Midterm elections are less than a month away, and it’s important to know what’s on the ballot. Voters in most states will decide on a variety of ballot measures. This week’s blog is a summary of 2022 ballot measures regarding cannabis legalization and voting rights.
Recreational Marijuana
Five states have the opportunity this fall to legalize cannabis for recreational use.
- For the first time in state history, Arkansas will have a ballot measure to potentially legalize recreational marijuana.
- Missouri is the second state with a recreational marijuana ballot measure this fall. In addition to legalization, the initiative would expunge non-violent marijuana offenses.
- North Dakota has a second opportunity this fall to legalize recreational use after voters rejected the initiative in 2018.
- In South Dakota, voters will have a chance to redo the marijuana legalization measure that passed in 2020 but was ultimately overturned by the South Dakota Supreme Court.
- The final state with cannabis on the ballot this fall is Maryland. In 2014, the state decriminalized possession for 10 grams or less, and the voters now could legalize it entirely.
Voting Rights
Voters in seven states will decide on various policies related to voting rights.
- In Nevada, voters will decide whether to switch to open top-five primaries and ranked choice voting. If the state votes yes, it will join Maine and Alaska in using the system.
- Only five states are without some form of early voting, and it could be down to four after midterms. Connecticut voters will decide on a constitutional amendment allowing no-excuse early voting.
- Michigan voters will decide on a constitutional amendment that would permanently establish several expanded voting initiatives. The proposal would explicitly outlaw any regulations that interfere with one’s right to vote.
- A constitutional amendment in Arizona, called Prop 309, would create stricter voting rules. If passed, the amendment would eliminate the two-document alternative to photo ID, and mail-in ballots would be required to have a voter ID number and date of birth.
- In Nebraska, voters will decide on amending the state constitution to require photo ID to vote.
- Ohio has a constitutional amendment on the ballot that would bar local governments from allowing certain groups to vote. Non-citizens, non-residents, minors, someone registered for less than 30 days, would not be allowed to vote in local elections.
- Louisiana has a ballot measure similar to Ohio’s, which would bar non-citizens from voting.
