Author: Alexis Thacker
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Maine is one of four states that could see a ballot initiative requiring public school sports teams designated for girls or boys to be limited to students of the corresponding sex
The campaign Protect Girls Sports in Maine submitted more than 82,000 signatures in support of a ballot initiative that would require that public school sports teams designated for girls or boys be limited to students of the corresponding sex, as recorded on their original birth certificate. On Feb. 2, the campaign submitted petitions with Maine…
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Oklahoma campaign submits signatures for ballot initiative to establish top-two primaries in the state
The campaign behind Oklahoma State Question 836 (SQ 836), Vote Yes 836, submitted more than 200,000 signatures on Jan. 26 to the Oklahoma secretary of state. If approved, the initiative would create a top-two primary system in the state. A top-two primary is a type of primary election where all candidates are listed on the…
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Virginia General Assembly places constitutional amendments on same-sex marriage, abortion, voting rights following criminal convictions on the Nov. 2026 ballot
The Virginia General Assembly approved four constitutional amendments on Jan. 16 that will be placed on the 2026 ballot for voters to decide. The amendments address policies on abortion, voting rights for persons with criminal convictions, same-sex marriage, and congressional redistricting. This was the second time the amendments were approved by the Virginia General Assembly.…
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Virginia voters to decide constitutional amendment allowing legislative congressional redistricting amid recent map changes in six other states
The Virginia General Assembly passed a constitutional amendment that would allow legislators to adopt a new congressional district map. Voters must approve the amendment. House Joint Resolution 4 (HJR 4), the constitutional amendment, would allow the Virginia General Assembly to redraw congressional districts between 2025 and 2030 if other states have conducted mid-decade congressional redistricting. …
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As state verifies signatures for 11 initiatives, Massachusetts could see record number of citizen-initiated ballot measures in 2026
The Massachusetts Elections Division announced on Jan. 5 that it had certified signatures for two initiatives, bringing the total number of initiatives certified to go before the state legislature in 2026 to 11. On Jan. 7, the secretary of the commonwealth will send the 11 initiatives to the Massachusetts General Court because initiatives are indirect…
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Minimum wage set to increase in 22 states and D.C., raising the nationwide average to $11.51
In 2026, the minimum wage will increase in 22 states and Washington, D.C. The increases range from $0.28 in Minnesota to $2.00 in Hawaii. The 2026 increases come from state laws adopted in the past that provided for incremental increases and inflation adjustments, as well as new state statutes passed in 2025 in Rhode Island…
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Utah State Legislature repeals public sector collective bargaining ban, which was scheduled for a referendum vote in 2026
The Utah State Legislature voted to repeal HB 267 during a special legislative session on Dec. 9, 2025. In Utah, a pending veto referendum is automatically invalidated if the state legislature repeals the targeted legislation. As such, the referendum targeting HB 267 will not be on the 2026 Utah ballot. HB 267 would have prohibited…
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Voters in North Carolina and Nevada will decide voter ID amendments in 2026; signatures being collected for California voter ID initiative
Voters in North Carolina and Nevada will decide constitutional amendments on Nov. 3, 2026, that would require voters to present identification to cast a ballot. An additional ballot initiative, in California, is also proposed for next year. In North Carolina, voters will decide on a constitutional amendment that would apply the photo identification requirement to…
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Supporters of at least 10 Massachusetts ballot initiatives submitted signatures. If all qualify, 2026 could see the most ballot initiatives in state history.
In Massachusetts, the deadline to submit signatures for 2026 ballot initiatives to local registrars was Nov. 19. Campaigns for at least 10 different ballot initiatives reported filing signatures. Earlier, on Sept. 3, 44 initiatives were approved for signature gathering. Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin (D) noted the high number of signature submissions, saying, "There’s a unanimity…
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Marijuana and psychedelics on the ballot in 2026: One ballot measure qualified in Idaho, seven more proposed in six states
In 2026, voters in six states may decide on marijuana and psychedelic-related ballot measures. One measure has been certified to appear on the Idaho ballot next November. There are seven other potential measures in Alaska, Idaho, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, and Washington. As of 2025, 40 states have medical marijuana programs, and 24 have legalized the…