All articles tagged with #ballot measure
Florida voters will decide Amendment 3, a constitutional ballot measure to extend the homestead exemption and cut property taxes for homeowners, potentially reducing local tax revenue and risking funding for libraries, parks and emergency services, even as Gov. DeSantis frames it as taxpayer relief.
The Supreme Court halted the use of a GOP-drawn Missouri congressional map for the November elections, staying a federal judge's order after Missouri's Supreme Court said voters must approve the map; the decision blocks a map that would have favored Republicans and continues a wave of national redistricting battles.
The U.S. Supreme Court denied ACVM’s bid to force Michigan to place a proposed constitutional amendment requiring proof of citizenship (and photo ID) to vote on the November 2026 ballot, and the Michigan Supreme Court declined to compel ballot placement, effectively killing the measure. The Board of State Canvassers had deadlocked after a 1,000-signature sample showed 626 valid signatures—short of the 629 required—leading to a stalemate amid allegations of forged signatures. A Sept. 4 ballot-certification deadline looms, with federal and state law already barring noncitizens from voting.
Maryland’s Supreme Court cleared the way for voters to decide Question 3 in November, a Democratic effort to set state legislative redistricting standards and exclude congressional criteria, even after lower courts raised procedural concerns and the ballot language was rewritten.
The Colorado Sun provides an online calculator to estimate how Initiative 195 would change tax bills under a proposed six-bracket graduated income tax (3.7% up to $25k; 4.2% to $100k; 4.4% to $500k; 7.4% to $750k; 7.9% to $1M; 8.4% above $1M), replacing Colorado’s flat 4.4% rate. It notes the estimates are based on federal taxable income, are for planning purposes, and that actual filings will vary, with higher earners potentially paying more and some lower earners paying less.
A right-wing group, Americans for Citizen Voting Michigan (ACVM), asked the U.S. Supreme Court to guarantee their proposed constitutional amendment requiring proof of citizenship to vote appears on Michigan’s November ballot after the Board of Canvassers deadlocked on certification amid signature disputes; supporters plan to sue, while opponents allege forgery and errors and a House investigation into the process has begun.
A Maryland circuit court blocked a constitutional amendment that would apply redistricting standards only to legislative districts (not congressional ones) from appearing on the November ballot, with the judge pausing the order to allow an appeal to the Maryland Supreme Court, which will issue the final ruling. The suit by conservative group Oversight Project and Republican lawmakers argues the ballot wording and procedural steps were improper; Democrats defend the move as within constitutional authority. The decision could shape Maryland’s future congressional maps and the political battle over redistricting.
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB 1923, directing Fresno County to place the citizen-initiated Better Roads, Safe Streets tax on the November ballot. The plan would create a half-cent sales tax to fund roads and transportation, set to replace the expiring Measure C in 2027, and comes after county supervisors attempted a lengthy review that critics say delays the measure. The move highlights tensions over state intervention in local elections, with Fresno officials threatening court action and lawmakers arguing the law strengthens democracy and voting rights; Prop. 43 timing could also complicate the tax's chances once it takes effect in 2027.
A Sacramento Superior Court judge ruled that California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s ballot label and summary for Proposition 39 accurately describe the measure’s effect, which would require government-issued ID to vote. A separate judge tentatively found that the backers’ description claiming the measure would make voting easier was misleading, prompting changes to the voter guide language. The rulings shape how Prop 39 is presented to voters, with reactions from Bonta and opponents.
Missouri voters in the primary rejected Amendment No. 5 to abolish the state's personal income tax by an 84%-16% margin; supporters led by Gov. Mike Kehoe framed it as a generational opportunity, while opponents warned it would hit funding for schools, prisons and social services and likely require higher sales and other taxes to replace revenue.
Missouri voters face a ballot measure that would impose the toughest standard yet for citizen-initiated constitutional amendments, potentially raising thresholds and barriers to change and making it harder to alter the state constitution through ballot initiatives.
Bay Area transit agencies warn they could face drastic service cuts without a November sales-tax measure (up to 1%) to fund BART, Muni, Caltrain, AC Transit and the Bay Ferry. Supporters say the measure is needed for stable funding and to accommodate large events, while the campaign highlights transit’s role in the region’s economy and daily mobility. The piece appears in a live‑updates format and sits alongside other World Cup–related political and local-interest items.
A labor-union–backed, one-time 5% tax on California billionaires’ assets is headed to the November ballot to offset federal healthcare funding cuts, drawing strong opposition from Gov. Newsom and major business/healthcare groups who warn it could destabilize the state’s budget and spur billionaire exit; two rival “poison pill” measures could void the proposal even if voters approve, and supporters gathered about 1.6 million signatures to qualify.
Massachusetts' Supreme Judicial Court blocked a ballot measure that would have enacted the nation's strictest statewide rent cap, ruling its exemption for religious facilities violates the state constitution and cannot appear on the ballot, ending tenant advocates' momentum and stalling potential legislative compromise.
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court blocked a November rent-control ballot question after ruling its religious exemption makes the measure unconstitutional to put before voters, citing the state constitution’s prohibition on ballot questions about religion. Opponents hail the ruling as protecting housing policy; supporters vow to pursue a revised measure or a 2028 ballot as lawmakers consider alternatives.