On Nov. 3, voters in nine states will decide 13 ballot measures to establish, expand, or repeal rights in state constitutions. State constitutional rights affect the relationship between individuals and state and local governments. The U.S. Constitution establishes a minimum level of protection that states cannot violate, while state constitutions may establish more specific rights. Therefore, establishing, expanding, or repealing a right in a state constitution can affect what government actions are permitted and the legal protections available within a specific state.
Ballotpedia classified the 13 measures according to ideological orientation based on legislative votes or endorsements:
- Progressive/Liberal: This category includes legislative referrals approved by Lean Democratic or Democratic legislative majorities, based on Ballotpedia's partisanship analysis of legislative referrals , as well as initiatives endorsed by state Democratic parties or Democratic elected officials, or sponsored by organizations with self-stated progressive or liberal alignments.
- Conservative: This category includes legislative referrals approved by Lean Republican or Republican legislative majorities, as well as initiatives endorsed by state Republican parties or Republican elected officials, or sponsored by organizations with self-stated conservative alignments.
- Other: This category includes referred measures that received bipartisan support in state legislatures and initiatives endorsed or sponsored by organizations with both progressive/liberal and conservative alignments. It also includes measures for which the available endorsements are insufficient to assign an ideological alignment.
