Voters in 39 states will decide on 145 statewide ballot measures in November 2026, addressing issues including abortion, transgender rights, taxation, and election administration. According to data from the ad-tracking firm AdImpact, at least $400 million has been spent on television advertising for these initiatives during the current cycle. The measures are a combination of citizen-led petition drives and constitutional amendments referred to the ballot by state legislatures.
The election follows the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Dobbs, which overturned Roe v. Wade. While the number of abortion-related initiatives has decreased since 2022, four states—Nevada, Virginia, Idaho, and Missouri—have the issue on the ballot this year. In Missouri, the Republican-led legislature has proposed a measure that would reinstate a near-total abortion ban and prohibit gender-affirming medical treatments for minors, just two years after voters there nullified a previous ban.
In California, Proposition 40 proposes a one-time 5% wealth tax on billionaires to fund healthcare and education programs. The measure has seen $92 million in television ad spending, with significant opposition from tech investors like Peter Thiel and Google co-founder Sergey Brin. Two competing measures on the same California ballot, including Proposition 42, are designed to nullify the wealth tax if they receive more votes than Proposition 40.
The scale of the transgender-related measures is the largest in U.S. history, with six initiatives across five states. In Washington, a proposed statute would require female student-athletes to have their biological sex verified by a healthcare provider, which could involve exams of reproductive anatomy or genetic makeup. In Arizona and Colorado, measures seek to restrict transgender students' access to sports and private spaces like locker rooms. These changes would fundamentally alter how schools and athletic associations manage participation based on gender identity.
Additionally, over a dozen measures involve election administration. Voters in seven states will decide on photo ID requirements for voting, while six states—Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Kansas, South Dakota, and West Virginia—are voting on amendments to explicitly state that only U.S. citizens can vote in state elections. Other measures in North and South Dakota would raise the threshold for passing future constitutional amendments to 60%. These changes could set new precedents for how citizens interact with their government and the difficulty of future legal changes. Most of these measures will take effect following the certification of the November 3, 2026, election results, though specific implementation dates vary by state.