Author: Victoria Antram
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Nebraska State Legislature alters second ballot initiative in two years; lowering the rate of increase for the state minimum wage enacted in 2022
Gov. Jim Pillen (R) signed Legislative Bill 258 (LB 258) on Feb. 10, enacting changes to a 2022 minimum wage initiative passed earlier in the month by the state legislature. The bill is the second time the state legislature has amended a ballot initiative in two years. Initiative 433 was approved by Nebraska voters in…
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Nebraska voters have decided on almost four times the number of legislatively referred measures (296) as citizen initiatives (80) since 1860
Since 1860, Nebraska voters have decided on 296 legislatively referred measures—nearly four times the number of citizen initiatives (80). Additionally, Nebraskans also decided on 48 constitutional convention referrals. Of the 424 total measures, 266 (63%) were approved, and 158 (37%) were defeated. Nebraska adopted the initiative process in 1912, with Amendment 1 approved by a…
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Texas Democratic and Republican Parties place non-binding advisory questions on the March primary ballot
The Democratic Party of Texas and the Republican Party of Texas placed non-binding advisory questions on March 3, 2026, primary ballots. Democratic ballots will feature 13 questions. Republican ballots will feature 10 questions. The Democratic and Republican primaries are open, meaning all voters can participate regardless of party affiliation. An advisory question is a type…
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OpenAI and Common Sense Media announce joint California ballot initiative to regulate use of AI chatbots by minors
OpenAI and Common Sense Media, which both previously filed separate ballot initiatives in California related to the use of AI chatbots by minors, announced on Jan. 9 that they had filed a joint ballot initiative. The campaign has titled the initiative the Parents & Kids Safe AI Act. The initiative would amend state law to…
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Oregon voters to decide on veto referendum to repeal a gas tax increase and other parts of transportation bill in November
A veto referendum targeting the repeal of parts of a recently passed transportation funding bill, including an increase in the state’s gas tax, qualified for the Nov. 3, 2026, ballot on Dec. 30. The Oregon secretary of state reported that 163,451 of the 191,828 signatures accepted for verification were valid—a signature validity rate of 85%.…
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Campaign submits signatures for veto referendum to repeal Oregon gas tax increase and other parts of transportation funding bill
No Tax Oregon, the committee sponsoring a veto referendum against an increase to the state’s gas tax, filed nearly 200,000 signatures on Dec. 12 to repeal parts of a transportation funding bill passed during the legislature’s special session in September. The transportation funding bill, House Bill 3991, passed along party lines in September, carried by…
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Five ballot initiatives filed in California to regulate artificial intelligence and its developers
California voters could be the first in the nation to decide on ballot initiatives regulating artificial intelligence in 2026. Five proposed initiatives to regulate AI and its developers have been filed with the attorney general and are awaiting ballot titles before signature gathering can begin. Jim Steyer, the chief executive officer of Common Sense Media,…
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Ballot measures to change election systems proposed in seven states for 2026
Voters in seven states, including Kansas, where a measure is already certified, may consider election-related ballot measures in 2026. The certified and potential measures are detailed by status below. On the ballot The Kansas State Legislature voted earlier this year to send a constitutional amendment to the Aug. 6, 2026, primary ballot that would provide…
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Ballot measure update: No new measures certified in November; 11 ballot initiative campaigns in Massachusetts and two initiatives in Alaska and Colorado submit signatures for 2026
No new measures were certified in November for 2026. So far, voters in 28 states will decide on 56 ballot measures next year. At this point in the election cycle, an average of 52 ballot measures were certified between 2010 and 2024. An average of 161 statewide ballot measures—53 initiated measures and 108 referred measures—appeared…
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Voters in seven states decided on 26 constitutional amendments this year — above the average of 23 for odd-numbered year elections since 2011
In 2025, voters in California, Louisiana, New York, Ohio, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin decided on 26 constitutional amendments sent to state ballots by their respective state legislatures. Voters approved 22 amendments and defeated four, all of which were in Louisiana. This year saw the second-highest number of amendments among odd-numbered years from 2011 to 2023,…