Voters in 39 states will weigh in on 145 ballot measures on Nov. 3, on top of choosing members of Congress, PBS NewsHour reports. The issues include election laws, transgender rights, taxes and abortion. California and Colorado each have 14 measures, the most of any state 1.
NBC News also counts nearly 150 measures in more than three dozen states 2. Some measures create new laws or constitutional amendments, and others repeal existing policies 1.
Who can vote, and how
Six states are voting on language saying only U.S. citizens can vote in state elections: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Kansas, South Dakota and West Virginia. Noncitizens already cannot vote in federal elections, and no state lets them vote in statewide elections 1.
UCLA election law expert Rick Hasen said supporters may be trying to head off a future change 1.
From Channel GOPTrump on the Alaska ballot and the DOJ suitDonald Trump · 211 plays · captioned, with the source named
One reason for ballot measures in states might be to prevent this choice,
PBS notes that President Donald Trump has long made false claims of widespread voter fraud by noncitizens, and that so far there is no evidence to support them. Noncitizen voting is extremely rare 1.
Six other states, Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, North Carolina and Ohio, will vote on constitutional amendments requiring voter identification. The details vary, but they would generally require a government-issued ID or Social Security numbers 1.
Taxes and abortion
More than two dozen measures deal with property and income taxes. Californians will vote on a one-time 5% wealth tax on billionaires to fund state health and education programs. Pluribus News editor Reid Wilson said Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom opposes it 1.
Washington voters will decide whether to repeal a 9.9% income tax on millionaires enacted in March. In Florida, a measure would raise the homestead exemption on non-school property taxes. That would lower homeowner taxes but reduce money for hospitals, libraries, police and fire rescue, according to the Florida Policy Institute 1.
Abortion will be on the ballot in four states, though it is less central than in recent years. Idaho, Nevada and Virginia voters will decide on measures to provide access. Missouri voters will decide whether to repeal a 2024 amendment 1.
Voters really don't like it when rights are taken away from them.
What happens next
Passing thresholds differ by state. Florida constitutional amendments need 60% of the vote. Nevada's citizen-initiated amendments must pass twice in successive elections 1.
That matters because these results will shape state law whichever party wins Congress. Ballot measures can also bring voters out in a midterm, when turnout is historically lower than in presidential years 1.
The Record
Sources
- PBS NewsHour, “A guide to the key ballot measures voters will decide on Election Day” (2026-10-26). pbs.org/newshour/politics/a-guide-to-the-key-ballot-measures
- NBC News, “What to know about Israel's election and the key ballot measures for the midterms: Morning Rundown” (2026-10-26). nbcnews.com/news/us-news/know-israels-election-key-ballot-me
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