Ballot Measures: Topics

Ballot Measures Topics

Explore ballot measure topics at the state and local levels and learn how voters have directly shaped policy issues over time.

Ballot measure topics

Voters have weighed in on a wide range of ballot measures, shaping policies at both the state and local levels. Across more than a century, ballot measures have addressed governance, taxation and budgets, elections, criminal justice, education, transportation, social issues, environmental policy, and more.

Some of the most significant changes to state government structures and policies have occurred through ballot measures, including changes to tax structures and electoral systems. In some cases, ballot measures also preceded or contributed to broader national policy changes and conversations, such as women’s suffrage, prohibition, and lowering the voting age.

This page provides an overview of ballot measure topics, with links to state and local ballot measure topics and historical overviews of select issues.

Explore the sections below for more information:

History of ballot measures by topic
Provides a list of pages that offer overviews of how ballot measures have shaped laws and policies on specific issues over time.
State ballot measure topics
Organizes state ballot measures into 10 parent topics and 230 subtopics.
Local ballot measure topics
Organizes state ballot measures into eight parent topics and 99 subtopics.

History of ballot measures by topic

Horizontal Info Card

History of Initiative & Referendum Ballot Measures

Period: 1898 - 1996

In the U.S., 26 states have adopted constitutional amendments for citizen-initiated ballot measures. As state constitutional amendments require voter approval, except in Delaware, creating ballot initiative processes required ballot measures, either from state legislatures or constitutional convention. Most of these amendments originated during the progressive and populist movements of the 1890s to 1920s.Beginning in 1898, voters in 30 states have decided on 42 constitutional amendments to create state initiative and referendum processes. The most recent was in Mississippi in 1992, and no such amendments have appeared on the ballot since then.

Topics

The following is a list of pages that provide overviews of how ballot measures have addressed policies and topics over time, highlighting their distribution across states, the number and types of measures, and their outcomes.

History of ballot measures to establish initiative and referendum processes: Voters in 30 states have decided on 42 constitutional amendments to create state initiative and referendum processes. Voters approved constitutional amendments in 26 states. The average vote on a constitutional amendment to establish an initiative or referendum process was 68.3% to 31.7%. The four states that rejected constitutional amendments to establish initiative and referendum processes were Minnesota, Rhode Island, Texas, and Wisconsin.

History of abortion ballot measures: Since the 1970s, there were 65 abortion-related ballot measures in 30 states. From 1970 to 2024, 44 (68%) of these had the support of organizations that described themselves as pro-life. Voters approved 12 (27%) and rejected 32 (73%) of these 44 ballot measures. The other 21 abortion-related ballot measures had the support of organizations that described themselves as pro-choice or pro-reproductive rights. Voters approved 15 (71%) and rejected six (29%)

History of English as official language ballot measures and laws: As of 2025, 30 states had designated English as their official language. Most (27) of these states adopted their official language between the 1980s and 2000s, with a median year of 1988. Of the 30 states that designated English as their official language, 11 (37%) did so through voter-approved ballot measures. The average vote on these measures was 73.1%, with support ranging from 50.5% to 88.5%.

History of marijuana ballot measures and laws: The state-level legalization of marijuana began with ballot measures in Colorado and Washington in 2012. However, marijuana-related measures have appeared on ballots since 1972. Through 2024, voters have considered 83 marijuana-related ballot measures, including 33 on recreational marijuana, 32 on medical marijuana, 13 on other criminal policies, and four addressing other marijuana-related issues.

History of ranked-choice voting (RCV) ballot measures: The ballot measure has played a role in shaping electoral systems in the U.S., including ranked-choice voting (RCV) for state and local elections. Since 1915, there have been more than 150 ballot measures to adopt or repeal ranked-choice voting systems. From 1965 through 2024, there were 12 statewide ballot measures in eight states and 74 local ballot measures in 58 jurisdictions.

History of right to hunt and fish constitutional amendments: Between 1776 and the mid-1990s, there was just one state—Vermont—with a state constitutional right to hunt and fish. In 1996, voters in Alabama passed an amendment, which initiated a trend. From 1996 to 2024, voters in 25 states decided on similar constitutional amendments, approving 24 of 25 (96%).

History of same-sex marriage ballot measures: The ballot measure played a significant role in shaping the legal status of same-sex marriage in the U.S. before Obergefell v. Hodges (2015). Between 1994 and 2023, voters in 30 states approved 34 ballot measures to prohibit same-sex marriage or define marriage as between one man and one woman. While Obergefell rendered these ballot measures—most of which are constitutional amendments—unenforceable, the measures remain part of state constitutions, and several states have addressed ballot measures to repeal them.

History of women's suffrage ballot measures: Before the 19th Amendment, the women's suffrage movement also campaigned for changes to state constitutions to provide women with a right to vote. Between 1867 and August 18, 1920, 54 ballot measures to grant women's suffrage were on the ballot in 30 states. Fifteen (15) of the ballot measures were approved, giving women the right to vote in 15 states. Since women did not have suffrage until after the ballot measures were approved, male voters decided the outcome of suffrage ballot measures.

State ballot measure topics

See also: State ballot measure topics

Our database of state ballot measures is organized into 10 parent topics and 233 subtopics. Below, each topic expands to show a list of subtopics, covering areas such as taxes, education, elections, healthcare, and more. Clicking on a topic will take you to a list of state ballot measures related to the topic.

