A referendum is the power of the people to approve or reject statutes adopted by the Legislature. However, referenda can not be used to approve or reject urgency measures or statutes that call for elections or provide for tax levies or appropriations for current expenses of the state. Voters wishing to block implementation of a legislatively-adopted statute must gather signatures of registered voters equal in number to 5% of the votes cast for all candidates for Governor in the previous gubernatorial election within 90 days of enactment of the bill. Once on the ballot, the law is defeated if voters cast more NO votes than YES votes on the referendum question.

Please click here, to view the list of California Referenda History from 1914 to the present.