This November, there are numerous ballot initiatives in a plethora of states that directly impact democracy or voting rights. There are a few themes many of the measures share.
The most common initiatives are amendments to state constitutions banning noncitizen voting, which is already illegal and extremely rare. This issue was pushed into national spotlight after House Republicans passed a nationwide proof of citizenship bill in July — known as the SAVE Act — which will reportedly be part of the House’s appropriations bill to be considered next week.
The Democratic-controlled Senate and White House are unlikely to pass the bill, but the vast spread of messaging that huge numbers of noncitizens are voting illegally has already planted the seeds to discredit the 2024 election results.
Additionally, municipalities in California, Maryland and Vermont, along with the nation’s capital, allow for noncitizen voting in local elections.
Then, there are multiple ballot measures to either implement or repeal/ban ranked-choice voting. There are nuances to each implementation of this voting system, but in general, all of the candidates — regardless of party — appear on the same ballot. Voters rank the candidates on the ballot by preference, and if one candidate wins more than 50% of the vote — after everyone’s first-choice selections are counted — they are declared the winner.
However, if no one wins over half of the vote, the lowest vote-getter will be eliminated. Whoever ranked the eliminated candidate as their first choice will have their votes redistributed to their second choice. The tabulation process then continues as rounds until a candidate receives more than 50% of the total vote.
Advocates of ranked-choice voting explain that it strengthens democracy because it gives more power to individual voters, makes them feel like their votes truly matter and gives voters registered as independent more of a voice.
Alaska and Maine use ranked-choice voting statewide and some cities like New York City and San Francisco use it on a local basis, as well.
Also, there are multiple measures pushing for reforms to primary elections — making them partisan or nonpartisan — and changes to ballot initiative processes — like adjusting signature requirements and deadlines.
Democracy Docket summarized each initiative by state:
Alaskans for Honest Elections collected enough signatures to get a citizen-initiated measure on the ballot that would amend state statute to eliminate the open primaries — to instead establish a party primary system — and get rid of the ranked-choice voting system in general elections.
This initiative was challenged by Alaska voters in court, who questioned the validity of many of the signatures. Despite an Alaska judge ordering election officials to disqualify approximately 3,000 signatures, the measure still has enough signatures to qualify for the ballot.
This would overturn an initiative approved by voters in 2020 that implemented the ranked-choice voting system in the first place.
If approved, this would be a loss for voters because it could deter independent voters from voting in the primary elections and would prohibit ranked-choice voting, which strengthens democracy by giving more power to individual voters and making them feel like their votes really matter.
Ballot Initiative 1
The Republican-led legislature passed an amendment to the state constitution last year to require partisan primary elections for partisan offices and prohibit primary elections where all candidates — regardless of party — run on the same ticket.
Currently, Arizona has partisan primary elections, so this measure would just enshrine that into the state constitution.
If approved, this would be a loss for voters because it could deter independent and moderate voters from voting in the primary elections.
Ballot Initiative 2
The legislature passed an amendment to the state constitution to establish a signature distribution requirement for citizen-initiated ballot measures.
Currently, for constitutional amendments to be added to the ballot, the number of signatures needed is equal to 15% of the number of votes for governor statewide. For state statute amendments to get on the ballot, they need 10%.
This new ballot measure would require these percentages to come from each legislative district. Specifically for a citizen-initiated constitutional amendment, a group would need to collect a number of signatures equal to 15% of the votes for governor in each district.
If approved, this would be a loss for voters because it would be harder for citizens to get a proposed amendment on the ballot and would give them less power to impact change in their community.
Ballot Initiative 3
The legislature passed an amendment to the state constitution in June to allow anyone to challenge a citizen-initiated ballot measure after it’s already been filed with the secretary of state.
If approved, this would be a loss for voters because it could take away power from numerous people who signed the petition for the ballot measure.
The Santa Ana City Council passed a proposed amendment to the city charter last year that would allow noncitizen residents to vote in all city municipal elections, which includes mayor and city council member races, ballot measures, initiatives and referenda. If approved, this would begin in November 2028.
According to the city council’s resolution, Santa Ana is a sanctuary city, and noncitizen residents make up 24% of the city’s total population and about 30% of its voting-age population.
“Currently tens of thousands of noncitizen residents and mixed-status families pay taxes yet are disenfranchised, and do not believe they have representation in key decisions that impact their lives,” the resolution stated.
