2026 State Ballot Measure Guide
With 164 statewide ballot measures on the ballots across 40 states, voters have a lot to study to make informed policy decisions this election day.
Americans for Tax Reform’s (ATR’s) 2026 State Ballot Measure Guide provides analysis and guidance on 65 state-level ballot measures, initiatives, and amendments across 29 states that will impact Americans’ pocketbooks, free enterprise, and freedoms.
American taxpayers will see ballot questions this fall which will determine whether they face higher income, property, and wealth taxes, whether state spending caps are strengthened or weakened, and whether future tax hikes require the consent of a supermajority of voters or their elected representatives.
Find your state below to learn more about the key measures on your ballot.
▶ Jump to a State
Select a state below to move directly to its ballot measures.
Alabama
School District Consolidation Process Amendment
Establish a constitutional process allowing two or more county school districts to consolidate into a single school district, subject to specified procedures and voter approval.
Alaska
Citizenship Voting Requirement Initiative
Amend state law to provide that only United States citizens may vote in any election, replacing the existing language that states “every citizen” meeting the qualifications may vote.
Repeal Top-Four Ranked-Choice Voting Initiative
Repeal Alaska’s top four primary and ranked-choice voting system, returning the state to partisan primary elections and eliminating ranked-choice voting for general elections.
Arizona
Proposition 141
Prohibit the state and local governments from imposing taxes or fees based on vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and from enacting rules to monitor or limit a person’s vehicle miles traveled without that person’s consent.
Proposition 144
Make several changes to Arizona election law, including specifying that only United States citizens may vote in state elections and requiring voters to present a government-issued photo ID when casting a ballot.
Proposition 316
Prohibit local governments from imposing or increasing taxes on the sale of food without voter approval and cap any such tax at 2 percent.
Proposition 319
Prohibit state and local governments from using traffic photo enforcement systems unless approved by voters.
Arkansas
Creation of Economic Development Districts Amendment
Amend the Arkansas Constitution to allow the legislature to create Economic Development Districts and authorize loans and grants of public funds to support economic development projects within cities, counties, or cooperative areas.
Citizenship Voting Requirement Amendment
Amend the Arkansas Constitution to provide that only citizens of the United States may vote in state and local elections.
Natural Resources Commission Bond Measure
Authorize the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission to issue up to $500 million in general obligation bonds to finance water-related infrastructure projects, including water treatment, transportation, waste disposal, pollution abatement, drainage, etc.
California
Proposition 2
Increase the cap on California’s Budget Stabilization Account from 10% to 20% of General Fund revenues and exclude deposits into the reserve from the state’s constitutional spending limit (the Gann Limit).
This measure would allow politicians to keep an extra tens of billions ($10,000,000,000+) of taxpayer dollars to spend in future years, and undermine a key spending limit that has kept government in check for decades.
Proposition 3
Permanently extend the additional income tax rates on high-income earners that were approved by voters in 2012 and are currently scheduled to expire in 2031, with revenues dedicated primarily to education and healthcare programs.
Re-approving California’s 13.3% top income tax rate – the highest income tax in the nation – will hasten California’s steady decline as families, dollars, and investment capital flee to other states.
Proposition 39
Require voters to present government-issued identification when voting, require election officials to verify voter citizenship using government records, and require annual reporting on voter citizenship verification rates.
Proposition 40
Impose a one-time 5% tax on taxpayers and trusts with covered assets valued at more than $1 billion to fund healthcare, food assistance, and public education programs.
This measure proposes an unprecedented 5% tax on billionaires’ assets—an unconstitutional seizure of wealth that has already sent $777 billion fleeing the state and threatens deeper budget crises if passed. Read more from the Independent Institute here.
Proposition 41
Require audits of programs funded by new state special taxes, require recurring audits of those programs, and prohibit new state taxes that exempt their revenues from California’s constitutional spending limit.
Audits help keep corrupt politicians in check, especially when they include new bans on “special” state taxes.
Proposition 42
Prohibit the state from enacting new taxes on personal property, including retirement accounts, financial assets, investment accounts, business interests, and intellectual property, and prohibit certain retroactive state taxes.
The alternative to Prop 40, this measure establishes rock-solid protections against retroactive taxes and forbids ANY taxes on personal property, including retirement accounts, small business assets, and intellectual property.
