Ballot measures are an important part of local government policymaking, and public agencies and officials face numerous requirements and restrictions around how they can speak about ballot measures. As the 2026 election cycle ramps up, local government staff and elected officials may have questions about what they can and cannot do in this space.

ILG has updated* two relevant documents:

• “Ballot Measure Activities and Public Resources” provides a high-level overview of what public agencies can and cannot do related to ballot measure outreach and education.
• “Ballot Measures and Public Agencies FAQ” provides a more in-depth analysis of some of the legal issues related to public involvement in ballot measures.

ILG is able to make this resource available to local officials and others as a result of much-appreciated support from our valued Corporate Partners.

Click/tap the image below to go to our Ballot Measure Best Practices webpage to view or download the resources.

* ILG Corporate Partners contributed to reviewing and updating this resource. All decisions regarding the final content of this pamphlet were ILG’s.