Santa Ana is not the first California city to put a measure like this on the ballot — but it will go a step further than the others.
In 2016 and 2022, voters in San Francisco and Oakland approved city charter amendments to allow noncitizen residents to vote in school board elections.
Under federal law, it’s illegal for noncitizens to vote in federal elections. Under California law, only U.S. citizens can vote in statewide elections, but the state constitution gives charter cities the power to allow noncitizen residents to vote in local elections.
If approved, this would be a win for voters because it would allow noncitizens to have a voice in selecting a local government whose policies impact them every day.
Colorado Voters First, a group spearheaded by Kent Thiry — the wealthy former CEO of the Denver-based dialysis giant DaVita, gained enough signatures to get a citizen-initiated amendment on the ballot to implement open primaries and ranked-choice voting.
The measure would abolish the state’s political party primaries, and instead implement a nonpartisan primary election where all candidates appear on the same ballot. The top-four vote getters would advance to the general election. Also, the ballot initiative would establish a ranked-choice voting system for general elections.
Under current law, each party has its own primary election, and in the general election voters can only select one candidate for each office.
Organizers wanted the new voting system to be implemented for the 2026 midterm elections, according to their website, but Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) signed a law in June that would require multiple Colorado counties to conduct ranked-choice voting elections, essentially testing the system out, before the state adopts it for larger races.
There will be “a goal of implementation as soon as practicable and certainly no later than the 2028 election cycle for full implementation statewide,” Polis said in a statement.
If approved, this would be a win for voters because ranked-choice voting strengthens democracy by giving more power to individual voters, making them feel like their votes really matter, plus nonpartisan primaries allow independent and moderate voters to have more of a voice.
The Democrat-controlled legislature approved an amendment in May to enshrine no-excuse absentee voting into the state constitution, and it will be implemented if voters approve it on the ballot.
Currently, under state law, a voter can only cast an absentee ballot if they can prove they will be out of town on Election Day or if illness, physical disabilities, active service in the military, religious beliefs or duties as an election official prevent them from going to their polling place.
If approved, this ballot measure would be a win for voters because it would allow anyone to utilize absentee voting, making it easier for voters to cast their ballots.
The Republican-led legislature passed the Partisan School Board Elections Amendment to the state constitution last year, which would change school board elections from nonpartisan to partisan beginning in 2026 and make it so candidates would be nominated for the general election through closed partisan primaries. Also, Florida has a closed primary system, so only registered Democrats or Republicans can vote in their respective primaries.
Currently, the Florida Constitution requires school board elections to be nonpartisan, so candidates do not have party labels next to their names.
If approved, this would be a loss for voters because it would disenfranchise independent voters from voting in the primaries for school board candidates.
Ballot Initiative 1
The state legislature with a GOP majority passed an amendment to the state constitution in March that would only allow U.S. citizens to vote.
Currently, under federal law, it is already illegal for noncitizens to vote, so in terms of practical impact, this would prevent cities or towns from allowing noncitizens to vote in local elections.
This is not the first time this narrative has been discussed in the state. Earlier this month, Idaho Gov. Brad Little (R) signed an executive order banning noncitizen voting, falsely claiming it’s necessary because the Biden administration is “actively promoting registration of noncitizens to vote.”
If approved, this would be a loss for voters because it would continue to spread doubt on the credibility of U.S. elections and wouldn’t let local municipalities set their own election rules.
Ballot Initiative 2
A group called Idahoans for Open Primaries collected enough signatures to put a citizen-initiated measure on the ballot this November.
The measure would abolish the state’s political party primaries, and instead implement a nonpartisan primary election where all candidates appear on the same ballot. The top four vote-getters would advance to the general election. Also, the ballot initiative would establish a ranked-choice voting system for general elections.
Under current law, each party has its own primary election, and in the general election, voters can only select one candidate for each office.
If approved, this would be a win for voters because ranked-choice voting strengthens democracy by giving more power to individual voters, making them feel like their votes really matter, plus nonpartisan primaries allow independent and moderate voters to have more of a voice.
The Democratic-controlled legislature passed an advisory question for the ballot in May — which is a non-binding question used to learn what the public opinion is on an issue. Advisory questions in Illinois need to be approved by the governor — and Gov. J.B. Prisker (D) approved it in May.
The question asks voters if a candidate for local, state or federal office should be subject to civil penalties if they interfere with an election worker’s official duties. If the majority of voters say yes to this question, this would be a win for voters because lawmakers may consider holding candidates accountable for interfering in an election, which makes elections more secure and trustworthy.