Proposition 43
Require a two-thirds vote of the electorate to enact, extend, or increase local special taxes and prohibit local governments from imposing ad valorem property taxes except as otherwise authorized by the California Constitution.
The famous Prop 13 required 2/3 of voters to approve any new taxes, but cities and counties found a loophole to get around that rule – by calling a new tax a “special” tax, they now only need 50% support. Restoring the 2/3 threshold limits municipalities from imposing unnecessary taxes.
Proposition 45
Modify California’s environmental review process by establishing timelines for reviewing certain housing, transportation, water, energy, and public safety projects and limiting judicial review to expedite project approvals.
By eliminating red tape, this measure should substantially increase the speed of new housing construction across California.
Colorado
Proposition NN
Allow Colorado to retain and spend additional revenue above its existing Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR) limit rather than return that money to taxpayers.
Amendment 87
Establish a graduated income tax, ranging from 3.7% to 8.4%, remove the uniform tax rate requirement from the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR), and exempt the additional revenue from TABOR’s normal revenue limit.
Proposition 136
Establish Colorado’s existing 4.4% income tax rate as the maximum rate, restricting the state’s ability to impose higher income tax rates.
Proposition 137
Exempt portions of sales tax revenue from TABOR’s constitutional limits, reducing revenue available for taxpayer refunds in years when the state exceeds its TABOR cap.
Florida
Amendment 3
Expand Florida’s homestead property tax exemption, lower the annual assessment cap for non-homestead properties, and restrict how municipalities can use property tax revenue. School property taxes are unaffected. The restrictions on local government spending are a major win, as is the commercial property tax cap being tightened from 10% to 5%. Without a strong levy or local government revenue cap, making the measure work long-term requires containing local government spending, and the state must not engage in raising taxes to subsidize local governments. Further homestead tax exemption increases will be especially risky.
Changes to Budget Stabilization Fund Amendment
Increase the maximum size of Florida’s Budget Stabilization Fund from 10% to 25% of net general revenue and make other changes to the state’s budget reserve requirements.
Georgia
Increase Acre Limit for Agriculture and Timber Conservation Use Property Tax Classification Amendment
Increase the maximum acreage eligible for Georgia’s agricultural and timber conservation use property tax classification from 2,000 acres to 4,000 acres, allowing additional qualifying land to receive the preferential property tax assessment.
Require Nonpartisan Elections for Probate Judges Amendment
Require probate judges to be elected on a nonpartisan basis, with candidates’ party affiliations removed from the ballot.
Hawaii
Authorize RISE Bonds Amendment
Authorize the state legislature to allow counties and municipalities to issue housing infrastructure growth (RISE) bonds to finance public infrastructure, public improvements, and community development projects that support housing development.
Iowa
Amendment 1, Two-Thirds Legislative Vote Requirement for Income Tax Increase Bills Amendment
Amend the Iowa Constitution to require a two-thirds vote of both chambers of the legislature to pass a bill that would increase the individual or corporate income tax rate or create a new income tax.
Kansas
Citizenship Voting Requirement Amendment
Amend the state constitution to state that only a citizen of the United States is eligible to vote.
Maryland
State Employee Collective Bargaining and Budget Amendment
Require the governor’s budget to provide for expenditures necessary to implement the terms and conditions of employment, including wages, hours, and benefits, agreed to in each MOU or binding arbitration between the state, state institutions of higher education, the Maryland Environmental Service, and their state employees. The amendment would also leave room for statutory changes to collective bargaining for state employees, including the selection of an arbitrator and establishing a binding arbitration process.
Massachusetts
Question 1, Public Records Requirements for Legislature and Governor’s Office Initiative
Would make records held by the state legislature and governor’s office available to the public, with limited exceptions.
Question 2, Permit Collective Bargaining for Committee for Public Counsel Services Employees Initiative
Permit employees of the Committee for Public Counsel Services to participate in collective bargaining practices and requiring them to request funding from the governor for agreements within thirty days after entering any collective bargaining contract.
Question 3, Top-Two Primary Elections Initiative
Establish a single primary for state elections in which all candidates appear on the same ballot regardless of party affiliation, with the top two vote-receivers advancing to the general election.
Question 4, Permit Same-Day Voter Registration Initiative
Allows eligible voters to register and vote on the same day.
