Voters in multiple states approved constitutional amendments and changes to state laws in Tuesday’s elections. These include California’s redistricting measures, which are part of a nationwide battle over who controls the U.S. House of Representatives after the 2026 election, Maine’s “red flag” gun control measures and Texas’ water conservation measures.
The measure also appeared on ballots in Colorado, New York, and Washington. Seventeen of the 26 total bills are on Texans’ ballots, and all 17 are expected to pass. Below are some of the issues addressed in the measure and the election results as of Wednesday afternoon.
redistricting
California Voters approved Proposition 50. This is a legislatively introduced constitutional amendment that would allow the use of new Congressional district maps until 2030. Although votes are still being counted, the proposal appears to have won by a wide margin. It was one of the most expensive voting measures in the state’s history.
The proposed map is designed to favor Democratic candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives, with five seats expected to be contested or easily won by Democratic candidates. The redraw was endorsed by Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) after the Texas Republican Party proposed and passed a new map that is expected to flip five current Democratic seats. Proposition 50 also calls for returning authority to draw congressional boundaries after the 2030 election to the state’s nonpartisan redistricting commission.
Congressional maps are typically redrawn only after the decennial census results are released. Redraws in the middle of a cycle are rare. However, several states are currently considering changes to their congressional maps.
vote
texas Voters agreed to amend the constitution to prohibit “persons who are not citizens of the United States” from voting in Texas. Eight states approved similar language in 2024. State and federal laws already restrict voting to citizens only, making it extremely rare for non-citizens to vote in elections.
in mainevoters said no to an amendment to state law that would make several voting-related changes, including limiting absentee voting and requiring voters to show a photo ID before voting absentee or in-person. (All changes were proposed in one citizen-initiated question.)
gun control
maine Voters approved Question 2, a citizen-initiated measure that would “authorize a court to temporarily prohibit a person from possessing a dangerous weapon if law enforcement, a family member, or a household member certifies that the person poses a significant danger to themselves or others.” PBS News noted that the vote came two years after the state’s worst mass shooting.
parental rights
texas The ballot title says voters approved a constitutional amendment that affirms “parents as the primary decision makers for their children.” Before the election, texas tribune It said the amendment would specify the right in the way it is currently defined in federal court precedent. The amendment had bipartisan support in Congress, but nation Organizing in support of the proposal was reportedly done primarily by conservative groups.
judicial act
Another amendment was passed texans The bill would change the composition of the state Judicial Conduct Commission, increasing the number of members the governor selects from the public from five to seven, and giving the governor the power to appoint a majority of the 13 members. The amendments would also change how the Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court selects the tribunals that review the commission’s recommendations regarding the removal or retirement of judges, and limit the commission’s ability to take private disciplinary actions in certain circumstances. Opponents of the amendment expressed concern that it would give too much power to the governor. Current Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) previously fired the acting chief justice over his 2019 decision to discipline judges who rejected same-sex marriages.
environment
texas They also voted in favor of an amendment that would create a state water fund to help state officials repair aging infrastructure and create new water projects to address the worsening water crisis.
in new yorkvoters narrowly approved an amendment that would allow the development of a winter sports facility on more than 300 acres in the Adirondack Mountains. The proposal also calls for conserving more than 2,500 acres of land.
criminal law
texas Voters “overwhelmingly passed” Proposition 3, which would allow the state to deny bail if the state shows “by a preponderance of the evidence” that bail is not sufficient to prevent a defendant’s “failure to appear” in court or to ensure the safety of the community. The changes relate to certain criminal offenses, including the death penalty, aggravated sexual assault, and indecency with a child.
taxes and national investment
Most of the voting measures texas Everything related to taxes was approved by voters. These include banning capital gains taxes on individuals and real estate, exempting taxes related to “border security infrastructure,” exempting seniors from school taxes, and expanding property tax exemptions that would allow Texas homeowners to spend less on public schools.
colorado Approved a proposal to raise funds for the universal school lunch program by lowering the tax deduction limit for some citizens. in washingtonearly returns indicate voters are likely to pass an amendment that would allow state-run long-term care funds (which allow eligible workers to pay for services such as home care, medical equipment and nursing home stays) to be invested in stocks. A similar amendment was rejected by voters in 2020.
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Most of the bills considered by residents would amend the state constitution and were initiated by state legislators, meaning they voted to place the measures on the ballot for public approval. But Maine’s proposal was a citizen-led proposal to change the law. A simple majority vote is required to pass a ballot measure in each of the six states.
Erin Geiger-Smith is a writer and editor at the Brennan Center for Justice.
