Photo: RYAN MURPHY / AFP / Getty Images
Voters across the United States are set to decide on a sweeping range of ballot measures during the upcoming midterm elections, including proposals on billionaire taxation, transgender rights, voter access, and abortion laws.
Among the most closely watched measures is California’s Proposition 40, which would impose a one-time 5% wealth tax on billionaires. The proposition has become the most expensive ballot fight this cycle, with $92 million spent on television ads, mainly from opponents, as reported by Politico. Leading progressive figures, including Bernie Sanders, support the measure, while California Governor Gavin Newsom and several Silicon Valley billionaires have voiced opposition. If both Proposition 40 and a competing measure, Proposition 42 (which would block the tax), pass, the one with the most votes will take effect.
State tax policies are up for debate beyond California. Colorado is considering replacing its flat tax with a progressive system, and Washington voters will decide whether to repeal a 9.9% tax on high earners. Meanwhile, Tennessee and Florida have measures addressing property tax limits, and Iowa voters could require supermajority approval for certain tax changes.
Transgender rights are also on the ballot in more states than ever. Voters in Arizona, Colorado, Nebraska, Missouri, and Washington will consider initiatives to either ban transgender minors from receiving gender-affirming surgeries or restrict participation in girls’ sports to those assigned female at birth. For example, Washington’s measure would require students to provide healthcare documentation verifying their sex to compete on female sports teams.
Abortion remains a central issue in several states. Nevada, Virginia, and Idaho will vote on whether to enshrine abortion rights in their constitutions or overturn bans, while Missouri voters face a proposal that would both reinstate a near-total abortion ban and prohibit gender transition surgeries for minors. Both abortion rights and anti-abortion groups have spent millions campaigning for their side in Missouri.
Voter access and election rules are also being shaped by ballot questions. Thirteen states have measures related to voter identification requirements or clarifying that only U.S. citizens can vote. Massachusetts will decide on same-day voter registration, and Virginia voters will determine whether to restore voting rights to some previously incarcerated citizens.
Other proposals on the ballot include changes to how future amendments are approved, with some states seeking higher thresholds for passage, and questions about redistricting that could shift congressional representation. At least 145 statewide ballot initiatives will be decided this election, reflecting ongoing debates over social issues, taxation, and the future of voting in the United States.