WASHINGTON, D.C.—On Nov. 5, voters in 41 states will decide on a total of 150 statewide ballot measures. Louisianans will see four more in December, bringing the total number of ballot measures in 2024 to 154. Nationwide, voters are choosing a total of 5,808 state legislators, 11 governors and the nation's top executive.
With 85 legislative referrals and 57 citizen initiatives in 41 states, Washington, D.C. and American Samoa, these are a few ballot measures to keep on the radar next week:
- In the wake of the Supreme Court's ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, voters will decide on 11 ballot measures related to abortion-the most ever in a single year.
- Voters in three states—Florida, North Dakota and South Dakota—will decide whether to legalize recreational marijuana for adults 21 and older.
- A record number of statewide ballot measures on ranked choice voting will be decided in Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Missouri, Nevada, Oregon and Washington, D.C.
- 24 election-related ballot measures, on topics ranging from multi-party primaries, absentee voting, and citizen voting requirement, will be decided in 19 states and Washington, D.C.
- Voters in eight states—Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Wisconsin—will decide on explicitly prohibiting noncitizens from voting. All were legislative referrals.
Other trending topics include 37 ballot measures related to taxes or bonds, nine measures related to criminal justice and 16 measures on education, ranging from educational programs to high school testing requirements.
More information on this year's ballot measures can be found on NCSL's Statewide Ballot Measure Database, with new measures added as they are certified and identified by NCSL's elections team. The database includes measures from the late 1800s to the present.
Additionally, NCSL's elections team has created State Elections 2024, a comprehensive state election resource hub, providing nonpartisan analysis on state elections.
NCSL 2024 Elections Resources
- NCSL State Elections 2024: Information on this year's elections, including partisan control, ballot measures and election administration.
- NCSL Elections Defined Video Series: These short videos tackle some of the election administration steps you may not have heard of.
- NCSL Elections 2024 Town Hall Series: From the impact of artificial intelligence on political messaging and voter outreach to ballot measures and post-election results, NCSL's elections team will ensure you're informed every step of the way through Election Day and beyond.
- Statewide Ballot Measures Database: Find all ballot measures in the 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
- NCSL Election Resources: Find information on everything from voter ID and poll watchers to certification and ranked choice voting.
NCSL is a bipartisan organization that serves the legislators and staffs of the states, commonwealths and territories. It provides research, technical assistance and opportunities for policymakers to exchange ideas on the most pressing state issues and is an effective and respected advocate for the interests of the states in the American federal system.