According to the Initiative and Referendum Institute at USC, there are a total of 208 propositions on the ballot in 37 states nationwide this year, which is an increase from the 162 propositions on the ballot nationwide in 2004. California has the third-highest number of propositions on the ballot, with Colorado (14 propositions) and Arizona (19 propositions) coming in second and first. The most pervasive issues on the ballot this year are eminent domain (13 states), tobacco and smoking-related measures (10 states), and same-sex marriage (9 states).

Outside of California, several measures are being watched closely. These include:

• Referred Law 6 in South Dakota, which would repeal the state’s ban on abortion that was signed into law by Governor Mike Rounds in March.

• Four measures on the Arizona ballot are related to illegal immigration. The measures would deny state services to illegal aliens (Ballot Measure 300), deny them bail in felony circumstances (Ballot Measure 100), deny them punitive damages in civil lawsuits (Ballot Measure 102), and establish English as the state’s official language (Ballot Measure 103).

• Proposal 2 on the Michigan ballot would prohibit the University of Michigan and other state universities from “using affirmative action programs that give preferential treatment to groups or individuals based on their race, gender, color, ethnicity or national origin for public employment, education or contracting purposes.”

Update: There’s a good article in the October 30 San Francisco Chronicle about Michigan’s Proposal 2, pointing out its similarities (including sponsorship) to California’s Proposition 209, which was passed almost exactly 10 years ago.

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