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Budget and tax policy

Government finances, budgets, taxes, spending, and economic regulations

See also: Budget and tax policy ballot measures

This includes measures regarding finances, including taxes, budgets, spending, and funds.

Economic regulations: Measures to establish, change, or repeal laws regulating economic activities.

Banking policy: Measures regarding banks, lending institutions, and the regulation of banking practices, including lending terms, foreclosure procedures, and debt collection processes.
Business regulations: Measures to create, repeal, or change government rules aimed at influencing business practices and operations.
Insurance policy: Measures regarding insurance regulations, including rates, premiums, claims, cancellations, and coverage rules.
Public economic investment policy: Measures involving public funding, investment, and incentives related to economic matters, such as tax abatements, tax increment financing (TIF), grants, and loans.

Tax policy: Measures to establish, change, or repeal laws related to taxation.

Business taxes: Taxes levied on the income or capital of businesses and other legal entities.
Carbon taxes and fees: Taxes levied on carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gas emissions.
Fees, licenses, and charges: Measures regarding non-tax revenue collected from individuals or businesses for specific services, permits, or benefits.
Food and beverage taxes: Taxes levied on food and beverages. This includes broad exemptions (such as exempting food from sales taxes), as well as targeted taxes (such as soda taxes).
Fuel taxes: Taxes levied on fuel, such as gasoline and diesel.
Income taxes: Taxes levied on the earned income of individuals or households.
Property taxes: Taxes levied on a property's value, such as the value of real estate.
Property tax exemptions: Measures to reduce or remove taxes for certain properties based on specific classifications or criteria.
Sales taxes: Taxes levied on the sale of goods and services, often calculated as a percentage of the purchase price.
Severance taxes: Taxes levied on the extraction of natural resources, such as oil, natural gas, or minerals, and are typically based on the volume or value of the resources extracted.
Tobacco and cigarette taxes: Taxes levied on tobacco, cigarettes, or similar products.

Budget policy: Measures regarding state and local government budgets, spending, and fiscal management.

Balanced budget requirements: Measures to limit or prevent state spending from exceeding revenue within a budget cycle.
Budget stabilization funds: Measures to establish or change budget stabilization funds, also known as budget reserve funds or rainy day funds.
Debt limits: Measures to establish, change, or remove government debt limits, including measures that create exemptions for specific types of borrowing.
Revenue allocation: Measures to allocate state revenue or otherwise direct spending to a specific purpose.
Revenue and spending limits: Measures to cap government income or expenditures.
Restricted-use funds: Measures to establish, repeal, or change state funds, such as trust funds or special purpose funds, that are designated for specific purposes and are often funded through dedicated revenue sources.

Bond issues: Measures to authorize state-issued bonds that use general revenue (general obligation bond), such as tax revenue, or project revenues (revenue bond) to finance projects.

Bond issue requirements: Measures regarding when and how state and local governments can issue bonds, including voter approval, debt limits, repayment terms, restrictions, and provisions that create or limit borrowing authority.

Tax and revenue administration: Measures regarding government agencies and processes for tax collection, enforcement, compliance, and revenue distribution.

Criminal justice and law enforcement policy

Criminal justice system, legal disputes, law enforcement, and policing

See also: Criminal justice and law enforcement policy ballot measures

This includes measures regarding the criminal justice system, legal disputes, law enforcement, and policing.

Civil law and trials: Measures regarding legal disputes between individuals, businesses, or other entities, rather than offenses against the state.

Civil trials: Measures regarding civil trials, which are legal proceedings about disputes between individuals or entities.
Tort law: Measures regarding tort law, which is a branch of civil law that holds individuals or entities liable for wrongful acts or omissions that cause damages.

Criminal sentences and trials: Measures regarding the prosecution, sentencing, and release of individuals accused or convicted of crimes.

Bail policy: Measures regarding bail, including bail types and conditions, for criminal defendants.
Criminal sentencing: Measures regarding the penalties imposed on individuals convicted of a criminal offense, as well as the establishment of new criminal offenses.
Criminal trials: Measures regarding criminal trials, which are legal proceedings in which the government prosecutes an individual or entity accused of committing a crime.
Death penalty: Measures regarding the death penalty, also known as capital punishment.
Juvenile criminal justice: Measures regarding the criminal legal system designed for individuals under 18 years old.
Parole policy: Measures regarding parole, including parole eligibility and conditions, for individuals sentenced to prison.

Drug regulations: Measures regarding the use, production, and criminal status of substances considered drugs.

Alcohol laws: Measures regarding the regulation of alcohol, including its sale, consumption, production, taxation, and prohibition.
Drug crime policy: Measures regarding criminal drug penalties, including decriminalization, legalization, and crime reclassification.
Marijuana laws: Measures regarding the regulation of marijuana, including its sale, consumption, production, taxation, and prohibition.
Psychedelic substance laws: Measures regarding the regulation of psychedelic substances, including their sale, consumption, production, taxation, and prohibition.
Smoking bans: Measures regarding the prohibition of smoking in public places.
Tobacco laws: Measures regarding the regulation of tobacco, including its sale, consumption, production, taxation, and prohibition.

Law enforcement and corrections: Measures regarding policing and correctional facilities.

Corrections governance: Measures regarding the administration and oversight of correctional systems, processes, and facilities.
Law enforcement funding: Measures regarding law enforcement funding, such as police funding.
Law enforcement officers and departments: Measures regarding law enforcement agencies and personnel, including police departments, sheriff’s offices, officer hiring and training standards, and use of force.
Prison and jail funding: Measures regarding funding for prisons and jails, including construction and maintenance.
Prison work regulations: Measures regarding labor policies for incarcerated individuals, including work programs, conditions, and restrictions.