The Republican-controlled legislature passed an amendment to the state constitution in 2022 that would only allow U.S. citizens to vote.
Currently, under federal law, it is already illegal for noncitizens to vote, so in terms of practical impact, this would prevent cities or towns from allowing noncitizens to vote in local elections.
However, the amendment also has another component — it would allow 17-year-olds to vote in primary elections if they will be 18 years old by the general election.
If approved, this would be both a win and loss for voters because it would continue to spread doubt on the credibility of U.S. elections and wouldn’t let local municipalities set their own election rules, while also giving more young people the right to vote in primary elections. This could create some conflict for Iowa voters who want to expand voting rights across the board.
The legislature, which has a GOP majority, passed an amendment to the state constitution in March that would only allow people who are U.S. citizens to vote.
Currently, under federal law, it is already illegal for noncitizens to vote, so in terms of practical impact, this would prevent cities or towns from allowing noncitizens to vote in local elections.
If approved, this would be a loss for voters because it would continue to spread doubt on the credibility of U.S. elections and wouldn’t let local municipalities set their own election rules.
The legislature, which has a GOP majority, passed an amendment to the state constitution in March that would only allow people who are U.S. citizens to vote and would prohibit ranked-choice voting.
Currently, under federal law, it is already illegal for noncitizens to vote, so in terms of practical impact, this would prevent cities or towns from allowing noncitizens to vote in local elections.
If approved, this would be a loss for voters because it would continue to spread doubt on the credibility of U.S. elections and wouldn’t let local municipalities set their own election rules. Also, it would prohibit ranked-choice voting which strengthens democracy by giving more power to individual voters, making them feel like their votes really matter.
Ballot Initiative 1
Montanans for Election Reform, a campaign to create open primaries in Montana, gathered enough signatures to put a citizen-initiated amendment on the ballot this November. Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen (R) certified the initiative on Aug. 22 after a legal battle over signatures.
The measure would implement top-four primary elections for governor, lieutenant governor, state executives, state legislators, congressional offices and others provided by law.
Instead of separate party primaries, there would be a nonpartisan primary election where all candidates appear on the same ballot. The top four vote-getters would advance to the general election, regardless of party.
If approved, this would be a win for voters because nonpartisan primaries allow independent and moderate voters to have more of a voice in selecting their elected officials.
Ballot Initiative 2
Montanans for Election Reform, a campaign to create open primaries in Montana, collected enough signatures to put a second citizen-initiated amendment on the ballot. Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen (R) certified the initiative on Aug. 22 after a legal battle over signatures.
The measure would require candidates for certain offices — governor, lieutenant governor, state executives, state legislators, congressional offices and others provided by law — to receive the majority of the vote, not just a plurality. This would apply to a race with more than two candidates where if someone garners the highest number of votes, but doesn’t get more than 50%, they don’t automatically win.
The state legislature would need to pass a law creating a majority-vote system to determine the winner, which could be a run-off election or via ranked-choice voting.
If approved, this would be a win for voters because it ensures that candidates don’t win elections by only winning a smaller portion of the electorate.
A group called Repair the Vote collected enough signatures to get a citizen-initiated constitutional amendment on the ballot this November.
The amendment would require voters to present a photo ID while voting in person or provide the last four digits of their driver’s license or social security number when voting by mail.
The measure faced a challenge in court, with plaintiffs alleging that it’s deceptive, misleading and does not explain the consequences of the ballot initiative to properly inform voters. However, the Nevada Supreme Court ruled that it can appear on the ballot.
Back in February, former President Donald Trump expressed his support for the measure in a TruthSocial post.
If approved, this would be a loss for voters because many eligible American voters do not have access to photo IDs — especially minority voters — so this would disenfranchise numerous people who otherwise could have participated in elections.
The Republican-controlled legislature passed an amendment to the state constitution that would only allow people who are U.S. citizens to vote.
Currently, under federal law, it is already illegal for noncitizens to vote, so in terms of practical impact, this would prevent cities or towns from allowing noncitizens to vote in local elections.
If approved, this would be a loss for voters because it would continue to spread doubt on the credibility of U.S. elections and wouldn’t let local municipalities set their own election rules.
The GOP-led legislature passed an amendment to the state constitution in April changing the rules and requirements for ballot initiatives.
