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Results for minimum wage and labor-related ballot measures, 2024
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On November 5, 2024, voters decided on seven ballot measures related to labor policies, including five on the minimum wage, three on paid sick leave (two addressed minimum wage and sick leave), and two on unionization.
Measures to increase the minimum wage, enact paid sick leave requirements, or both were on the ballot in Alaska, California, Massachusetts, Missouri, and Nebraska. Voters approved the ballot initiatives in Alaska, Missouri, and Nebraska. In California and Massachusetts, voters rejected ballot measure to increase the minimum wage—the first time since 1996 that minimum wage increase measures were defeated.
In Arizona, voters rejected a legislative referral to allow for tipped workers to be paid 25% less per hour than the minimum wage, as long as their combined wage and tips total at least $2 above the minimum wage.
Voters in Massachusetts and Oregon approved ballot measures concerning unionization policies: for cannabis workers in Oregon, and for transportation network drivers in Massachusetts.
This page provides election results for the minimum wage and labor-related ballot measures, as well as campaign finance and historical ballot measure context. Click on the links below to find the following:
- Summaries for measures to watch
- Results for Nov. 5, 2024
- Campaign finance for ballot measures
- Historical context
Watchlist
The following ballot measure is highlighted among minimum wage initiatives for proposing the highest wage:
- California Proposition 32: In 2024, California had the second-highest state minimum wage at $16.00 per hour. Washington ranked first with a minimum wage of $16.28.[1] California Proposition 32 would have increased the state's minimum wage to $18.00, surpassing Washington. Proposition 32 was the highest minimum wage ever proposed through a state ballot measure. Before 2024, the highest were $15.00 in Florida (2020) and Nebraska (2022). Both were approved. The last time voters rejected a state minimum wage increase was in 1996. Voters approved 24 increases from 1996 to 2023. Polling suggested that Proposition 32 could break the streak of successful minimum wage increase measures. On November 5, voters rejected Proposition 32.
Results
- See also: 2024 ballot measure election results
State
Wages
The following table lists the six ballot measures related to minimum wage and paid sick leave and their election results.
| State | Type | Title | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AK | Ballot Measure 1 | Increase the state's minimum wage to $15 per hour and require employers to provide earned paid sick leave for employees |
|
183,744 (58%) |
133,162 (42%) |
|
| AZ | Proposition 138 | Allow for tipped workers to be paid 25% less per hour than the minimum wage provided that the worker's total compensation was not less than the minimum wage plus $2 |
|
792,557 (25%) |
2,348,023 (75%) |
|
| CA | Proposition 32 | Increase the state's minimum wage to $18 per hour |
|
7,469,803 (49%) |
7,686,126 (51%) |
|
| MA | Question 5 | Increase the minimum wage for tipped employees to meet the state's standard minimum wage |
|
1,200,980 (36%) |
2,147,245 (64%) |
|
| MO | Proposition A | Increase the state's minimum wage to $15 per hour and require employers to provide earned paid sick leave for employees |
|
1,693,064 (58%) |
1,247,658 (42%) |
|
| NE | Initiative 436 | Require employers to provide earned paid sick leave for employees |
|
662,348 (75%) |
225,974 (25%) |
Unionization
The following table lists the two ballot measures related to union and collective bargaining policies, including their election results.
| State | Type | Title | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MA | Question 3 | Provide for unionization and collective bargaining for transportation network drivers |
|
1,771,770 (54%) |
1,504,681 (46%) |
|
| OR | Measure 119 | Require cannabis businesses to submit to the state Liquor and Cannabis Commission a signed labor peace agreement between the business and a labor organization with its licensure or renewal application |
|
1,166,425 (57%) |
889,265 (43%) |
Local
The following table lists one wage-related local ballot measure and its election results.
| Jurisdiction | State | Type | Title | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glendale | AZ | Proposition 499 | Provide for a local minimum wage of $20.00 per hour for hotel and event center workers |
|
35,290 (43%) |
46,041 (57%) |
Campaign finance
- See also: Ballot measure campaign finance, 2024
The following table lists the statewide ballot measures, support and opposition contributions for each measure, and the post-election outcome of each measure.
| Ballot Measure | Support Contributions | Oppose Contributions | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Ballot Measure 1, Minimum Wage Increase and Paid Sick Leave Initiative (2024) | $2,641,782.33 | $0.00 | 
|
| Arizona Proposition 138, Wages for Tipped Workers Amendment (2024) | $0.00 | $0.00 | 
|
| California Proposition 32, $18 Minimum Wage Initiative (2024) | $11,890,077.34 | $804,376.48 |
|
| Massachusetts Question 3, Unionization and Collective Bargaining for Transportation Network Drivers Initiative (2024) | $7,845,797.62 | $0.00 |
|
| Massachusetts Question 5, Minimum Wage for Tipped Employees Initiative (2024) | $1,926,480.62 | $3,173,692.41 |
|
| Missouri Proposition A, Minimum Wage and Earned Paid Sick Time Initiative (2024) | $6,445,815.96 | $0.00 |
|
| Nebraska Initiative 436, Paid Sick Leave Initiative (2024) | $3,418,765.84 | $0.00 |
|
| Oregon Measure 119, Unionization of Cannabis Workers Initiative (2024) | $4,248,217.21 | $12,735.00 |
Historical context
- See also: Minimum wage laws ballot measures
From 1996 to 2024, there were 32 ballot measures to increase state minimum wages. Voters approved 28 (87.50%) and rejected four (12.50%).[2] In 2024, California and Massachusetts became the first states to reject minimum wage increase ballot measures since 1996. The other two defeated measures were on the ballot in 1996 in Missouri and Montana.