Crime victims' rights: Measures regarding the legal rights and protections of crime victims.

Dueling bans: Measures regarding the practice of dueling as a form of combat to settle disputes.

Education policy

Public K-12 schools, higher education, early childhood programs, and school choice policies

See also: Education policy ballot measures

This includes measures regarding public and private education systems, funding, and policies.

Higher education: Measures regarding public colleges, universities, and post-secondary education.

Higher education funding: Measures regarding funding for public colleges, universities, student aid, tuition policies, and related state allocations.
Higher education governance: Measures regarding the administration, oversight, and policies of public colleges and universities, including board structures.

Public K-12 education: Measures regarding public education for kindergarten through 12th grade.

Public education funding: Measures regarding funding for public schools, including budget and tax revenue allocation, dedicated funds, and bond issues.
Public education governance: Measures regarding the administration and oversight of public K-12 education and public schools, including school boards, superintendent selection, and testing and curriculum policies.
Public school teachers and staff: Measures regarding teachers and school staff, including salaries, pensions, collective bargaining, qualifications, and performance evaluations.
Religion in public schools: Measures regarding religious activities, expressions, and displays in public schools, such as school prayer, religious symbols, or religious texts in classrooms.
School class size policy: Measures to set or remove limits on student-to-teacher ratios and funding for class size reduction.

Early childhood education: Measures regarding the funding and regulation of preschool and early childhood education programs.

School choice policy: Measures regarding education alternatives to traditional public schools, including charter schools, the use of public funds for private schooling or homeschooling, and related state constitutional matters.

Election policy

Election and voting policies, electoral systems, campaign finance, redistricting, and political office qualifications

See also: Election policy ballot measures

This includes measures regarding election and voting processes, campaign finance, redistricting, and political office qualifications.

Direct democracy: Measures regarding direct citizen participation in the lawmaking process.

Ballot measure process: Measures regarding the procedures and rules for qualifying, verifying, and presenting ballot measures to voters. This includes legislative referrals, citizen initiatives, and other types of ballot measures.
Ballot measure supermajority requirements: Measures to increase, decrease, or otherwise change the vote threshold for the approval of certain ballot measure types.
Initiative and referendum process: Measures regarding the initiative and referendum process, such as signature requirements, deadlines, and other requirements.
Recall process: Measures regarding the recall process for removing elected officials from office.

Electoral systems: Measures regarding electoral systems, which define how elections are conducted and how votes are counted to determine election outcomes.

Cumulative voting: Measures regarding cumulative voting, a system that allows voters to distribute multiple votes among candidates in multi-seat elections.
Presidential electoral vote: Measures regarding how a state assigns its electoral votes to presidential candidates, including proposals to adopt the national popular vote or district-based methods.
Primary election systems: Measures regarding how candidates are nominated for general elections, including top-two and top-four primaries, runoff requirements, and nominating conventions.
Proportional representation: Measures regarding proportional representation, a system where a political party's share of seats in the legislature is based on the percentage of votes its candidates receive in an election.
Ranked-choice voting: Measures regarding ranked-choice voting (RCV), including adopting, repealing, or prohibiting RCV.
Runoff elections: Measures to require, change, or eliminate runoff elections, which take place when no candidate meets the required threshold to win.

Term limits: Measures regarding the number of terms elected officials can serve.

Congressional term limits: Limits on the number of terms members of Congress can serve.
Executive official term limits: Limits on the number of terms that state executives, such as governors, can serve.
Judicial term limits: Limits on the number of terms that state judges can serve.
Local official term limits: Limits on the number of terms that local government officials, such as mayors or sheriffs, can serve.
State legislative term limits: Limits on the number of terms that state legislators can serve.

Voting policy: Measures regarding voting processes, policies, and methods, as well as requirements and rights associated with suffrage.

Absentee and mail voting: Measures regarding absentee and mail-voting ballots, including who can receive an absentee or mail-voting ballot, timelines, and other procedures.
Citizenship voting requirements: Measures to allow, prohibit, or preempt noncitizen voting.
Early voting: Measures regarding early voting, which allows voters to cast ballots in person at polling places before Election Day.
Literacy, poll tax, and property voting requirements: Measures to establish or remove prerequisites for voting based on literacy, payment of poll tax, or property ownership.
Primary election participation: Measures to define how voters participate in a political party’s primaries, such as whether primaries are open, semi-closed, or closed.
Race and suffrage: Measures regarding voting rights based on race, including granting, expanding, or restricting suffrage based on race.
Residency voting requirements: Measures regarding the length of time a person must reside in a jurisdiction to be eligible to vote.
Voter ID policy: Measures to establish or change requirements for voters to present specific forms of identification before casting a ballot.
Voter registration: Measures regarding the rules and processes for registering to vote, including deadlines, methods, and other requirements.
Voting age policy: Measures regarding the minimum age required for people to vote in elections.
Voting rights for persons with criminal convictions: Measures regarding whether and how persons with criminal convictions can regain their right to vote.
Women's suffrage: Measures to grant women's suffrage, which were on the ballot from 1867 to 1920.

Age limits for officials: Measures to adopt, change, or repeal minimum or maximum age requirements for candidates, officeholders, and judges.