Question 5, Change State Tax Revenue Limit Initiative
Closes loopholes in the existing state revenue limit to better protect taxpayers.
Question 6, Establish the Nature for All Fund Initiative
Create a fund for state money, titled the Nature for All Fund, to be used to fund nature conservation efforts, and requiring that before July 1, 2028, fifty percent of the tax revenue from the sale and use of sporting goods, recreational vehicles, and golf courses be placed into the fund, followed by one hundred percent of such tax revenue after July 1, 2028.
Question 7, Limit on Required Lot Size for Single-Family Homes Initiative
require cities and towns to allow single-family homes on residential lots of at least 5,000 Square feet, with at least 50 feet of street frontage and access to public water and sewer services.
Michigan
Utility and Government Contractor Campaign Finance Regulations Initiative
Limit public discourse and free speech with onerous and excessive campaign finance regulations.
Nevada
Question 7
Require vote-by-mail voters to verify their identity using the last 4 digits of their social security number or their driver’s license
New Hampshire
Eliminate Office of Register of Probate Amendment
Eliminate the Office of Register of Probate (handles simple wills, estates, trusts, etc.)
New Mexico
Establish Salary for State Legislators Amendment
Establish a salary for state legislators which is equal to the annual median household income of the state.
Higher education improvements Bond Issue
Creates a statewide property tax to authorize $230 million in bonds for improvements to schools.
Library Acquisition Bond Issue
Creates a statewide property tax to authorize $20 million in bonds for library resource acquisition.
Senior Citizen Facilities Bond Issue
Creates a statewide property tax to authorize $30 million for senior citizen center improvements.
North Carolina
Property Tax Levy Limit Amendment
Require state legislators enact a property tax levy limit capping annual growth in property tax collections.
Reduce Income tax Cap from 7% to 3.5% Amendment
Reduce maximum allowable income tax rate from 7% to 3.5%.
Require Voter Identification Amendment
Require photo identification to vote.
North Dakota
Constitutional Measure 1
Require a 60% vote for amendments to be adopted
Constitutional Measure 2
Establish that schools must provide student a free breakfast and free lunch
Ohio
Require Voter Identification Amendment
Ensure voters must provide photo id before voting
Oklahoma
State Question 845
Base judicial nominating commission appointments on congressional districts, allows commissioners to serve 2 consecutive terms, removal limits based on party affiliation, and allow certain commission members to be licensed attorneys.
State Question 847
Lower the annual limit on increases in a property’s fair cash value
Rhode Island
Economic and Infrastructure Development Bond Measure
Issue $100 million in bonds to provide new funding for infrastructure and economic development projects.
Environment and Watershed Protection and Development Bond Measure
Issue $55 million in bonds to provide new funding for environmental preservation and water infrastructure projects.
Higher Education Facilities Bond Measure
Issue $275 million in bonds to provide further funding for construction, improvements, and renovations of higher education facilities.
Historical Center and Cultural Grants Bond Measure
Issue $50 million in bonds to provide new funding in cultural and historical projects.
Housing Development Bond Measure
Issue $120 million in bonds to provide further funding for the construction and new development of affordable housing projects and areas.
South Dakota
Constitutional Amendment I
Peg the expansion of Medicaid to a minimum 90% federal match
Constitutional Amendment J
Ensure that an individual who is not a U.S. citizen cannot vote in any election or ballot question.
Tennessee
Amendment 2
Prohibit the state legislature from establishing property taxes of any kind.
Utah
60% Vote Requirement for Ballot Initiatives to Increase or Expand Taxes Amendment
Require citizen-initiated ballot measures involving new or higher taxes or property taxes to receive at least 60% voter approval.
Washington
Repeal Tax on Household Income Over $1 Million and Prohibit State and Local Taxes on Income Initiative
Eliminate the tax on household income above $1 million and bar state and local governments from taxing individual income.
West Virginia
Citizenship Voting Requirement Amendment
Specify in the state constitution that voting in elections is limited to U.S. citizens.
Wisconsin
Prohibit Partial Veto to Increase Tax or Fee Amendment
Prevent the governor from using partial veto authority to impose new taxes or fees or raise existing ones.
Wyoming
Initiative 1
Exempt 50% of a homeowner’s primary residence assessed value from property taxes.