As the 2024 election season approaches, voters across 41 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico are gearing up to weigh in on a record number of statewide ballot measures. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, a total of 153 measures are slated to appear on the ballots, marking a significant increase from previous election cycles.
The Initiative and Referendum Institute at the University of Southern California notes that the surge in ballot measures is a departure from recent trends. In the 2022 midterms, there were 132 propositions on the ballot, up from 122 in the 2020 general election, which had seen a record low for November in an even-numbered year in the 21st century.
Key Issues on the Ballot
Among the most contentious and closely watched ballot measures of 2024 are those addressing abortion and elections and voting.
Abortion
Ten states are set to vote on measures that either seek to expand or restrict abortion rights. In Nebraska, voters will encounter dueling measures on the issue, with one proposal aiming to enshrine the state's current 12-week ban into the constitution, while the other seeks to extend the cutoff for the procedure until viability, typically around 22 to 24 weeks into pregnancy.
Elections and Voting
Several states are contemplating reforms to their elections systems, including changes that could impact voting rights. Six states are considering the implementation of ranked-choice voting, while others, such as Alaska, Arizona, and Missouri, are looking to repeal or ban the system entirely. Additionally, many states are considering measures that would restrict voting in elections to only US citizens, although non-citizens are already prohibited from voting in federal elections.
As voters prepare to head to the polls in 2024, these statewide ballot measures are poised to shape the political landscape and influence the direction of key policy issues across the country.
