Welcome to the Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, Brew.
By: Lara Bonatesta
Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day:
- Six housing policy measures are on the ballot in four states — the most in at least two decades
- Since 1986, 29 governors who took office upon a vacancy have run for a full term
- Democratic primary for Massachusetts' 1st District reflects national trend of progressive challenging long-time incumbents
Six housing policy measures are on the ballot in four states — the most in at least two decades
Voters in four states will decide on six statewide ballot measures on housing policy on Nov. 3 — the most in a single year since 2006.
California has three measures on the ballot. Hawaii, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island each have one. State legislators put three measures on the ballot (one each in California, Rhode Island, and Hawaii), and three are citizen initiatives (two in California and one in Massachusetts).
State ballot measures on housing were uncommon before 2024
Between 2006 and 2025, voters decided nine statewide housing policy measures. Voters approved three and defeated six. No more than one such measure appeared on the ballot in any year from 2006 to 2023. There were three such measures in 2024 and six in 2026.
Those measures addressed housing development funding, housing assistance, and rent control. Voters approved all three housing assistance measures and defeated all four rent control measures and both housing development funding measures.
The 2026 measures are the first since 2006 to address statewide housing policy related specifically to land use, zoning, and permitting. Additionally, the 2026 measures also address housing assistance programs and housing development funding.
Land use, zoning, and permitting
Land use, zoning, and permitting ballot measures address housing development regulations. Voters in California and Massachusetts will decide on these types of measures.
California Proposition 45, the Changes to Environmental Review Process for Certain Projects Initiative, would change the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and Permit Streamlining Act for essential projects, including housing, water, renewable energy, medical facilities, public safety infrastructure, broadband, education, and transportation. It would also establish deadlines for agencies to review applications and make permitting decisions, shorten or limit parts of the environmental review process, expedite court challenges, and restrict the circumstances in which courts could delay or overturn project approvals.
The Committee to Build an Affordable California is leading the campaign in support of Proposition 45. Through June 30, supporters raised $25.4 million.
People Over Polluters is leading the campaign opposing Proposition 45. Through June 30, opponents raised $4.1 million.
Massachusetts Question 7, the Limit on Required Lot Size for Single-Family Homes Initiative, would limit how much land cities and towns could require for a single-family home in areas already zoned for residential use. If a lot has at least 5,000 square feet of area, at least 50 feet of frontage on a street or public way, and access to public sewer and water service, the municipality would have to allow a single-family home on the lot. The measure would also override local zoning rules that require larger minimum lot sizes in those areas.
The Legalize Starter Homes PAC is leading the campaign in support of Question 7. As of Aug. 11, there is no organized campaign opposing Question 7. The Massachusetts Municipal Association opposes the ballot initiative.
Housing assistance programs
Housing assistance program ballot measures provide public funding and support for housing aid, including mortgage assistance, subsidies, and related programs. California voters will decide on these two of these measures.
California Proposition 1, the Veteran and Housing Assistance Programs Bond Measure, would authorize the state to issue $11.25 billion in bonds to fund income-qualified housing programs, such as the Multifamily Housing Program, the CalHome Program, and the Joe Serna, Jr. Farmworker Housing Grant Program, and the veteran home loan program. The state's veteran program offers loans to veterans through the issuance of bonds, and the bonds are repaid as veterans repay the loans. In the Legislature, the proposal received support from Democrats and 25% of Republicans.
The California Proposition 37, the Second Mortgage Homebuyer Program and Revenue Bond Initiative, would authorize the California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA) to issue up to $25 billion in revenue bonds to fund a new down-payment assistance program. The program would provide qualifying buyers with a second mortgage covering up to 17% of the purchase price of an eligible home, while buyers would be required to contribute a down payment of at least 3%. Borrowers would make monthly payments on the second mortgage, with interest rates and repayment terms set to repay the bonds and cover administrative costs. CalHFA would be required to keep borrowers' interest costs as low as possible.
California Coalition for Homeownership is leading the campaign in support of the initiative. Through June 30, the campaign had raised $16.2 million. As of Aug. 11, there is no organized campaign opposing Proposition 37. The PAC Reform California opposes the initiative.
Housing development funding
Housing development funding ballot measures provide public funding or incentives for housing development. Voters in Hawaii and Rhode Island will decide on these types of measures.