Campaign finance: Measures regarding the funding of political campaigns, including contribution limits, disclosure requirements, and public financing.

Election administration and governance: Measures regarding the rules, structures, and procedures for overseeing elections, including election officials' responsibilities, elections departments, and vote counting.

Redistricting policy: Measures regarding the apportionment and drawing of electoral district boundaries, including who controls the process and the criteria used.

Environment and energy policy

Environmental regulations, natural resource management, and energy production

See also: Environment and energy policy ballot measures

This includes measures regarding environmental regulations, natural resource management, and energy production.

Energy policy: Measures regarding energy production, regulation, and distribution, as well as the funding of energy-related projects.

Carbon emissions regulations: Measures regarding limits on carbon emissions or other greenhouse gases, as well as renewable portfolio standards.
Energy conservation and efficiency: Measures regarding energy conservation and efficiency standards, including regulations designed to improve the efficiency of energy use, production, and distribution.
Energy market regulations: Measures regarding competition and consumer options, pricing regulations, and market structures in the energy sector.
Energy transmission projects: Measures regarding the development, regulation, or expansion of electric transmission infrastructure, including high-voltage power lines and grid enhancements.
Fossil fuel energy: Measures regarding the production and use of fossil fuels, also known as hydrocarbon fuels, such as oil, gas, and coal.
Hydroelectric energy: Measures regarding hydroelectric power generation and related infrastructure.
Nuclear energy: Measures regarding nuclear power development, generation, and facilities, as well as nuclear waste storage.
Solar and wind energy: Measures regarding solar power or wind power generation and infrastructure.

Hunting and fishing: Measures regarding hunting, fishing, trapping, and related activities.

Fisheries and fishing regulations: Measures regarding fishing practices, licensing, quotas, and fisheries management.
Game and fish commissions: Measures regarding the structure, power, and responsibilities of state agencies that regulate wildlife, fishing, and related matters.
Hunting regulations: Measures regarding hunting practices, including licensing, season limits, permitted species, and conservation policies.
Right to hunt and fish: Measures to establish state constitutional rights to hunt and fish.

Natural disaster policy: Measures regarding disaster preparedness, natural disaster risk mitigation, and associated infrastructure.

Earthquake infrastructure: Measures regarding the development, funding, and regulation of infrastructure to mitigate earthquake risks.
Flood infrastructure and management: Measures regarding the development, funding, and regulation of infrastructure to mitigate flood risks.
Storm infrastructure: Measures regarding the development, funding, and regulation of storm-related infrastructure, such as tornado shelters, hurricane planning, and hail damage costs.
Wildfire management: Measures regarding the development and funding of wildfire management.

Agriculture policy: Measures regarding farming, ranching, gardening, agricultural business practices, and agricultural land use.

Animal treatment laws: Measures regarding animal treatment and ownership, including their use in agriculture, gambling, and other industries.

Food policy: Measures regarding food standards, labeling, distribution, and access.

Forestry and timber: Measures regarding forest management and conservation, logging practices, and timber businesses.

Mineral resources: Measures regarding mining practices and mineral resource extraction.

Parks, land, and natural area conservation: Measures regarding the preservation, development, funding, and management of public parks, natural areas, wildlife habitats, recreational facilities, and open spaces.

Pollution, waste, and recycling policy: Measures regarding pollution control, waste disposal, toxins, environmental cleanup, and recycling programs.

Governance policy

Structure, powers, and processes of government institutions

See also: Governance policy ballot measures

This includes measures regarding the structure, powers, and processes of government institutions at the state and local levels.

Administrative agencies: Measures regarding the structure and rulemaking powers and processes of government agencies.

Administrative organization: Measures regarding the creation, restructuring, or elimination of administrative agencies, as well as changes to their leadership and governance structure.
Administrative powers and rulemaking: Measures regarding how administrative agencies develop and enforce rules, such as requiring public input and legislative review and approval.

Local government: Measures regarding the structure, powers, finances, and elections of local governments.

Local government organization: Measures regarding the organization, powers, and governance of cities, counties, school districts, special districts, and other political subdivisions, such as their formation and home rule charters.
Local government officials and elections: Measures regarding the selection, election procedures, duties, and terms of local officials.
Local government finance and taxes: Measures regarding local government finances, including taxes and revenue, budgets, bond issuance, debt limits, and financial regulations. This also includes measures that impose or restrict financial mandates on local governments.

State constitutions: Measures to amend a constitution’s Bill of Rights, revise wording, or change the procedures for constitutional amendments and revisions.

Constitutional rights: Amendments that change a state constitution’s bill or declaration of rights or establish specific rights.
Constitutional wording changes: Measures to revise constitutional language without significant legal effects, such as removing inoperative provisions, making language gender-neutral, and changing words to describe illnesses.
State constitution ratification: Measures that propose ratifying a new state constitution.
State constitutional conventions: Measures that propose convening a convention to revise a state's constitution or change constitutional convention rules.

State executives: Measures regarding the structure, powers, and responsibilities of state executives.

State executive branch structure: Measures regarding the organization of a state's executive branch, including the creation, consolidation, or elimination of executive offices, as well as procedures for gubernatorial succession and vacancies.
State executive elections: Measures regarding how state executive officials are chosen, such as election methods, whether positions are elected or appointed, and officeholder qualifications.
State executive powers and duties: Measures regarding the powers and responsibilities of state executive officials, such as veto, appointment, emergency, and pardon powers.

