2024 Ballot Measures Address Marijuana, Taxes, Schools

David A. Lieb, Associated Press

While choosing officials to make and enforce laws, voters in dozens of states also decide on more than 140 ballot propositions that affect how people legally live, work and die.

While 10 states are considering measures related to abortion or reproductive rights on Tuesday’s ballot, about a half-dozen states are considering legalizing marijuana for recreational or medical use. About two dozen measures address future elections, including several that specifically prohibit noncitizens from voting. Other government measures concern wages, taxes, housing and education.

Many of the ballot measures were initiated by citizen petitions that made their way around state legislatures, although others were proposed to voters by legislators.

Legalization of marijuana

Voters in Florida, North Dakota and South Dakota are deciding whether to legalize recreational marijuana for adults. The election marks the third vote on the issue in both North Dakota And South Dakota. In Nebraska, voters are considering pair of measures it would legalize medical marijuana and regulate the industry.

About half of the states now allow marijuana for recreational use, and about a dozen more states allow marijuana for medical purposes.

In Massachusetts, a ballot measure would legalize the possession and controlled use of natural psychedelics, including psilocybin mushrooms. This will be the third state to do so. after Oregon And Colorado.

Immigration

Arizona measure Developed amid a surge in immigration, it would make it a state crime for anyone to enter from another country except through official ports of entry, and make it illegal for those already in the U.S. to apply for public benefits using false documents.

The procedure for crossing the border is similar contested Texas law which, according to the US Department of Justice, violates federal authority.

School choice

Proposed amendment to the Kentucky Constitution would allow lawmakers to use public funds for private schools. The Colorado measure would create a constitutional right to school choice for K-12 students.

In NebraskaVoters are deciding whether to repeal a new state law that funds private school tuition with state dollars.

Most states offer some kind of government-supported program to help cover the costs of private schools.

Sports betting

Missouri voters decide whether to be last legalize sports betting. A total of 38 states and Washington, D.C. have already allow sports bettingwhich quickly expanded after the U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for this in 2018.

Taxes

Colorado’s proposal would make it a second state after California Impose a sales tax on firearms and ammunition, with revenue directed primarily toward providing services to crime victims. The federal government already taxes the sale of guns and ammunition.

North Dakota voters are considering measures to eliminate property taxes. If approved, local governments could require more than $3 billion per two years in replacement revenue from the state.

South Dakota’s measure would eliminate the state’s food sales tax, a step that has already been taken in most other states.

Oregon’s measure would raise the minimum tax on large corporations to fund tax breaks for residents.

Housing

California voters are deciding whether to repeal a 1995 law limiting local rent control ordinances. If approved, it would open the door for local governments to expand caps on the rates landlords can charge.

A unique proposal in Arizona would tie property taxes to efforts to combat homelessness. It would allow property owners to seek property tax refunds if they incur costs because the local government refused to enforce ordinances prohibiting illegal camping, loitering, panhandling, public drinking and drug use and other things.

Climate

Voters in Washington state are considering whether to repeal a 2021 law that limits carbon emissions and creates a market for businesses above the mark to buy quotas from others. Washington is the second state to launch such a program, following California.

Citizens’ voting

Eight Republican-led state legislatures—Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Wisconsin—have proposed amendments to state constitutions saying Only citizens can vote.

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey speaks in support of an amendment to the state constitution to limit voting to U.S. citizens only during a news conference Oct. 10, 2024, at the State Capitol in Jefferson City, Missouri. (AP Photo/David A. Lieb)

A 1996 US law prohibits non-citizens from voting in federal elections, and many states already have similar laws. But Republicans emphasized the potential for non-citizen voting following an influx of immigrants at the US-Mexico border. Although non-citizen voting has historically been rare, voter lists are verified before elections. flagged potential non-citizens registered in several states.

Some municipalities in California, Maryland, Vermont, and Washington, D.C. allow non-citizens to vote in some local elections.

Voting methods

Connecticut voters are considering whether to allow no-excuse absentee voting, joining the majority of states that already allow it.

The measures passed in Montana and South Dakota would lead to open primary elections in which candidates from all parties would appear on the same ballot and a select number of candidates would advance to the general election. The measures in Colorado, Idaho and Nevada also call for open primaries with candidates from all parties, with a select number of candidates advancing to the general election using ranked-choice voting. Oregon’s measure would require ranked-choice voting in both primaries and general elections.

Ranked choice voting is currently used in Alaska and Maine. But Alaska voters are considering is it worth canceling provisions of the 2020 initiative, which established open primaries and ranked-choice general elections.

Arizona voters are deciding between competing ballot proposals that would require either open primaries with candidates of all parties or the state’s current method of party primaries. If both conflicting measures are taken, the provision receiving the most votes comes into forcebut this can be decided by the court.

Redistricting

Ohio Initiative would create a citizens’ commission that would oversee the reapportionment of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and state legislatures, turning the task over to elected officials.

Minimum wage

Ballot measures in Missouri and Alaska would gradually raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour and also require paid sick leave. The California measure would gradually raise the minimum wage for all employers to $18 an hour.

The Nebraska measure would require many employers to provide sick leave but would not change wages.

The Massachusetts measure would gradually raise the minimum wage for tipped employees until it is equal to the rate for other employees. In contrast, the Arizona measure would allow tipped workers to be paid 25% less than the minimum wage, as long as the tips would bring their total wages above the minimum wage threshold.

Assisted suicide

West Virginia voters are deciding whether to amend the state constitution to ban medically assisted suicide. The measure runs afoul of laws in 10 states and Washington, D.C., where physician-assisted suicide allowed.