The Hawaii Authorize Resilient Infrastructure for Shelter and Equity (RISE) Bonds Amendment would authorize local governments to issue bonds for infrastructure and public improvements that support housing development, such as water, sewer, drainage, and roads. The Legislature also passed companion legislation, contingent on voter approval of the measure, that would establish a tax increment financing (TIF) program allowing counties to create districts where bonds could be used to finance public improvements supporting housing development, and increases in property tax revenue could be used to fund projects and repay the bonds. The amendment received bipartisan, unanimous support from legislators.
The Rhode Island Housing Development Bond Measure would authorize the state to issue up to $120 million in bonds for projects to "increase and preserve the availability of affordable and accessible housing." At least $25 million would need to be allocated to increasing the production of housing intended for homeownership, and up to $10 million would need to be allocated for a public housing development program. The measure was included in the state's fiscal year 2027 appropriations bill, which Democrats supported and Republicans opposed.
Click here to read more about 2026 ballot measures related to housing policy.
Since 1986, 29 governors who took office upon a vacancy have run for a full term
Since 1986, 29 governors who took office following a vacancy have run for a full term. Twenty-two won a full term, six lost, and one, South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden (R), is running this year. Rhoden, who became governor in 2025 after Gov. Kristi Noem (R) resigned to serve as Secretary of Homeland Security, will face Democratic nominee Dan Ahlers (D) in the Nov. 3 general election.
Nineteen of the governors who ran for a full term after filling a vacancy were Republicans. Ten were Democrats. Of the six who lost, three lost in the general election, two lost in the primaries, and one lost at a nominating convention. No Democratic governor lost a primary for a full term in this period.
Twenty-five governors took office after a resignation. Three took office after the previous governor died. One governor took office after the previous governor was impeached. Since 1986, only one governor who took office after the previous governor died won a full term: Vermont Gov. Howard Dean (D) in 1992. The one governor who took office following the previous governor’s impeachment was Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn (D), who succeeded Rod Blagojevich (D). Quinn won a full-term in 2010.
South Dakota’s gubernatorial election is one of 36 gubernatorial elections being held this year. As of Aug. 4, three outlets, The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter, Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales, and Sabato’s Crystal Ball, rated the race as Solid Republican or Safe Republican. The last Democrat to win a gubernatorial election in the state was Richard F. Kneip in 1974. This is the longest gubernatorial drought for any party in the country. If Rhoden wins in November, Republicans will have won 13 gubernatorial elections in a row, tying the state’s historical streak of 13 elections from 1900 to 1924.
To read more about South Dakota’s gubernatorial election, click here. To read more about the 2026 gubernatorial elections, click here. To read more about gubernatorial resignations in the United States, click here.
Democratic primary for Massachusetts' 1st District reflects national trend of progressive challenging long-time incumbents
Incumbent Richard Neal and Jeromie Whalen are running in the Sept. 1 Democratic primary for Massachusetts' 1st Congressional District.
The election is one of multiple taking place this year in which a long-serving Democratic incumbent is facing a younger, more progressive challenger. Five of Massachusetts' congressional incumbents face primary challengers this year, tied with 2018 for the most since at least 2014. And nationally, there are more contested Democratic primaries for U.S. House than any year in that same period.
Neal, who is 77 years old and was first elected to Congress in 1988, is the ranking Democrat on the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee. Since Neal's election in 1988, he has chaired the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee (116th and 117th Congresses) and the Joint Committee on Taxation (117th Congress). He last faced primaries in 2020 and 2018, winning by 17.4 and 41.4 percentage points, respectively. Neal is running on his record, saying, “I’ve fought tirelessly for policies that make a difference for hard-working families and future generations: fairer taxes, affordable and accessible healthcare, taking on climate change, preserving Social Security, and more.”
Whalen, a 39-year-old communications and media production high school teacher, describes himself as a progressive and is campaigning on Medicare For All, the economy, education, a federal version of the Fair Share Amendment — a constitutional amendment in Massachusetts that funds transportation and public education via taxation on high-income households — and raising the federal minimum wage. Whalen also says that Neal accepts corporate donations, is absent from the district, has served in Congress too long, and is not effective enough in his opposition to President Donald Trump's (R) administration. Whalen completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. To read his responses, click here.
The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter, Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales, and Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball rated the district Solid Democratic or Safe Democratic.
Click here to see our full coverage of the Democratic primary in Massachusetts’ 1st Congressional District. Also, if you're a Massachusetts voter, check out our Sample Ballot Lookup here to prepare for Election Day.