The amendment would require an initiative to only address a single subject, increase the signature requirement for constitutional amendment initiatives from 4% to 5% of the population and require ballot initiatives to first be approved by primary voters before being placed on the general election ballot.
If approved, this would be a loss for voters because it would be harder for citizens to get a proposed amendment on the ballot and would give them less power to impact change in their community.
The legislature, which has a Republican majority, passed an amendment to the state constitution in May that would only allow people who are U.S. citizens to vote.
Currently, under federal law, it is already illegal for noncitizens to vote, so in terms of practical impact, this would prevent cities or towns from allowing noncitizens to vote in local elections.
If approved, this would be a loss for voters because it would continue to spread doubt on the credibility of U.S. elections and wouldn’t let local municipalities set their own election rules.
Citizens Not Politicians, a campaign to end gerrymandering in Ohio, collected enough signatures to get a constitutional amendment on the ballot to take map-drawing power from lawmakers and instead vest it in a 15-member independent citizen commission.
More than 9 million Ohioans, about 77% of the state’s population, reside in districts “where elections for state representatives are not in serious dispute,” according to an analysis from the Brennan Center for Justice.
Also, the Ohio Supreme Court has struck down congressional and legislative maps for being unconstitutional seven different times.
If approved, this would be a win for voters. It could sharply reduce — if not eliminate —- gerrymandering, making elections more fair and competitive.
The legislature, which has a Democratic majority, passed an amendment to state statute last year that would implement a ranked-choice voting system for primary and general elections for federal offices and executive state offices, like governor and attorney general. This would not apply to races for state legislators.
Also, the amendment would authorize cities, school districts and counties to use ranked-choice voting in their elections if they would like to. This entire measure would go into effect starting on Jan. 1, 2028.
Currently, Oregon uses a plurality voting system in which the candidate with the highest number of votes wins.
If approved, this would be a win for voters because ranked-choice voting strengthens democracy by giving more power to individual voters, making them feel like their votes really matter.
The Republican-controlled legislature passed an amendment to the state constitution in April that would only allow people who are U.S. citizens to vote.
Currently, under federal law, it is already illegal for noncitizens to vote, so in terms of practical impact, this would prevent cities or towns from allowing noncitizens to vote in local elections.
If approved, this would be a loss for voters because it would continue to spread doubt on the credibility of U.S. elections and wouldn’t let local municipalities set their own election rules.
A group called South Dakota Open Primaries collected enough signatures to put a citizen-initiated constitutional amendment on the ballot this November.
The measure would replace partisan primaries and instead implement a nonpartisan primary election where all candidates appear on the same ballot. The top two vote-getters will advance to the general election. This is called a “top-two primary,” and currently, California, Nebraska, and Washington utilize this system.
If approved, this would be a win for voters because nonpartisan primaries allow independent and moderate voters to have more of a voice.
The GOP-controlled legislature voted on Aug. 21 to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot in November that would give them power to veto or alter voter-approved ballot measures.
The amendment would also allow legislators to amend or repeal ballot initiatives passed prior to the approval of the ballot initiative.
If approved, this would be a loss for voters because it would allow state legislators to override the will of the people, who cast their votes to approve ballot measures.
The “Make All Voters Count DC” campaign collected enough signatures to put an initiative on the ballot to permit independent voters to vote in party primaries and implement ranked-choice voting for elections. It will allow voters to rank up to five candidates, starting with the June 2026 primary election. The D.C. Elections Board verified the signatures on Aug. 2.
Currently, only voters registered as Democrats or Republicans can vote in their corresponding party primaries, and Washington, D.C. has a plurality voting system in which the candidate with the highest number of votes wins.
If approved, this would be a win for voters because it would allow previously disenfranchised independent voters to cast ballots in primary elections, and ranked-choice voting strengthens democracy by giving more power to individual voters, making them feel like their votes really matter.
The GOP-led legislature passed an amendment to the state constitution last year that would only allow people who are U.S. citizens to vote.
Currently, under federal law, it is already illegal for noncitizens to vote, so in terms of practical impact, this would prevent cities or towns from allowing noncitizens to vote in local elections.
If approved, this would be a loss for voters because it would continue to spread doubt on the credibility of U.S. elections and wouldn’t let local municipalities set their own election rules.
This guide was updated on Sept. 6, 2024, at 9:58 a.m. to add a Colorado ballot initiative.
This list is not comprehensive.