Author: Ryan Byrne
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Ballot measure update: Texas, New York add new measures for 2025; Louisiana, Nebraska for 2026
The number of certified statewide ballot measures for both 2025 and 2026 is trending above average compared to previous election cycles as of June 10. 2025 ballot measures For 2025, 27 statewide ballot measures have been certified in seven states—Colorado, Louisiana, New York, Ohio, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin. This is seven more than the average…
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Texas Legislature refers 17 constitutional amendments for Nov. 2025 ballot—the highest number for a single election date since 2003
The 89th Regular Session of the Texas State Legislature adjourned on June 2. During the 140-day session, legislators referred 17 constitutional amendments to the Nov. 4, 2025, ballot—the highest number for a single election date in more than two decades. As Republicans hold majorities in both chambers but lack the two-thirds required to refer constitutional…
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One hundred years after Pierce v. Society of Sisters, ballot measures continue to shape school choice policy
One hundred years ago, on June 1, 1925, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision in Pierce v. Society of Sisters, striking down a voter-approved ballot initiative, Oregon Measure Nos. 314-315, which required children to attend public schools. The Court held that “the child is not the mere creature of the State” and “the fundamental…
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Ballot measure update: Texas adds 7 more for 2025; Alaska campaign finance and Missouri abortion measures certified for 2026
The number of certified statewide ballot measures for both 2025 and 2026 is trending above average compared to previous election cycles as of May 27. 2025 ballot measures For 2025, 22 statewide ballot measures have been certified in six states—Colorado, Louisiana, Ohio, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin. This is nine more than the average of 13…
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Vermont voters to decide on constitutional amendment establishing right to collective bargaining and banning right-to-work laws, following Illinois in 2022
Voters in Vermont will decide on a ballot measure, titled Proposal 3, on Nov. 3, 2026. Proposal 3 would amend the Vermont Constitution’s Declaration of Rights to provide that employees have a state constitutional right to organize and join a labor organization for collective bargaining with their employer. This constitutional right to collective bargaining would…
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Ballot measures certification update: First Texas 2025 amendment certified; five new 2026 measures in AR, ND, and TN
The number of certified statewide ballot measures for both 2025 and 2026 is trending above average compared to previous election cycles as of April 29. 2025 ballot measures For 2025, eight statewide ballot measures have been certified in five states—Louisiana, Ohio, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin. This is two more than the average of six certified…
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Political speech or governmental mechanics: Ohio case asks if ballot summary reviews regulate speech or lawmaking
The U.S. Supreme Court declined on April 22, 2025, to block a district court’s ruling that found that Ohio’s fair and truthful requirement for ballot initiative petitions violates the First Amendment. This law requires the Ohio Attorney General to determine whether submitted petition summaries are fair and truthful statements of the proposed law before advancing…
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How Wisconsin’s partial veto power has evolved through 95 years of ballot measures
The Wisconsin Supreme Court upheld Gov. Tony Evers’ (D) use of a partial veto in the state’s biennial budget on April 18, 2025. His partial veto extended a two-year school funding increase into a 402-year provision. At the center of the case were constitutional provisions that had been added or amended through three ballot measures…
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Update on state ballot measures certifications — six measures certified for 2026, and Washington Legislature refers measure for Nov. 2025 ballot
The number of certified statewide ballot measures for both 2025 and 2026 is trending above average compared to previous election cycles as of April 15. 2025 ballot measures For 2025, seven statewide ballot measures have been certified in four states—Louisiana, Ohio, Washington, and Wisconsin. This is one more than the average of six certified measures…
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Indiana joins Kansas, Kentucky, and Wyoming in enacting laws to restrict foreign contributions to ballot measure campaigns—the highest number passed in a single year
So far, during the 2025 legislative sessions, four states—Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, and Wyoming—have enacted new laws restricting foreign contributions to ballot measure campaigns. With these additions, 13 now have laws prohibiting foreign nationals, governments, or other entities from contributing to ballot measure committees. The 13 states with such laws are California, Colorado, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky,…