By Sohaib Shams
Voters in more than three dozen states will decide around 150 ballot measures on November 3, alongside congressional midterm elections. The measures cover abortion access, transgender athlete participation, a potential billionaire tax, voter ID requirements, redistricting, and corporate campaign spending.
Transgender sports bans and healthcare restrictions
Arizona, Colorado, Nebraska, and Washington will vote on barring transgender girls and women from female sports teams. Arizona's measure would extend the ban to private schools and require bathrooms and locker rooms to match birth certificates. Nebraska's proposal would enshrine the ban in the state constitution. Washington's initiative would require verification of "biological sex" by a healthcare provider for girls' team participation. Colorado and Missouri will also vote on restricting gender-affirming care for minors.
Abortion rights on the ballot
Idaho voters will decide whether to establish a right to abortion up to fetal viability, around 24 weeks, after a near-total ban took effect in 2022. Missouri faces a measure that would reinstate the state's abortion ban, reversing a 2024 citizen-led referendum that overturned it. The Missouri measure, backed by the Republican legislature, also bans gender-affirming care for minors.
Voter ID and mail-in ballot rules
California, Colorado, and Nevada will consider requiring the last four digits of a government ID for mail-in voting. Arizona has a referendum mandating photo ID for mail-in ballots, though the implementation details are unspecified.
Redistricting battles shape congressional maps
Missouri voters will approve or reject a Republican-drawn map that would dismantle the state's only Democratic-leaning district. In Maryland, a constitutional amendment would make it easier for the Democratic-controlled legislature to redraw districts, potentially eliminating the lone Republican-leaning seat in 2028.
California weighs first billionaire tax
Proposition 40 would impose a one-time 5% wealth tax on the worldwide assets of the state's roughly 250 billionaires, with revenues directed to healthcare. Governor Gavin Newsom opposes the measure, warning it could drive tech companies out of state.
Corporate spending and ranked-choice voting
Montana will decide whether to bar corporations from spending on elections, a strategy to circumvent the Citizens United ruling. Alaska voters will determine whether to keep the state's ranked-choice voting system, which reallocates votes until a candidate reaches a majority.
