On November 5, voters across the nation will have their say on a variety of important issues, including abortion, drug policies, and election laws.
With 41 states set to vote on over 140 ballot measures, Arizona, Colorado, and California lead the pack with the highest number of initiatives up for consideration. More measures may be added before all ballots are finalized.
Here’s a breakdown of some of the major topics that will be on the ballot:
Abortion
Abortion-related initiatives have gained traction since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. This year, voters in several states, including Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, and South Dakota, will consider amendments establishing a constitutional right to abortion in their respective states. These measures generally allow for abortion until fetal viability, with exceptions for late-term procedures in cases of medical emergencies or unspecified health risks. Additionally, Nebraska will have a competing initiative on the ballot that would restrict abortion after the first trimester, except in specific circumstances like medical emergencies, rape, or incest.
New York voters will also see an amendment aimed at preventing discrimination based on pregnancy outcomes and reproductive healthcare, among other categories.
Crime
In Arizona, a proposed measure would give police the authority to arrest illegal immigrants who enter the state directly from a foreign country without using an official port of entry. The initiative also includes provisions to prevent noncitizens from using false documents to apply for public benefits and make selling fentanyl that results in a death a felony offense. Another Arizona proposal seeks to impose a mandatory life sentence without parole for individuals convicted of child sex trafficking.
California’s Proposition 36 aims to increase penalties for repeat shoplifters and fentanyl dealers, reversing parts of a previous initiative that relaxed penalties for nonviolent drug and property crimes. Colorado voters will consider amendments related to bail limits in murder cases and mandatory prison terms for violent offenders.
Drug Policies
Floridians will vote on the legalization of recreational marijuana use for the first time, while North Dakota and South Dakota will revisit similar initiatives. Nebraska will have propositions on medical marijuana legalization and industry regulation. Massachusetts voters will consider a measure to legalize natural psychedelic substances for individuals over 21 and establish regulatory structures.
Elections
Election-related amendments will be a significant focus on this year’s ballots. Several states, including Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Wisconsin, are proposing to restrict voting to U.S. citizens in all state and local elections. Missouri’s proposal includes a ban on ranked choice voting. Additionally, various states will consider measures related to ranked choice voting, partisan primaries, absentee voting, voter ID requirements, and school board election formats.
Pay and Benefits
Voters in multiple states will have the opportunity to weigh in on proposals to increase the minimum wage gradually. California, Alaska, and Missouri are looking at raising the minimum wage to $18, $15, and $15 per hour, respectively. Paid sick leave mandates are also part of these proposals. Massachusetts voters will decide on raising the minimum wage for tipped workers to align with the standard minimum wage of $15 per hour for other employees.
Meanwhile, in Arizona, there is a proposal that would allow tipped workers to earn 25 percent less per hour than the minimum wage, as long as their total pay exceeds the minimum wage plus $2.
On the topic of taxes, an Arizona proposal would permit property owners to seek property tax refunds for expenses related to a local government’s failure to enforce ordinances against various activities such as illegal camping, loitering, obstructing public thoroughfares, panhandling, public urination or defecation, public consumption of alcoholic beverages, and possession or use of illegal substances.
In Colorado, Florida, Georgia, and New Mexico, ballot measures will address capping or reducing property taxes, with a North Dakota initiative aiming to eliminate them entirely.
Another proposal in Colorado involves imposing an excise tax on firearm and ammunition manufacturing and sales, to be paid by firearms dealers, manufacturers, and ammunition vendors.
Among other measures on the ballots this year are same-sex marriage and school choice. Despite the U.S. Supreme Court’s nationwide legalization of same-sex marriage in 2015, certain states still maintain bans on it. Proposed measures in California, Colorado, and Hawaii seek to repeal those laws. Additionally, Colorado and Kentucky voters will consider establishing school choice programs, while Nebraskans will weigh a measure to overturn a bill allowing public grants for certain students to attend private schools.
This information was contributed to by The Associated Press. Please rewrite this sentence.
Source link