State legislatures: Measures regarding the powers, structure, and processes of state legislatures.

State legislative authority: Measures regarding the legislature’s powers, including control over appropriations, power to review and annul regulations, confirmation and appointments, and the authority to legislate on specific policy areas.
State legislative elections: Measures regarding state legislative elections, including election timing, vacancy procedures, officeholder qualifications, and eligibility of legislators to run for or hold other elected offices during their term.
State legislative processes and sessions: Measures regarding how often legislatures meet, the procedures for calling special sessions, recesses, adjournments, and the internal processes for passing laws.
State legislative structure: Measures regarding the structure of state legislatures, including the number of representatives and unicameral versus bicameral structures.
State legislative vote requirements: Measures regarding the thresholds required for legislative actions, such as for tax increases, constitutional amendments, veto overrides, and budget approvals.

State judiciary: Measures regarding the structure and functioning of state judicial systems.

State judicial authority: Measures regarding the powers and jurisdiction of state and local courts, including judicial review, authority over specific legal issues, and the courts’ role in interpreting laws.
State judicial selection: Measures regarding how judges are selected, including appointment processes, judicial elections, retention elections, and qualifications for judicial office.
State judiciary oversight: Measures to create, change, or eliminate commissions and boards that oversee judicial ethics, discipline, and accountability.
State judiciary structure: Measures regarding the organization of the state judicial system, including the creation, consolidation, or elimination of courts and changes to the number of judges.

Census policy: Measures regarding state censuses or modifications to federal census data for redistricting purposes.

Civil service: Measures to establish or change the structure, policies, or administration of state and local civil service systems, such as hiring practices and employee classifications.

Ethics rules and commissions: Measures to establish, change, or eliminate ethics rules and oversight bodies for elected officials, judges, and government employees.

Federal government issues: Measures regarding the relationship between state and federal government, such as jurisdiction over federal lands, state implementation of federal laws, federal term limits, and positions on federal constitutional amendments or conventions.

Jury rules: Measures regarding court juries, including their selection, size, qualifications, compensation, and decision-making rules.

Impeachment rules: Measures to establish or change the process for impeaching and removing public officials from office.

Open meetings and public information: Measures regarding public access to meetings and records, as well as information disclosure.

Salaries of government officials: Measures to establish, increase or decrease, or regulate the compensation of government officials at the state or local level.

State capitals: Measures to establish, relocate, or change a state's capital city.

State flags, symbols, and holidays: Measures to establish, change, or replace official state emblems, such as flags, names, seals, and mottos, or state holidays.

Statehood: Measures to establish statehood or propose a new state.

Time standards: Measures to establish, change, or eliminate time standards within a state, such as daylight saving time.

Infrastructure policy

Public infrastructure, transportation, housing, and land use policy

See also: Infrastructure policy ballot measures

This includes measures regarding the development, funding, regulation, and management of housing, transportation, and public infrastructure.

Housing policy: Measures regarding housing policies, financial assistance, tax exemptions, and rental regulations.

Homestead tax exemptions: Measures regarding property tax exemptions for primary residences, including eligibility and amounts.
Housing assistance programs: Measures regarding public funding and support for housing aid, including mortgage assistance, subsidies, and related programs.
Housing development funding: Measures to provide public funding or incentives for housing development.
Rent control and regulations: Measures to adopt, change, or repeal limits on rent prices, tenant policies, and landlord regulations.

Transportation policy: Measures regarding funding, infrastructure, and policies related to transportation.

Airport infrastructure: Measures regarding funding, infrastructure, and policies related to airports.
Highways and bridges: Measures regarding funding, infrastructure, and policies related to roads, highways, and bridges.
Non-motorized transportation: Measures regarding funding, infrastructure, and policies related to walking, biking, and other non-motorized travel.
Ports and harbors: Measures related to funding, governance, infrastructure, and other policies affecting ports, harbors, canals, and other water-based transportation.
Public transportation: Measures regarding funding, infrastructure, and policies related to public transportation.
Railways: Measures regarding funding, infrastructure, and policies related to railways and trains.
Toll roads: Measures regarding tolls for roads, highways, and bridges.
Transportation taxes and fees: Measures regarding taxes and fees for funding transportation projects.
Vehicle and driver regulations: Measures regarding drivers and motor vehicles, such as licensing, registration, seatbelts, and other standards.

Water infrastructure: Measures to fund, regulate, or manage water-related infrastructure, including drinking water, sewage, stormwater, and water storage.

Drinking water systems: Measures to fund, regulate, or manage drinking water infrastructure and standards.
Sewage and stormwater: Measures to fund, regulate, or manage sewage and stormwater infrastructure and standards.
Water irrigation policy: Measures to fund, regulate, or manage water resources for agricultural irrigation or other irrigation purposes.
Water storage: Measures to fund, regulate, or manage water storage, including reservoirs, dams, and groundwater.

Eminent domain policy: Measures regarding the government's power to take private property for public use, including restrictions and compensation requirements.

Land use and development policy: Measures to establish, change, or repeal policies on zoning, planning, and development projects.

Public land policy: Measures regarding the ownership, management, transfer, leasing, and use of government-owned lands, as well as the relationship between states and federal lands.

Telecommunications infrastructure: Measures to fund, regulate, or manage telecommunications systems, including the internet, radio broadcasting, and television networks.

Utility policy: Measures regarding the creation, regulation, ownership, and sale of public utilities and the regulation of private utilities.

