What a Referendum Is and Who Can Call One in U.S. States

Updated: October 24, 2026

A referendum is a statewide vote in which voters decide whether to approve or reject a measure, often one passed by the legislature. Who can call one depends on state law: some referendums are triggered by citizens, while others are initiated by lawmakers or required by a state constitution.

The word “referendum” covers different procedures, and the rules vary from state to state. In some states, voters can use a petition to challenge a newly enacted law; elsewhere, a referendum is a legislative or constitutionally required vote. Understanding what a referendum is—and who can call one in U.S. states—means looking at each state’s rules on which measures qualify and how the process begins.

• 10 days Deadline for a North Carolina referendum committee to file its Organizational Report after organizing

What is a referendum, and who can call one?

A referendum is a public vote on a particular issue or proposed legislation, and it may be required by law, initiated by voters through a petition, or called by a governmental authority. The process varies by state: state law determines which measures can go to voters and what steps a petition must meet.

Mandatory and optional referendums

A mandatory referendum is required for certain legislative actions, so the measure goes to a public vote because state law requires it. An optional referendum, by contrast, can be triggered when voters submit a petition that satisfies the state’s requirements.

• Mandatory: State law requires a vote on certain legislative actions.
• Optional: Voters petition to put a measure before the electorate, subject to state requirements.

Governmental authorities may also call referendums. In California, citizens can petition for a referendum to approve or reject a statute or part of a statute. In Washington, a registered voter can file a referendum measure to put a recently passed law on the ballot before it takes effect; the petition must meet the state’s signature requirement.

How does a voter petition put a state law before voters?

A voter petition can put an enacted state statute—or a specific part of it—to a public vote, asking voters to approve or reject the law. This referendum process challenges legislation already passed; it is different from a citizens’ initiative, which proposes a new measure.

California and Washington use different procedures

• California: The state constitution gives citizens the right to petition for a referendum on statutes or parts of statutes, so voters can decide whether the enacted law should stand.
• Washington: A registered voter can file a referendum measure concerning a recently passed law before it takes effect, seeking to place that law before voters.

In both states, a petition is a route to a vote on an enacted law, but the practical requirements are controlled by state law. Signature thresholds and filing steps differ, so a California petition cannot simply be filed under Washington’s rules, or vice versa; petitioners must follow the procedures for the state whose law they are challenging.

What does organizing a referendum campaign require?

Organizing a referendum campaign in North Carolina requires the committee to file an Organizational Report within 10 days of organizing. This filing records the committee’s formation and finances; it does not qualify a proposed measure for the ballot.

Reporting the committee’s finances

The committee treasurer must sign and file form CRO-1000, certifying that the report is true and correct. North Carolina campaign-finance rules also cover contributions received and expenditures made by referendum committees, with later disclosure reports filed under the applicable reporting schedule.

The filing obligation concerns the committee’s organization and financial activity, while ballot qualification is a separate process. A committee’s Organizational Report therefore does not, by itself, place a referendum measure on the ballot.

What happens after petition signatures are submitted?

After referendum petition signatures are submitted, election officials verify them against the state’s required number before deciding whether the measure qualifies for the ballot. In Oregon, the Elections Division says a petition can qualify once verification shows it has the required number of signatures; qualification follows on the 30th day after the signature submission deadline.

Oregon’s filing steps

Oregon’s process also assigns the chief petitioner responsibility for filing the petition’s cover and signature sheets, or correcting sheets when required. Submission therefore involves both meeting the signature threshold and completing the required filing steps; handing in signatures alone does not put a referendum on the ballot.

Because filing sequences and verification rules vary by state, campaigns should check the relevant state election authority’s petition instructions before submitting materials. Those instructions can clarify what must be filed, who is responsible for each document, and how officials handle sheets that need correction.

When can a referendum petition fail or be unavailable?

A referendum petition can fail when state law excludes the subject, the required signatures are not verified, or the filing and campaign-finance rules are not met. A petition is not a general route to put any question before voters: states limit which laws or measures can be challenged, and some subjects are exempt. In Ohio, for example, voters cannot use a referendum to challenge tax levies, spending for routine state expenses, or emergency laws.

Eligibility and qualification are separate tests

For a petition to qualify, election officials must verify enough valid signatures under the applicable state rules; a shortfall can keep the measure off the ballot. Meeting the signature threshold does not cure a late or improper filing, and filing successfully does not by itself satisfy campaign-finance requirements. Each obligation must be met on its own terms.

A referendum and a citizens’ initiative also pursue different paths. A referendum petition challenges an existing law, seeking a vote to approve or reject it; California’s referendum process, for example, applies to statutes or parts of statutes. A citizens’ initiative instead proposes a measure for voters to consider, subject to the state’s initiative rules. Calling a proposal an initiative does not make it a referendum, or expand the subjects state law allows a referendum petition to challenge.

How do referendum rules differ from state to state?

Referendum rules differ by state in what voters may challenge, who may file, and what organizers must do before a measure reaches the ballot. California’s petition route, Washington’s filing process, North Carolina’s committee and finance rules, and Oregon’s signature review illustrate those differences.

• California: A petition can seek voter approval or rejection of a statute or part of a statute.
• Washington: A registered voter can file against a recently passed law before it takes effect, seeking to put the measure before voters.
• North Carolina: The cited requirements center on organizing a referendum committee and reporting campaign finances, making committee structure and disclosure central parts of the process.
• Oregon: Petition signatures must be verified before the measure qualifies for the ballot.

These rules create different procedural hurdles: California’s description focuses on the law being challenged, Washington’s on who can file and when, North Carolina’s on committee organization and financial reporting, and Oregon’s on checking petition signatures. A person considering a referendum should check the state’s official election guidance for the applicable filing steps and qualification requirements.

Frequently asked questions

Key takeaways

• A referendum is a vote on an issue or proposed legislation, but state law controls who can trigger it.
• California petitions can seek approval or rejection of statutes or parts of statutes.
• Washington permits a registered voter to file against a recently passed law before it takes effect.
• North Carolina referendum committees have an Organizational Report filing duty within 10 days of organizing.
• Oregon ballot qualification depends on signature verification.