List of local ballot measure lawsuits in 2023
This page lists summaries of lawsuits about local ballot measures filed or ruled on in 2023. Lawsuits can be filed before an election specifically to keep a measure from being put on the ballot. Such pre-election lawsuits often allege one or more of the following:
- invalid signatures,
- unqualified signature gatherers,
- the unconstitutionality of the measure,
- biased or misleading petition language, or
- other criticisms that—if agreed to by a judge—could cause the measure to be removed or blocked from the ballot.
Pre-election lawsuits are most often filed against citizen initiatives and veto referendums; very infrequently are they filed against measures referred to the ballot by the legislature.
Lawsuits alleging the invalidity or unconstitutionality of a measure can also be filed after the election. Sometimes these court cases extend for years after a measure has been approved.
Click on the tabs below to see summaries of lawsuits:
- The By state tab organizes lawsuits about local measures proximate to 2023 by state.
- The By subject tab organizes lawsuits about local measures proximate to 2023 according to the subject of the lawsuits.
- The Historical measures tab lists lawsuits filed or ruled on in 2023 about historical local ballot measures.
- The State tab will bring you to information about lawsuits over statewide ballot measures.
By state
This tab lists lawsuits that were filed or ruled on in 2023—by state—for local measures proximate to 2023. It also lists 2023 lawsuits about any local measures targeting a ballot in 2023 or a later year.
California
| Lawsuit overview | |
| Issue: Whether Monterey County has jurisdiction over oil and gas operations | |
| Court: Superior Court of Monterey County, California Supreme Court | |
| Ruling: Overturned by California Supreme Court, unanimously ruling that state law reserves the power to regulate fossil fuel extraction | |
| Plaintiff(s): Chevron USA Inc, et al. (Other petitioners include Aera Energy, Key Energy Services, Ensign United States Drilling, San Ardo Union Elementary School District, California Resources Corporation, National Association of Royalty Owners, Trio Petroleum, Bradley Minerals, Monroe Swell Prospect, Sunset Exploration, and Eagle Petroleum.) | Defendant(s): Monterey County |
| Plaintiff argument: Monterey County does not have jurisdiction over drilling operations; there is currently no fracking in the county; and the provisions included in the measure could cause all operations to shut down, which could have a significant economic impact on the area. | Defendant argument: The measure is valid. |
Source: Superior Court of Monterey County, PR Newswire, and Courthouse News
Texas
| Lawsuit overview | |
| Issue: Does the measure contain more than one subject, and should it be broken up on the ballot? | |
| Court: Texas Supreme Court | |
| Ruling: Charter amendment would remain as one ballot item | |
| Plaintiff(s): Maria Teresa Ramirez Morris, and Texas Alliance for Life, Inc. | Defendant(s): Ms. Debbie Racca-Sittre, in her official capacity as San Antonio City Clerk, and City of San Antonio City Council |
Source: Texas Courts
By subject
This tab lists lawsuits there were filed or ruled on in 2023—by subject—for local measures proximate to 2023. It also lists 2023 lawsuits about any local measures targeting a ballot in 2023 or a later year.
Subjects listed include the following:
- Ballot language - Lawsuits challenging the accuracy, form, neutrality, or clarity of language designed to appear on petition forms or on the ballot
- Campaign finance - Lawsuits alleging campaign finance law violations
- Circulators - Lawsuits concerning the qualifications or actions of petition circulators
- Post-certification removal - Lawsuits seeking the removal of a local measure from the ballot after it was certified
- Post-election - Lawsuits filed concerning a local measure after the election has already occurred
- Preemption - Lawsuits alleging that a local measure is preempted by a higher authority (i.e. a state measure preempted by Federal authority/law or a local measure preempted by state authority/law)
- Signature validity - Lawsuits challenging the validity of signatures
- Signature deadlines - Lawsuits that argue proponents of a local measure did not meet the procedural deadlines required to put a measure on the ballot
- Single subject - Lawsuits challenging an initiative according to a state's single-subject rule
- Subject restriction - Lawsuits based on legal restrictions on the subject matter of local ballot measures
- Substantive constitutionality - Lawsuits alleging that the content of a local measure violates a constitutional provision such as a right to free speech or equal protection.
- Voter approval requirements - Lawsuits concerning supermajority vote requirements, double majority vote requirements, or other requirements for approval at the ballot.
- Voter guide - Lawsuits challenging the accuracy, form, neutrality, or clarity of language designed to appear on state-produced voter guides
Methodological note: Since multiple lawsuits are often filed surrounding one measure, and these lawsuits provide important context for each other, information about all lawsuits surrounding a specific measure will be listed whether or not each separate lawsuit concerns the subject under which the lawsuits are listed on this tab.
Ballot language
Ballotpedia did not cover any 2023 lawsuits about local measures proximate to 2023 regarding ballot language that took place in 2023.
Campaign finance
Ballotpedia did not cover any 2023 lawsuits about local measures proximate to 2023 regarding campaign finance that took place in 2023.
Circulators
Ballotpedia did not cover any 2023 lawsuits about local measures proximate to 2023 regarding circulators that took place in 2023.
