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The US midterm elections also featured 145 referendums in 39 states, including on voting rules, transgender rights, tax system adjustments and abortion controls, which became the focal point of the election campaign.
In addition to federal, state and local elections, millions of voters in 39 states across the country will also vote on state election rules, transgender rights, taxes and other issues in the midterm elections on the 3rd.abortion waitReferendum Release polling. Out of a total of 145 referendum initiatives, California and Colorado have the highest number of referendums this time, with 14 referendums each. Rick Hasen, a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Law and an expert on election law, told PBS that referendum initiatives are sometimes included on the ballot to encourage turnout.
Referendum initiatives on four key issues attracted particular attention in this election:
In Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Kansas, South Dakota, and West Virginia, the purpose of the referendum is to amend the state constitution or state laws to add language explicitly stating that only U.S. citizens can vote at the state level.
California, Colorado, Nevada, North Carolina and Ohio are also holding referendums on ID proof at the polls.
There are referendums related to transgender rights in the states of Arizona, Colorado, Missouri, Nebraska, and Washington, with both states seeking to ban transgender boys from competing in men’s sports. A referendum in Asia would ban transgender children from using restrooms or locker rooms that don’t match the gender on their birth certificate.
Voters in Missouri and Colorado will decide via referendum whether to ban transgender minors from undergoing gender-affirming surgery.
Taxation is one of the hottest topics in this year’s midterm elections, with more than 20 referendums related to wealth tax or income tax.
California voters will decide whether to impose a one-time 5% tax on billionaires and use the tax to fund state health care and education programs.
Colorado voters will decide whether to cap the state’s income tax rates based on a percentage of federal taxable income rather than the current flat income tax rate.
Florida will decide whether to extend the homestead exemption for non-school property taxes.
Tennessee voters will decide whether to permanently ban property taxes, which the state has not collected for decades.
