2024 Ballot Measure: States Decide on Social, Economic Issues

2024 Ballot Measure: States Decide on Social, Economic Issues \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ In addition to electing officials, voters across dozens of states are considering over 140 ballot measures that could reshape laws on abortion, marijuana, wages, and more. With ten states voting on abortion rights and several on marijuana legalization, these measures reflect citizen-led efforts to influence key issues. Voters will also weigh proposals impacting education, immigration, and climate policies.

U.S. 2024 Ballot Measures: Quick Looks

• Ten states vote on abortion-related measures; others focus on marijuana and school choice.
• Multiple states consider open primaries, ranked-choice voting, and citizen voting rights.
• Proposals address minimum wage increases, housing, and tax changes.
• Environmental and public health topics, including rent control and carbon caps, on ballots.
• Several states are considering measures affecting immigration and citizenship rights.

Deep Look

While Americans elect candidates to shape the future, they’re also voting on 140 state ballot measures that could significantly impact various aspects of daily life, from healthcare to wages to environmental standards. Many of these measures stem from citizen petitions that bypassed state legislatures, allowing voters direct influence on pressing social and economic issues. Here’s a closer look at the key ballot proposals for 2024.

Abortion and Reproductive Rights

As abortion rights remain a focal point post-Roe, ten states are weighing proposals that could shape abortion access. These measures vary in scope, but they all have the potential to redefine reproductive healthcare access within the states considering them. In some states, the amendments aim to secure a right to abortion in state constitutions, while in others, they seek to prevent further restrictions. The outcomes of these measures will likely impact ongoing debates and future legislation on reproductive rights.

Marijuana Legalization

The legalization of marijuana remains a hot topic on several state ballots. Voters in Florida, North Dakota, and South Dakota will decide whether to permit recreational marijuana for adults, with this election marking the third attempt to legalize recreational use in the Dakotas. In Nebraska, a pair of measures would allow medical marijuana and establish industry regulations, aligning Nebraska with many states that already permit medical cannabis use.

Currently, about half of U.S. states allow recreational marijuana, while nearly a dozen permit it for medical use. At the federal level, marijuana remains illegal, subject to penalties including fines and imprisonment. In Massachusetts, voters are also deciding on a measure to legalize the possession and supervised use of natural psychedelics, including psilocybin mushrooms. If passed, Massachusetts would join Oregon and Colorado in decriminalizing these substances.

Immigration and Citizenship

In Arizona, an immigration-related ballot measure is drawing attention. The measure, crafted amid heightened immigration, proposes making it a state crime to enter the U.S. without using official entry points. It also targets individuals already in the country who use false documents to apply for public benefits. This Arizona measure mirrors a Texas law that faces legal challenges, with the U.S. Justice Department arguing it infringes on federal jurisdiction.

In addition, eight Republican-led states—Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Wisconsin—are voting on state constitutional amendments to declare explicitly that only U.S. citizens can vote. While federal law already bars noncitizens from voting in national elections, these measures reflect rising Republican concerns over potential noncitizen voting. Voter roll audits in several states have flagged noncitizen registrations, though noncitizen voting has historically been rare.

School Choice and Private Education

School choice remains a contentious issue, with multiple states voting on measures to allocate public funds to private education. In Kentucky, a proposed amendment would allow lawmakers to direct state funds toward private schools. Colorado is considering a measure that would establish a constitutional right to K-12 school choice. In Nebraska, voters will decide whether to uphold or repeal a state law that funds private school tuition with state dollars. Over half of U.S. states currently provide some financial support for private education through tax credits or vouchers.

Sports Betting

With sports betting legalized in 38 states and Washington, D.C., Missouri voters are now deciding whether to join them. Since the Supreme Court’s 2018 decision allowing states to legalize sports betting, the industry has expanded rapidly, generating significant revenue in states that have embraced it.

Taxes and Revenue

Tax measures are up for vote in several states, addressing areas such as firearm sales, property taxes, and grocery taxes. In Colorado, voters are deciding whether to become the second state, after California, to tax firearm and ammunition sales, with revenue allocated primarily to victim services. North Dakota voters face a measure to abolish property taxes altogether, which, if approved, would require the state to provide local governments with replacement funding. South Dakota is considering a repeal of its grocery sales tax, aligning with most other states that have eliminated the tax.

In Oregon, a proposal would raise minimum corporate taxes on large businesses, using the funds to offer tax rebates to residents, highlighting a growing trend toward using corporate taxes to fund social programs.

Housing and Rent Control

Housing affordability is another focal point for voters, particularly in California, where residents are considering repealing a 1995 law that limits local rent control ordinances. Repealing this law would enable municipalities to expand rent control, potentially lowering housing costs for residents. In Arizona, a unique proposal links property taxes to homelessness, allowing property owners to claim tax refunds for expenses incurred if local governments fail to enforce ordinances against illegal camping, loitering, and other public space concerns.

Climate and Environmental Policies

In Washington state, a climate-focused measure proposes repealing a 2021 law that caps carbon emissions and allows businesses exceeding those caps to purchase allowances. Washington became the second state, after California, to implement such a cap-and-trade system. This vote could set a precedent for climate-related initiatives nationwide, as many states weigh the economic impacts of emissions caps versus the benefits of reduced pollution.

Election Methods and Voting Access

Voters in numerous states are deciding on changes to election methods. Connecticut is considering adopting no-excuse absentee voting, which would align it with most states that already permit this voting method. Several states, including Montana, South Dakota, Colorado, Idaho, and Nevada, have proposed open primaries, which would allow all candidates to appear on the same primary ballot, with the top candidates advancing to the general election. Some states, like Oregon, are also considering ranked-choice voting for both primary and general elections, allowing voters to rank candidates by preference. Alaska, however, may repeal its ranked-choice system, which was implemented after a 2020 vote.

Redistricting Reform

In Ohio, a proposed initiative seeks to transfer redistricting authority from elected officials to a citizens’ commission. This change aims to reduce partisan influence in the drawing of district boundaries for U.S. House and state legislative seats.

Minimum Wage and Workers’ Rights

In several states, ballot measures propose raising the minimum wage and expanding worker benefits. Missouri and Alaska are voting on gradual minimum wage increases to $15 an hour, including provisions for paid sick leave. California is considering a measure to incrementally raise the minimum wage to $18 an hour statewide. In Nebraska, voters are weighing a measure to require many employers to offer paid sick leave, although the initiative does not propose wage increases.

Massachusetts voters will decide whether to raise the minimum wage for tipped employees until it matches the standard minimum wage. Conversely, Arizona is proposing a measure that would allow tipped employees to be paid 25% less than the state’s minimum wage, provided tips bring their total earnings above the minimum threshold.

Assisted Suicide and End-of-Life Decisions

West Virginia voters are considering a constitutional amendment that would prohibit medically assisted suicide, a measure that diverges from the policies of ten states and Washington, D.C., where physician-assisted suicide is currently legal.

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