Nov.09

electoral-vote.com

Dem 54

Ties 2

GOP 44

Ballot Measures: The Voters Decide

There were controversial ballot measures in many states. Here is a summary of the results. See also here.

• Maryland: Measure to redraw the map to capture the only GOP House seat passed 61/39.
• Missouri: Measure to change the map to eliminate a Democratic House seat failed 38/62.
• Alaska: Measure to repeal ranked-choice voting failed 48/52.
• Alaska: Measure to require U.S. citizenship to vote in state elections passed 70/30.
• Arizona: Measure to require voter ID passed 53/47.
• Arkansas: Measure to require U.S. citizenship to vote in state elections passed 69/31.
• Colorado: Measure to require midcycle redistricting to be approved by state Supreme Court failed 47/53.
• Michigan: Measure to ban utility companies from making political donations passed 82/19.
• Montana: Measure to ban campaign spending by artificial persons (e.g., corporations) passed 65/35.
• South Dakota: Measure to require 60% supermajority for future constitutional amendments failed 42/58.
• Virginia: Measure to automatically restore voting rights to felons upon release from prison passed 57/42.

Note that voting in federal elections is already limited to U.S. citizens, but some localities allow noncitizens to vote in municipal elections. Some of these ballot measures are rather subtle. For example, Colorado Democrats are planning to regerrymander the congressional districts next year to pick up another seat. The ballot measure was put up by Republicans who hoped it would pass and then the state Supreme Court would block the new map.

• Idaho: Measure to establish a legal right to an abortion failed 44/56.
• Missouri: Measure to repeal abortion rights failed 45/55.
• Virginia: Measure to create a constitutional right to an abortion passed 63/38.
• Nevada: Measure to create a constitutional right to an abortion passed 64/37.

• Arizona: Measure to limit taxes on groceries passed 62/38.
• California: Measure to tax the wealth of billionaires failed 47/53.
• California: Measure to permanently extend tax on high earners ($371,000+/year) passed 60/40.
• California: Measure to require future measures that increase taxes to get two-thirds majority failed 43/57.
• Washington: Measure to repeal the 9.9% income tax on annual income above $1 million failed 42/58.

• Arizona: Measure to restrict school bathrooms and sports by sex at birth passed 59/41.
• Colorado: Measure to restrict school sports teams by biological sex passed 52/48.
• Colorado: Measure to ban gender reassignment surgery for minors passed 52/48.
• Washington: Measure requirng schools to notify parents before providing medical services to children failed 48/52.

• Arizona: Measure to declare drug cartels terrorist organizations passed 57/43.
• Colorado: Measure to require the state to notify DHS after charging an undocumented immigrant failed 45/55.

• Alabama: Measure requiring students to recite the pledge of allegiance passed 63/37.
• Alabama: Measure requiring schools to play the national anthem once a week passed 59/41.

• Arizona: Measure to expand the ban on preferential treatment by race (this would forbid DEI) passed 60/40.
• Arizona: Measure to restrict Flock and other traffic cameras passed 62/38.
• Arkansas: Measure to expand state right to keep and bear arms passed 71/29.
• D.C.: Measure to ban force-feeding of birds and the sale of foie gras passed 73/27.
• Idaho: Voters selected the Winchester Model 1873 as the official state gun over five others.
• Kentucky: Measure to amend the Constitution to limit the power of the governor to issue pardons passed 71/29.
• Massachusetts: Measure to repeal the law legalizing the sale of marijuana in the state failed 24/76.

There were 41 local ballot measures banning or restricting the construction of new data centers in 10 states. 40 of them passed. Only the one in Harwood, ND, failed. Over half were in Ohio, where Sherrod Brown opposed them and blamed them on Sen. Jon Husted (R-OH).

This is just a small sample of the hundreds of state an local ballot measures. But the recurrent themes are that people are generally not happy about concentration of wealth, restrictions on abortion, and data centers. (V)