Ballotpedia's Top 15 Ballot Measures and Trends to Watch on Election Night 2024

MIDDLETON, Wis., Oct. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Voters in 41 states will decide on 146 statewide ballot measures at the general election on November 5. This year's ballot measures address issues including abortion, ranked-choice voting (RCV), non-citizen voting, criminal justice, wages, and drug-use policies.

"After two election cycles with a relatively low number of state ballot measures, we've witnessed a marked increase this year, driven largely by citizen-initiated measures," said Ryan Byrne, Ballotpedia managing editor. "Issues such as abortion and electoral systems, including ranked-choice voting, have played a key role in contributing to the overall increase in ballot initiative activity."

Ballotpedia has compiled a list of 15 ballot measures and trends to watch in the run-up to and on Nov. 5, 2024. The list is not in priority order.

Ballot Measures to Watch

• Florida Amendment 4: Right to Abortion Initiative
• Southwestern Swing States, Arizona and Nevada: Right to Abortion Initiatives
• Nebraska Initiative 434 and 439: Competing Abortion Initiatives
• Amarillo, Texas, and San Francisco, California: Local Abortion Measures
• Alaska Ballot Measure 2: Repeal Top-Four RCV Initiative
• Colorado, Idaho, and Nevada RCV: Top-Four and Top-Five RCV Initiatives
• Arizona Propositions 133 and 140: Competing Electoral Systems Amendments
• Washington, D.C. Initiative 83: RCV Initiative
• Eight States: Non-Citizen Voting Ban Amendments
• Ohio Issue 1: Redistricting Commission Initiative
• California Proposition 36: Drug and Theft Crime Penalties Initiative
• Florida Amendment 3: Marijuana Legalization Initiative
• Washington Initiatives 2066 and 2117: Energy Policy Initiatives
• Colorado and Kentucky: School Choice Amendments
• Nebraska Referendum 435: Private School Education Scholarships Referendum

Ballot Measure Key Trends in 2024

• Abortion: On November 5, 2024, voters will decide on 11 abortion-related ballot measures—the most on record for a single year. Ten would provide for state constitutional rights to abortion: Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New York, Nevada, and South Dakota. One, in Nebraska, would limit the timeframe for when an abortion can be performed.
• Electoral Systems: Ballot initiatives have played a prominent role in proposing changes to state and local electoral systems across the United States. In 2024, voters will decide on a record number of statewide ballot measures on ranked-choice voting—Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, Missouri, Nevada, and Oregon. Other electoral system changes are on the ballot, including competing measures in Arizona, two in Montana, and a top-two primaries initiative in South Dakota.
• Citizenship: Bans on noncitizen voting at the state level have become more frequent since 2018. From 2018 to 2022, voters in six states approved ballot measures banning noncitizen voting. In 2024, eight state legislatures referred constitutional amendments to the ballot to prohibit the state or local governments from allowing non-citizen voting. Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Wisconsin are the eight states.

Click here to read the full report on 2024 ballot measures and trends.

About Ballotpedia
Ballotpedia, the encyclopedia of American politics, is the nation's most trusted source of unbiased information on politics, elections, and policy. Founded in 2007, Ballotpedia has grown from a small group of dedicated volunteers working on a handful of ballot measures to an essential resource for voters, media, and researchers. Ballotpedia is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving the public interest in creating an educated, engaged electorate, and building a strong, healthy democracy. For free access to 520,000+ encyclopedic, professionally authored, and curated articles, visit Ballotpedia.org.

SOURCE BALLOTPEDIA