Post-certification removal
Ballotpedia did not cover any 2023 lawsuits about local measures proximate to 2023 regarding post-certification removal that took place in 2023.
Post-election
| Lawsuit overview | |
| Issue: Whether Monterey County has jurisdiction over oil and gas operations | |
| Court: Superior Court of Monterey County, California Supreme Court | |
| Ruling: Overturned by California Supreme Court, unanimously ruling that state law reserves the power to regulate fossil fuel extraction | |
| Plaintiff(s): Chevron USA Inc, et al. (Other petitioners include Aera Energy, Key Energy Services, Ensign United States Drilling, San Ardo Union Elementary School District, California Resources Corporation, National Association of Royalty Owners, Trio Petroleum, Bradley Minerals, Monroe Swell Prospect, Sunset Exploration, and Eagle Petroleum.) | Defendant(s): Monterey County |
| Plaintiff argument: Monterey County does not have jurisdiction over drilling operations; there is currently no fracking in the county; and the provisions included in the measure could cause all operations to shut down, which could have a significant economic impact on the area. | Defendant argument: The measure is valid. |
Source: Superior Court of Monterey County, PR Newswire, and Courthouse News
Preemption
| Lawsuit overview | |
| Issue: Whether Monterey County has jurisdiction over oil and gas operations | |
| Court: Superior Court of Monterey County, California Supreme Court | |
| Ruling: Overturned by California Supreme Court, unanimously ruling that state law reserves the power to regulate fossil fuel extraction | |
| Plaintiff(s): Chevron USA Inc, et al. (Other petitioners include Aera Energy, Key Energy Services, Ensign United States Drilling, San Ardo Union Elementary School District, California Resources Corporation, National Association of Royalty Owners, Trio Petroleum, Bradley Minerals, Monroe Swell Prospect, Sunset Exploration, and Eagle Petroleum.) | Defendant(s): Monterey County |
| Plaintiff argument: Monterey County does not have jurisdiction over drilling operations; there is currently no fracking in the county; and the provisions included in the measure could cause all operations to shut down, which could have a significant economic impact on the area. | Defendant argument: The measure is valid. |
Source: Superior Court of Monterey County, PR Newswire, and Courthouse News
Signature validity
Ballotpedia did not cover any 2023 lawsuits about local measures proximate to 2023 regarding signature validity that took place in 2023.
Signature deadlines
Ballotpedia did not cover any 2023 lawsuits about local measures proximate to 2023 regarding signature deadlines that took place in 2023.
Single subject
Ballotpedia did not cover any 2023 lawsuits about local measures proximate to 2023 regarding single subject that took place in 2023.
Subject restriction
Ballotpedia did not cover any 2023 lawsuits about local measures proximate to 2023 regarding subject restriction that took place in 2023.
Substantive constitutionality
Ballotpedia did not cover any 2023 lawsuits about local measures proximate to 2023 regarding substantive constitutionality that took place in 2023.
Voter approval requirements
Ballotpedia did not cover any 2023 lawsuits about local measures proximate to 2023 regarding voter approval requirements that took place in 2023.
Voter guide
Ballotpedia did not cover any 2023 lawsuits about local measures proximate to 2023 regarding voter guide language that took place in 2023.
Historical measures
This tab shows a list of lawsuits, by state, that were filed or ruled on in 2023 against historical local ballot measures. For lawsuits about local measures proximate to 2023, see the By state and "By subject tabs.
Ballotpedia did not cover any local ballot measure lawsuits about historical measures in 2023.
Statewide measures
- See also: List of ballot measure lawsuits in 2023
Ballotpedia covers all statewide measures in every state.
A compiled list of 2023 lawsuits about statewide ballot measures can be found here.
See also
- List of ballot measure lawsuits in 2017
- List of ballot measure lawsuits in 2012
- List of ballot measure lawsuits in 2013
- List of ballot measure lawsuits in 2014
- List of ballot measure lawsuits in 2015
- List of ballot measure lawsuits in 2016
- List of ballot measure lawsuits in 2011
- List of ballot measure lawsuits in 2010
- List of ballot measure lawsuits in 2009
- List of local ballot measure lawsuits in 2016
- List of local ballot measure lawsuits in 2015
- List of local ballot measure lawsuits in 2017
- List of ballot measure lawsuits in 2018
- List of local ballot measure lawsuits in 2018
- List of local ballot measure lawsuits in 2019
- List of ballot measure lawsuits in 2019
- List of ballot measure lawsuits in 2020
- List of ballot measure lawsuits in 2021
- List of local ballot measure lawsuits in 2020
- List of local ballot measure lawsuits in 2021
- List of ballot measure lawsuits in 2022
- List of local ballot measure lawsuits in 2022
- List of ballot measure lawsuits in 2023
- 2008 ballot measure lawsuits
- 2009 ballot measure litigation
- 2010 ballot measure litigation
- 2011 ballot measure litigation
- 2008 single-subject rule challenges
- List of ballot measure lawsuits in 1999
- List of ballot measure lawsuits in 2024
- List of local ballot measure lawsuits in 2024
Footnotes
| |||||||||||||