Labor, healthcare, and public assistance policy

Labor unions, workplace regulations, healthcare, and public assistance policies

See also: Labor, healthcare, and public assistance policy ballot measures

This includes measures regarding labor unions, workplace regulations, healthcare, and public assistance policies.

Labor union policy: Measures regarding labor unions and collective bargaining.

Collective bargaining: Measures regarding the negotiation process between employers and labor unions to establish agreements on wages, benefits, working conditions, and other employment terms.
Labor disputes and strikes: Measures regarding the resolution of conflicts between workers and employers, including laws governing strikes, lockouts, and mediation procedures.
Labor union deductions: Measures regarding the collection and use of union fees, including requirements for employee consent and restrictions on political or non-representational spending.
Right-to-work laws: Measures to adopt or repeal right-to-work laws, which prohibit agreements that require employees to join a union or pay union dues as a condition of employment.

Healthcare: Measures regarding healthcare systems, services, funding, regulations, insurance, and public health policies.

Complementary and alternative healthcare: Measures regarding the regulation, recognition, or funding of non-traditional medical treatments, such as chiropractics, naturopathy, and homeopathy.
Healthcare facility funding: Measures regarding the allocation of public funds, bond issues, or other financial support for hospitals, clinics, and healthcare institutions.
Healthcare governance: Measures to create, change, or eliminate commissions, medical boards, and agencies overseeing healthcare systems, public health policies, medical regulations, and professional licensing.
Private health insurance: Measures regarding the regulation of private health insurance, including employer contribution requirements and rate regulations.
Public health insurance: Measures regarding Medicaid, Medicare, and single-payer public insurance systems.
Vaccinations and disease policy: Measures regarding vaccinations, including requirements and exemptions, public health policies regarding disease prevention, and medical screening requirements for diseases.

Work regulations: Measures regarding workplace policies and employment conditions.

Child labor regulations: Measures regarding the employment of minors, including restrictions on types of jobs, hours, and conditions.
Gender-based labor regulations: Measures regarding employment rules based on gender, such as workplace discrimination laws.
Minimum wage laws: Measures regarding state minimum wages, such as increases, inflation adjustments, and exemptions.
Paid sick leave laws: Measures regarding policies that require employers to provide paid sick leave to employees.
Workers' compensation laws: Measures regarding financial benefits for employees who suffer work-related injuries or illnesses, including employer obligations and public programs.
Working hours regulations: Measures to set, change, or remove limits on work hours, as well as overtime policies.

Public assistance programs: Measures regarding government-funded financial aid and support services for eligible individuals and groups, including age-based, disability-based, and income-based assistance, as well as restrictions or conditions on the services provided through such programs. This includes public welfare, medical assistance, and unemployment compensation programs.

Public employee retirement funds: Measures regarding pension systems and retirement benefits for public employees.

Public works labor and contracting: Measures concerning employment rules, wage standards, labor policies, and contracting policies for public works projects.

Military and veteran policy

Military service, defense funding, National Guard operations, and veteran benefits

See also: Military and veteran policy ballot measures

This includes measures regarding military service, defense funding, National Guard operations, and veteran benefits.

Defense-related funding: Measures regarding public funding, including bond issues, for state militias, armories, and National Guard facilities.

Government continuity policy: Measures regarding the continued operation of state government during war emergencies.

Military service policy: Measures regarding military enlistment, service requirements, and the rights of service members, including voting rights and eligibility to hold public office while serving.

Military-related advisory questions: Measures to gauge public opinion on military policies, defense initiatives, war-related actions, or peace treaties.

Nuclear weapons and missiles policy: Measures regarding the development, restriction, or disarmament of nuclear weapons and missiles.

State National Guard and militia: Measures regarding the organization, funding, and function of state military forces, including National Guard units.

Veterans policy: Measures regarding veterans, including government agencies overseeing veterans' affairs, tax exemptions, civil service preferences, and assistance programs.

Social issue policy

Social and cultural issues, activities, and policies

See also: Social issue policy ballot measures

This includes measures related to social and cultural matters, public policies, and regulations that influence social factors like race, gender, religion, and family.

Abortion policy: Measures regarding abortion regulations and abortion-related state constitutional rights.

Affirmative action: Measures to adopt, limit, or prohibit practices that consider factors like race or gender in public employment, education, or other selection processes.

American Indian issues: Measures regarding American Indians/Native Americans, including state-tribe relations, compacts, and treaties, voting rights and elections, and other matters.

Assisted death policy: Measures to adopt, change, or repeal policies, often known as physician-assisted death or medical aid-in-dying, that address an individual's consent to end their life with the assistance of another person.

Athletics and sports: Measures regarding athletics, sports teams, and sporting facilities, including stadiums.

English language policy: Measures regarding the use of English in various settings, including schools, government, and public services, and the designation of English as an official state language.

Family-related policy: Measures regarding marriage, divorce, spousal rights, child custody, and adoption.

Firearms policy: Measures regarding firearm regulations, both expanding and restricting access, as well as establishing state constitutional rights to firearms.

Gambling policy: Measures regarding the authorization, regulation, restriction, and taxation of gambling activities, including casinos, lotteries, sports betting, bingo, and raffles.

Immigration policy: Measures regarding immigration and immigrants, including policies on public benefits, employment, education, voting, and law enforcement.

LGBTQ issues: Measures regarding legal classifications and legal rights for LGBTQ people.

