Voters in more than three dozen states will decide around 150 ballot measures on November 3, alongside the congressional contest that has dominated coverage of November's U.S. midterm elections.
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that → decide → elections
The measures on the ballot span abortion access, the rights of transgender athletes and what would be the world's first billionaire tax.
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what → span → athletes
States weigh tough new bans on transgender sports, locker rooms, and youth healthcare
Arizona, Colorado, Nebraska and Washington will decide whether to bar transgender girls and women from playing for all-female sports teams.
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Arizona → weigh → teams
Republican candidates have sought to highlight the issue on the campaign trail.
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candidates → seek → trail
That follows political strategists crediting President Donald Trump's attacks on transgender rights in 2024 with helping him to victory.
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That → follow → victory
Proponents of the limits say they protect girls and women.
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they → say → girls
Critics say they discriminate against transgender students.
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they → say → students
Arizona and Nebraska have already passed laws that prohibit transgender girls and women from teams that align with their gender identity.
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that → pass → identity
Arizona's referendum would expand its law to apply to private schools.
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referendum → expand → schools
It would also require all schools to ensure bathrooms and locker rooms are open only to athletes whose birth certificate matches the gender associated with the facility.
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certificate → require → facility
Nebraska's measure would codify the ban in the state constitution, making it harder for lawmakers to reverse.
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lawmakers → codify → constitution
Washington's law would require any athlete seeking to join a girls' team to have their "biological sex" verified by a healthcare provider.
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sex → require → provider
Some opponents have said that provision could result in unnecessary and invasive examinations.
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provision → say → examinations
Two states will also vote on restricting gender-affirming care for minors.
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states → vote → minors
A ballot measure in Colorado would ban transition-related surgeries for minors.
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measure → ban → minors
Missouri already has a law prohibiting gender-affirming medical treatment for children.
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Missouri → have → children
Voters there will decide whether to add that ban to the state constitution.
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Voters → decide → constitution
Battle to reinstate abortion bans also hits the ballot
Abortion is also on the ballot in Idaho, where voters will decide whether to establish the right to abortion up to fetal viability, generally considered to be around 24 weeks of pregnancy.
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voters → reinstate → pregnancy
The state has banned virtually all abortions since 2022, when the U.S. Supreme Court eliminated a nationwide right.
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Court → ban → right
Missouri voters face a ballot measure that would reverse their decision two years ago to overturn the state's abortion ban, and again prohibit most abortions.
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that → face → abortions
The 2024 referendum was citizen-initiated.
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referendum → initiate → ?
This year's ballot measure was brought forward by the Republican-controlled legislature.
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measure → bring → legislature
The measure also bans gender-affirming care for minors.
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measure → ban → minors
GOP pushes new photo ID mandate for mail-in voting
California, Colorado and Nevada will decide whether to require voters to provide the last four digits of a government identification card, such as a Social Security number or a driver's license, when voting by mail.
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California → push → mail
Arizona has a referendum that would require photo ID for mail-in ballots.
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that → have → ballots
The measure's language does not specify how that would work.
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that → specify → ?
Redistricting wars set to reshape Congress through 2028
Starting in 2025, Trump led a Republican push to redraw congressional maps in several states, aiming to turn Democratic-held seats into GOP-leaning districts.
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Trump → set → districts
The resulting fight between both parties appears likely to extend to 2028.
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fight → result → 2028
Two notable ballot measures will shape the battlefield.
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measures → shape → battlefield
Missouri residents will vote on a Republican-drawn map that would break up the state's only Democratic-leaning seat, after courts ruled it can only take effect with voter approval.
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it → vote → approval
In Maryland, voters will decide whether to amend the state constitution to make it easier for lawmakers to draw new congressional districts.
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lawmakers → decide → districts
That would open the door for the Democratic-controlled legislature to eliminate the state's only Republican-leaning seat in 2028.
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legislature → open → 2028
California weighs world's first billionaire tax as Newsom breaks ranks to oppose it
A California ballot measure, Proposition 40, would create the world's first billionaire tax.
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measure → weigh → tax
It would impose a one-time 5% wealth tax on the worldwide assets of each of the state's roughly 250 billionaires.
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It → impose → billionaires
Most of the revenues would be earmarked for healthcare programs.
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Most → earmark → programs
Taxing the ultrawealthy is broadly popular, especially among Democrats.
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Taxing → tax → Democrats
But the referendum has divided California Democrats.
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referendum → divide → Democrats
Governor Gavin Newsom, a potential 2028 presidential candidate, opposes the measure, warning it could drive successful tech companies to other states.
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it → oppose → states
In Montana, voters will decide whether to bar corporations from spending money on elections.
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voters → decide → elections
That is a novel legal strategy to sidestep the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark Citizens United ruling in 2010.
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That → sidestep → 2010
…and 3 more, not listed.
The Aporia
