US voters deciding dozens of ballot measures affecting life, death, taxes and more

By David A. Lieb, Associated Press

While electing officials to marque and enforce laws, voters successful dozens of states are besides deciding connected much than 140 ballot proposals affecting the mode radical legally live, enactment and die.

As 10 states see measures related to termination oregon reproductive rights connected Tuesday’s ballots, astir a half-dozen states are weighing the legalization of marijuana for either recreational oregon aesculapian use. About 2 twelve measures are focused connected aboriginal elections, including respective specifically barring noncitizens voting. Other authorities measures impact wages, taxes, lodging and education.

Many of the ballot measures were initiated by national petitions that sidestep authorities legislatures, though others were placed earlier voters by lawmakers.

Marijuana legalization

Voters successful Florida, North Dakota and South Dakota are deciding whether to legalize recreational marijuana for adults. The predetermination marks the 3rd ballot connected the contented successful both North Dakota and South Dakota. In Nebraska, voters are considering a pair of measures that would legalize aesculapian marijuana and modulate the industry.

About fractional the states presently let recreational marijuana and astir a twelve much let aesculapian marijuana.

In Massachusetts, a ballot measurement would legalize the possession and supervised usage of earthy psychedelics, including psilocybin mushrooms. It would beryllium the 3rd authorities to bash so, following Oregon and Colorado.

Immigration

An Arizona measure crafted amid a surge successful migration would marque it a authorities transgression to participate from a overseas state but done authoritative ports of entry, and for idiosyncratic already successful the U.S. illegally to use for nationalist benefits utilizing mendacious documents.

The borderline crossing measurement is akin to a challenged Texas law that the U.S. Justice Department says violates national authority.

School choice

A proposed amendment to the Kentucky Constitution would let lawmakers to usage authorities funds for backstage schools. A Colorado measurement would make a law close to schoolhouse prime for K-12 students.

In Nebraska, voters are deciding whether to repeal a caller authorities instrumentality that funds backstage schoolhouse tuition with authorities dollars.

A bulk of states offers immoderate benignant of state-backed programme to assistance screen backstage schoolhouse costs.

Sports betting

Missouri voters are deciding whether to go the latest to legalize sports betting. A full of 38 states and Washington, D.C., already allow sports betting, which has expanded rapidly since the U.S. Supreme Court cleared the mode for it in 2018.

Taxes

A Colorado connection would marque it the 2nd state after California to enforce a income taxation connected firearms and ammunition, with gross going chiefly to transgression victims’ services. The national authorities already taxes income of guns and ammunition.

North Dakota voters are considering a measurement to eliminate spot taxes. If approved, section governments could request much than $3 cardinal biennially successful replacement gross from the state.

A South Dakota measurement would repeal the state’s income taxation connected groceries, a determination already taken successful astir different states.

An Oregon measurement would rise the minimum taxation connected ample corporations to money a taxation rebate for residents.

Housing

California voters are deciding whether to repeal a 1995 instrumentality limiting section rent power ordinances. If approved, it would unfastened the mode for section governments to grow limitations connected the rates that landlords could charge.

A unsocial connection successful Arizona links spot taxes with responses to homelessness. It would fto spot owners question spot taxation refunds if they incur expenses due to the fact that a section authorities declined to enforce ordinances against amerciable camping, loitering, panhandling, nationalist intoxicant and cause use, and different things.

Climate

Voters successful Washington authorities are considering whether to repeal a 2021 instrumentality that caps c emissions and creates a marketplace for businesses exceeding the people to acquisition allowances from others. Washington was the 2nd authorities to motorboat specified a program, aft California.

Citizen voting

Republican-led legislatures successful 8 states — Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Wisconsin — person projected authorities law amendments declaring that only citizens tin vote.

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey speaks successful enactment of a authorities law amendment limiting voting to lone U.S. citizens during a property conference, Oct. 10, 2024, astatine the authorities Capitol successful Jefferson City, Mo. (AP Photo/David A. Lieb)

A 1996 U.S. instrumentality prohibits noncitizens from voting successful national elections, and galore states already person akin laws. But Republicans person emphasized the imaginable of noncitizens voting aft an influx of immigrants astatine the U.S.-Mexican border. Though noncitizen voting historically has been rare, elector rotation reviews earlier the election flagged imaginable noncitizens registered successful respective states.

Some municipalities successful California, Maryland, Vermont and Washington, D.C., let noncitizens to ballot successful definite section elections.

Voting methods

Connecticut voters are considering whether to authorize no-excuse absentee voting, joining astir states that already let it.

Measures successful Montana and South Dakota would make unfastened superior elections successful which candidates of each parties look connected the aforesaid ballot, with a definite fig advancing to the wide election. Measures successful Colorado, Idaho and Nevada besides suggest unfastened primaries featuring candidates from each parties, with a definite fig advancing to a wide predetermination utilizing ranked prime voting. An Oregon measurement would required ranked prime voting successful some primaries and wide elections.

Ranked prime voting is presently utilized successful Alaska and Maine. But Alaska voters are considering whether to repeal provisions of a 2020 inaugural that instituted unfastened primaries and ranked prime wide elections.

Arizona voters are deciding betwixt competing ballot proposals that would necessitate either unfastened primaries with candidates of each parties oregon the state’s existent method of partisan primaries. If conflicting measures some pass, the proviso receiving the astir votes takes effect, but that could beryllium up to a tribunal to decide.

Redistricting

An Ohio initiative would make a citizens committee to grip redistricting for U.S. House and authorities legislative seats, taking the task distant from elected officials.

Minimum wage

Ballot measures successful Missouri and Alaska would gradually rise minimum wages to $15 an hr portion besides requiring paid sick leave. A California measurement would incrementally rise the minimum wage for each employers to $18 an hour.

A Nebraska measurement would necessitate galore employers to supply sick permission but would not alteration wages.

A Massachusetts measurement would gradually rise the minimum wage for tipped employees until it matches the complaint for different employees. By contrast, an Arizona measurement would fto tipped workers beryllium paid 25% little than the minimum wage, truthful agelong arsenic tips propulsion their full wage beyond the minimum wage threshold.

Assisted suicide

West Virginia voters are deciding whether to amend the authorities constitution to prohibit medically assisted suicide. The measurement would tally antagonistic to 10 states and Washington, D.C., where physician-assisted suicide is allowed.