Race and ethnicity issues: Measures regarding legal definitions, rights, and protections based on race or ethnicity.

Religion-related policy: Measures regarding religion, including religious rights, practices, services, presence in public institutions and events, church incorporation, and funding or tax exemptions for religious organizations.

Sex and gender issues: Measures regarding legal definitions, rights, and protections based on sex or gender.

Sexual content regulations: Measures regarding the regulation of sexually explicit material and entertainment.

Sunday regulations: Measures to adopt, change, or repeal restrictions on activities on Sundays, such as business operations and alcohol sales.

Local ballot measure topics

See also: Local ballot measure topics

Our database of local ballot measures is organized into eight parent topics and 93 subtopics. Below, each topic expands to show a list of subtopics, covering areas such as government structure, taxes, budgets, elections, and more. Clicking on a topic will take you to a list of local ballot measures related to the topic.

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Local budget and tax policy

Local government finances, budgets, taxes, and spending

See also: Local budget and tax policy ballot measures

This includes measures regarding local government finances, including taxes, budgets, spending, and funds.

Local bond issues: Measures to authorize municipal-issued bonds that use general revenue (general obligation bond), such as tax revenue, or project revenues (revenue bond) to finance projects.

City bonds: Measures to authorize a city government to issue bonds.
County bonds: Measures to authorize a county government to issue bonds.
School district bonds: Measures to authorize a school district to issue bonds.
Special district bonds: Measures to authorize a special district to issue bonds.
Local hospital bonds: Measures to authorize bonds to finance hospitals or other healthcare facilities.

Local budget policy: Measures regarding a local government's budget, spending, and fiscal management.

City budget: Measures regarding a city government's budget, spending, and fiscal management.
County budget: Measures regarding a county government's budget, spending, and fiscal management.
School district budget: Measures regarding a school district's budget, spending, and fiscal management.
Special district budget: Measures regarding a special district's budget, spending, and fiscal management.
Local spending and revenue limits: Restrictions that cap local government income or expenditures.

Local tax policy: Measures to establish, change, or repeal local laws related to taxation.

City tax: Measures to authorize, change, or repeal a city tax.
County tax: Measures to authorize, change, or repeal a county tax.
School district tax: Measures to authorize, change, or repeal a school district tax.
Special district tax: Measures to authorize, change, or repeal a special district tax.
Local business tax: Measures to authorize, change, or repeal a tax on business income, revenue, or franchise.
Local gas tax: Measures to authorize, change, or repeal a local excise tax on gasoline or diesel fuel.
Local hotel tax: Measures to authorize, change, or repeal a local tax on short-term lodging.
Local income tax: Measures to authorize, change, or repeal a local tax on a person's earnings.
Local marijuana tax: Measures to authorize, change, or repeal a local excise tax on marijuana.
Local parcel tax: Measures to authorize, change, or repeal a local tax levied on parcels of land.
Local property tax: Measures to authorize, change, or repeal a local tax based on assessed property value.
Local real estate transfer tax: Measures to authorize, change, or repeal a local tax on property transfers.
Local sales and use tax: Measures to authorize, change, or repeal a local tax on goods and certain services.
Local soda tax: Measures to authorize, change, or repeal a local excise tax on soda or sugar-sweetened beverages.
Local tobacco tax: Measures to authorize, change, or repeal a local excise tax on tobacco.
Local utility tax: Measures to authorize, change, or repeal a local tax on utility services.
Local vehicle tax: Measures to authorize, change, or repeal a local tax on vehicles.

Local criminal justice and law enforcement policy

Local criminal justice system, legal disputes, law enforcement, and policing

See also: Local criminal justice and law enforcement policy ballot measures

This includes measures regarding the local criminal justice system, legal disputes, and policing.

Local drug regulations: Measures regarding the legal classification and regulation of substances considered drugs.

Local alcohol laws: Measures regarding the local regulation of alcohol, including its sale, consumption, taxation, and prohibition.
Local marijuana policy: Measures regarding the local regulation of marijuana, including its sale, consumption, taxation, and prohibition.
Local psychedelic substances: Measures regarding the local regulation of psychedelic substances, including their sale, consumption, taxation, and prohibition.
Local tobacco policy: Measures regarding the local regulation of tobacco, including its sale, consumption, taxation, and prohibition.

Local fireworks regulations: Measures to legalize or prohibit the sale and use of fireworks.

Local law enforcement and public safety funding: Measures regarding funding for police, fire, emergency services, and public safety programs.

Local policing: Measures regarding police officer training, practices, equipment, and oversight.

Local election policy

Local election and voting policies, electoral systems, campaign finance, redistricting, and election administration

See also: Local election policy ballot measures

This includes measures regarding local election and voting processes, campaign finance, redistricting, and political office qualifications.

Local ballot measure process: Measures regarding the local ballot measure process, including citizen-initiated measures and charter amendments.

Local recall process: Measures regarding the local recall process for removing elected officials from office.

Local election administration and governance: Measures regarding the rules, structures, and procedures for overseeing local elections, including election officials' responsibilities, elections departments, and vote counting.

Local electoral systems: Measures regarding local electoral systems, which define how elections are conducted and how votes are counted to determine election outcomes.

Local campaign finance: Measures regarding the funding of local political campaigns, including contribution limits, disclosure requirements, and public financing.

Local election date changes: Measures to change local election dates.

Local noncitizen voting: Measures to allow or prohibit noncitizen voting.

Local redistricting policy: Measures regarding local redistricting, such as city council districts.

