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Here Are the Biggest Ballot Measures in Your State This November

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This piece was originally published on State Court Report, a hub for reporting, analysis, and commentary about state courts and constitutions. State Court Report is a project of the Brennan Center for Justice.

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Voters in six states will consider ballot measures this November, including a proposed redistricting amendment in California that is part of a national battle over who will control the U.S. House of Representatives after the 2026 elections.

Colorado, Maine, New York, Texas, and Washington also have measures up for a vote this year. Seventeen of the 26 total measures will appear on Texans’ ballots.

Unlike in 2024, when access to reproductive care was put to voters in 10 states, no single issue dominates across the country. Some voters will, however, see propositions similar to those popular on 2024 ballots, including adding language to constitutionally limit the right to vote to citizens and initiatives to require voter ID. Below are some of the issues the measures address.

Redistricting

California’s Proposition 50 is a legislatively referred constitutional amendment that would allow use of a new congressional district map until 2030. The map is designed to favor Democratic candidates for the U.S. House. Drawing a new map was endorsed by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom after Texas Republicans, with the encouragement of President Donald Trump, began discussing—and subsequently passed—a new congressional map in their state that favors Republicans and is expected to flip five current Democratic seats. If Proposition 50 passes, five California congressional seats are expected to become either competitive for or easily winnable by Democratic candidates.

Congressional maps are usually redrawn only after release of the once-a-decade census results. Midcycle redraws like Texas’ are rare. Proposition 50 would also require that, following the 2030 elections, and thus the 2030 census, power to draw congressional lines return to the state’s nonpartisan redistricting committee.

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