Key facts
- California's Proposition 40 would have imposed a one-time 5% wealth tax on the worldwide assets of roughly 250 billionaires, per the report.
- Governor Gavin Newsom opposed Proposition 40, warning it could drive successful tech companies to other states, per the report.
- Nebraska voters approved a measure codifying a ban on transgender girls and women in girls' sports into the state constitution.
- Missouri voters rejected a Republican-drawn congressional map after courts ruled it needed voter approval to take effect.
- Maryland voters approved an amendment easing new congressional district drawing, opening the door to eliminating its only Republican-leaning seat in 2028.
- Montana voters decided to bar corporations from spending money on elections, per the report.
Voters across more than three dozen states decided around 150 ballot measures alongside Tuesday's US midterm elections, with results still incomplete in several races on November 4, according to Reuters.
In California, Proposition 40, which would have created what the report described as the world's first billionaire tax, imposing a one-time 5% levy on the worldwide assets of each of the state's roughly 250 billionaires, appeared headed for defeat on the morning of November 4. Governor Gavin Newsom, a potential 2028 presidential candidate, opposed the measure and warned it could drive successful tech companies to other states, the report said.
Voters in Arizona, Colorado, Nebraska and Washington appeared likely to approve measures barring transgender girls and women from all-female sports teams, returns showed. Arizona's referendum passed on Tuesday and expanded an existing state law to private schools and to bathroom and locker room rules, while Nebraska's measure codified its ban into the state constitution. Colorado voters also appeared to back a measure banning transition-related surgeries for minors, while Missouri voters defeated a proposal to add that state's existing ban on gender-affirming medical treatment for children to its constitution.
On abortion, Idaho voters rejected an initiative establishing a right to abortion up to fetal viability, generally considered around 24 weeks of pregnancy. Missouri voters, two years after overturning the state's abortion ban, rejected a legislature-backed measure that would have reinstated it and also banned gender-affirming care for minors.
California and Colorado voters rejected proposals requiring the last four digits of a government identification number to vote by mail, while Nevada voters supported that measure. Arizona voters appeared to be rejecting a photo ID requirement for mail-in ballots based on incomplete counts on November 4.
On redistricting, Missouri residents rejected a Republican-drawn map that would have broken up the state's only Democratic-leaning seat, after courts ruled it could only take effect with voter approval. Maryland voters approved a constitutional amendment making it easier for lawmakers to draw new congressional districts, opening the door for the Democratic-controlled legislature to eliminate the state's only Republican-leaning seat in 2028.
In Montana, voters decided to bar corporations from spending money on elections, a strategy to sidestep the US Supreme Court's 2010 Citizens United ruling. Early results showed Alaskans narrowly deciding to retain the state's ranked-choice election system, which the report said drew extra attention because of a competitive Senate race between Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan and Democratic challenger Mary Peltola, with another Republican candidate also named Dan Sullivan on the ballot. The New York Times reported that Peltola's aides worked to recruit the other Dan Sullivan, a retired teacher; Reuters said it had not verified that report. Alabama voters approved a measure requiring schools to play the first stanza of the national anthem at least once a week.