Local term limits: Limits on the number of terms that local government officials, such as mayors or sheriffs, can serve.

Local voter ID policy: Measures to establish or change local requirements for voters to present specific forms of identification before casting a ballot.

Local voting age: Measures regarding the minimum age required for people to vote in local elections.

Local environment and energy policy

Local environmental regulations, natural resource management, and energy production

See also: Local environment and energy policy ballot measures

This includes measures regarding local environmental regulations, natural resource management, and energy production.

Local energy policy: Measures regarding local energy production, regulation, and distribution, as well as the funding of energy-related projects.

Local energy aggregation: Measures regarding a local government's authority to negotiate and choose an energy supplier to provide power for residents and businesses.
Local energy franchise: Measures regarding contracts between local governments and private utilities that grant companies the right to construct, operate, or maintain energy infrastructure.
Local oil and gas resources: Measures regarding the extraction, production, regulation, and use of oil and natural gas.
Local public energy utility: Measures regarding establishing, changing, or eliminating publicly owned energy utilities.
Local renewable energy: Measures regarding the development, funding, adoption, or regulation of renewable energy sources—such as solar, wind, geothermal, and hydropower—at the local level.

Local agriculture policy: Measures regarding local agricultural practices, conservation, and land use.

Local environment policy: Measures regarding local environmental regulations and policies.

Local fluoridation policy: Measures to regulate or ban fluoride in public water systems.

Local governance policy

Structure, powers, and operations of local government institutions

See also: Local governance policy ballot measures

This includes measures regarding the structure, powers, and operations of local government institutions.

Local government structure:Measures regarding how local governments are organized, governed, and managed.

City governance: Measures regarding the structure, powers, and operations of cities.
County governance: Measures regarding the structure, powers, and operations of counties.
School district governance: Measures regarding the structure, powers, and operations of school districts.
Special district governance: Measures regarding the structure, powers, and operations of special districts.

Local government charters:

Measures to establish, amend, or repeal a local government's home rule charter, defining its structure, powers, and self-governing authority.

Local home rule charter: Measures to create or repeal a home rule charter that grants a local government certain self-governing powers.
Local charter amendments: Amendments to a local government's home rule charter.

Local advisory questions: Measures that are non-binding, meaning the outcome of the measures have no legal effect on a local government's laws.

Local ethics rules and commissions: Measures to establish, change, or eliminate ethics rules and oversight bodies for local elected officials and government employees.

Local flags and symbols: Measures to establish, change, or replace official local emblems such as flags, names, seals, and mottos.

Local civil service and public employees: Measures to establish or change the structure, policies, or administration of local civil service systems, such as hiring practices and public employee classifications.

Local government official salaries: Measures to establish, increase or decrease, or regulate the compensation of local government officials.

Local military issues: Measures regarding war, military conflicts, military service, and veterans.

Local open meetings and public information: Measures regarding public access to local government meetings and records, as well as information disclosure.

Local incorporation and boundaries: Measures to establish, change, or define the boundaries of municipalities, including incorporations, annexations, and mergers.

Local infrastructure policy

Local public infrastructure, transportation, and housing policy

See also: Local infrastructure policy ballot measures

This includes measures regarding funding, regulations, and management of local infrastructure.

Local housing policy: Measures regarding local housing policies, financial assistance, tax exemptions, and rental regulations.

Local rent control and regulations: Measures to adopt, change, or repeal limits on rent prices, tenant policies, and landlord regulations.

Local property transfer: Measures regarding the sale, lease, or transfer of a local government's properties.

Local transportation policy: Measures regarding local transportation systems, including roads, railways, public transit, and pedestrian infrastructure.

Local water infrastructure and regulations: Measures regarding local water-related infrastructure and regulations, including drinking water, sewage, stormwater, and water storage.

Local zoning and land use: Measures on local land development regulations, zoning, building restrictions, and planning.

Local labor and healthcare policy

Local government rules regarding labor unions, workplace regulations, and healthcare

See also: Local labor and healthcare policy ballot measures

This includes measures regarding labor unions, workplace regulations, and healthcare at the local level.

Local healthcare policy: Measures regarding healthcare systems, services, funding, regulations, and public health policies.

Local minimum wage: Measures regarding local minimum wages, such as increases, inflation adjustments, and exemptions.

Local paid sick leave: Measures regarding local policies that require employers to provide paid sick leave to employees.

Local project labor agreement: Measures regarding whether project labor agreements (PLAs) are required for public local government-funded construction projects.

Local public employee retirement funds: Measures regarding pension systems and retirement benefits for local public employees.

Local unions and collective bargaining: Measures regarding labor unions and collective bargaining at the local level.

Local social issue policy

Social and cultural issues, activities, and policies at the local level

See also: Local social issue policy ballot measures

This includes measures regarding social and cultural issues and activities at the local level.

Local abortion policy: Measures regarding local abortion regulations.

Local firearms policy: Measures regarding local firearm regulations.

Local gambling policy: Measures regarding local regulation and taxation of gambling activities.

Local immigration policy: Measures regarding local government policies on immigration and immigrants.

Local LGBTQ issues: Measures regarding local government legal classifications and legal rights for LGBTQ people.

Local race and ethnicity issues: Measures regarding local government legal definitions, rights, and protections based on race or ethnicity.

Footnotes

Ballot Measures: Topics

Contents

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Topics

State ballot measure topics

Local ballot measure topics

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