The following chart shows election outcomes for minimum wage increase ballot measures from 1996 to 2024.
| Measures to increase state minimum wages (1996-2024) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | State | Measure | Wage | Type | Yes votes (%) | No votes (%) | Outcome |
| 2024 | California | Proposition 32 | $18.00 (2026) | Initiative | N/A | N/A |
|
| 2024 | Massachusetts | Question 5 | $15.00 (2029) for Tipped Employees[3] | Initiative | N/A | N/A |
|
| 2024 | Missouri | Proposition A | $15.00 (2026) | Initiative | N/A | N/A |
|
| 2024 | Alaska | Ballot Measure 1 | $15.00 (2027) | Initiative | N/A | N/A |
|
| 2022 | Nebraska | Initiative 433 | $15.00 (2026) | Initiative | 58.66% | 41.34% |
|
| 2022 | Nevada | Amendment 2 | $12.00 (2024) | Referral | 55.18% | 44.82% |
|
| 2020 | Florida | Amendment 2 | $15.00 (2026) | Initiative | 60.82% | 39.18% |
|
| 2018 | Arkansas | Issue 5 | $11.00 (2021) | Initiative | 68.46% | 31.54% |
|
| 2018 | Missouri | Proposition B | $12.00 (2023) | Initiative | 62.34% | 37.66% |
|
| 2016 | Arizona | Proposition 206 | $12.00 (2020) | Initiative | 58.33% | 41.67% |
|
| 2016 | Colorado | Amendment 70 | $12.00 (2020) | Initiative | 55.36% | 44.64% |
|
| 2016 | Maine | Question 4 | $12.00 (2020) | Initiative | 55.50% | 44.50% |
|
| 2016 | Washington | Initiative 1433 | $13.50 (2020) | Initiative | 57.42% | 42.58% |
|
| 2014 | Alaska | Measure 3 | $9.75 (2016) | Initiative | 69.35% | 30.65% |
|
| 2014 | Arkansas | Issue 5 | $8.50 (2017) | Initiative | 65.94% | 34.06% |
|
| 2014 | Nebraska | Initiative 425 | $9.00 (2016) | Initiative | 59.47% | 40.53% |
|
| 2014 | South Dakota | Measure 18 | $8.50 (2015) | Initiative | 55.05% | 44.95% |
|
| 2013 | New Jersey | Question 2 | $8.25 (2014) | Referral | 61.26% | 38.74% |
|
| 2006 | Arizona | Proposition 2022 | $6.75 (2007) | Initiative | 65.37% | 34.63% |
|
| 2006 | Colorado | Initiative 42 | $6.85 (2007) | Initiative | 53.30% | 46.70% |
|
| 2006 | Missouri | Proposition B | $6.50 (2007) | Initiative | 75.94% | 24.06% |
|
| 2006 | Montana | I-151 | $6.50 (2007) | Initiative | 72.69% | 27.31% |
|
| 2006 | Nevada | Question 6 | $6.15 (2006)[4] | Initiative | 68.71% | 31.29% |
|
| 2006 | Ohio | Amendment 2 | $6.85 (2007) | Initiative | 56.65% | 43.35% |
|
| 2004 | Florida | Amendment 5 | $6.15 (2005) | Initiative | 71.25% | 28.75% |
|
| 2004 | Nevada | Question 6 | $6.15 (2006)[4] | Initiative | 68.4% | 31.6% |
|
| 2002 | Oregon | Measure 25 | $6.90 (2003) | Initiative | 51.3% | 48.7% |
|
| 1998 | Washington | Initiative 688 | $6.50 (2000) | Initiative | 66.1% | 33.9% |
|
| 1996 | California | Proposition 210 | $5.75 (1998) | Initiative | 61.45% | 38.55% |
|
| 1996 | Missouri | Proposition A | $6.75 (1999)[5] | Initiative | 28.70% | 71.30% |
|
| 1996 | Montana | I-121 | $6.25 (2000) | Initiative | 43.53% | 56.47% |
|
| 1996 | Oregon | Measure 36 | $6.50 (1999) | Initiative | 56.85% | 43.15% |
|
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ Washington D.C. also had a higher minimum wage at $17.50 in 2024.
- ↑ Note: In 2014, voters approved an advisory question on increasing the minimum wage in Illinois. As this question was nonbinding, the measure is not counted here.
- ↑ Question 5 would have increased the minimum wage for tipped employees to match the general state minimum wage, which was $15.00 in 2024.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Question 6 required employers to compensate employees $5.15 per hour when the employer provides health benefits or $6.15 per hour when the employer does not provide health benefits.
- ↑ Proposition A would have also added 15 cents to the minimum wage each year beginning in 2000.
