As of 2025, 30 states had designated English as their official language. Three—Alaska, Hawaii, and South Dakota—also recognize some indigenous languages as co-official languages. Most (27) of these states adopted their official language between the 1980s and 2000s, with a median year of 1988.
In 1991, Michele Arington wrote that "[a]lthough a proposed [federal] constitutional amendment, the 'English Language Amendment,' has stalled repeatedly in the Congress," supporters had "considerable success at the state and local levels." Arington added, "The preferred method of enacting such legislation, especially in recent years, has been the initiative and referendum."[1] The trend emerged in the 1980s with California Proposition 63 and continued into the 2000s, with the most recent vote taking place in 2010 in Oklahoma.
Of the 30 states that designated English as their official language, 11 (37%) did so through voter-approved ballot measures. Measures were approved in Alabama, Alaska, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Utah, and twice in Arizona. The average vote on these measures was 73.1%, with support ranging from 50.5% to 88.5%.
On March 1, 2025, President Donald Trump (R) issued an executive order "[designating] English as the official language of the United States."[2]
