Proposition 7, Expand Death Penalty and Life Imprisonment for Murders Initiative (1978)

Colorado

1. Colorado Amendment No. 2, Reinstatement of the Death Penalty Amendment (1974)
2. Colorado Referred Law No. 2, Abolishment of the Death Penalty and Life Imprisonment Measure (1966)

Florida

1. Florida Amendment 1, Death Penalty Amendment (2002)
2. Florida Amendment 2, Death Penalty Amendment (1998)

Illinois

1. Illinois Death Penalty Amendment (December 1970)

Massachusetts

1. Massachusetts Question 2, Death Penalty for Certain Crimes Amendment (1982)
2. Massachusetts Question 6, Death Penalty Advisory Question (1968)

Michigan

1. Michigan Death Penalty Referendum (April 1931)

Nebraska

1. Nebraska Death Penalty Repeal, Referendum 426 (2016)

New Jersey

1. New Jersey Public Question No. 3 (1992)

Ohio

1. Ohio Abolition of the Death Penalty Amendment (September 1912)
2. Ohio Jurisdiction of Death Penalty Appeals Amendment (1994)

Oklahoma

1. Oklahoma Death Penalty, State Question 776 (2016)

Oregon

1. Oregon Measure 1, Abolition of Death Penalty Amendment (1964)
2. Oregon Measure 4, Repeal of Capital Punishment Amendment (1958)
3. Oregon Measure 6, Death Penalty for Aggravated Murder Initiative (1984)
4. Oregon Measure 7, Death Penalty for Aggravated Murder Initiative (1984)
5. Oregon Measure 8, Separate Sentencing and Death Penalty for Murders Initiative (1978)
6. Oregon Measure Nos. 304-305, Restoration of Capital Punishment Amendment (May 1920)
7. Oregon Measure Nos. 334-335, Prohibit the Death Penalty Initiative (1914)
8. Oregon Measure Nos. 366-367, Abolition of Capital Punishment Initiative (1912)

Virginia

1. Virginia Board for the Review of Capital Punishment, Reprieves, and Pardons Amendment (1944)

Washington

1. Washington Initiative 316, Mandatory Death Penalty for Aggravated Murder Measure (1975)

Wisconsin

1. Wisconsin Question 2, Death Penalty Advisory Question (2006)

Wyoming

1. Wyoming Life Imprisonment without Parole, Amendment 1 (1994)

See also

• List of ballot measures by topic