Voters deciding key issues of sex, abortion on state ballots

Voters in 10 states across the country on Tuesday are deciding ballot items related to abortion, marriage, and sex policies. The proposals span a wide range of positions from stripping unborn babies of their protection from abortion, to protecting parental rights regarding sexual-health education, and redefining marriage.

In some states without major offices on the ballot, questions like these have dominated the conversation leading up to the Nov. 3 Midterm elections. Pro-lifers are urging residents to remember that every vote is needed.

Where will voters be deciding their state’s position on abortion?

• Idaho: The Reproductive Freedom & Privacy Act would remove protections from unborn babies before they are capable of surviving outside the womb. Pro-lifers say the measure could even be construed to allow late-term abortions, depending on how the word viability is defined.

• Nevada: Question 6, the Right to Abortion Initiative, would create a constitutional right to abortion. Nevada voters in 2024 approved the measure, but it has to be passed in two consecutive elections to take effect.

• Missouri: The Prohibit Abortion and Gender Transition Procedures for Minors Amendment would reverse a constitutional amendment passed in 2024 that stripped away many of the state’s pro-life protections.

• Virginia: The Right to Reproductive Freedom Amendment would create a constitutional right to abortion and give abortionists sole decision-making authority to perform a late-term abortion.

Where will voters be considering issues related to sex?

• Arizona: A proposition would prohibit schools and athletic associations from allowing someone to use a restroom, locker room, shower room, or other private space that is designated for someone of the opposite sex.

• Colorado: A proposal would protect minors from receiving transgender surgeries after they express confusion about their sex or gender.

• Colorado: A ballot issue would require students to play on school sports teams according to their biological sex.

• Nebraska: The Sex Requirement for School and College Sports Initiative would require schools to designate all athletic teams as either male, female, or coed. Students would only be allowed to participate in the coed teams or on the team that corresponds to their sex.

• Vermont: A proposal would guarantee people equal rights regardless of their race, ethnicity, sex, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or national origin.

• Virginia: Constitutional Amendment, Question 2 would repeal the definition of marriage as between one man and one woman. The change would prohibit the state from denying a marriage license to any two adult individuals.

• Washington: An initiative would re-enact an older initiative that guarantees parental notification rights for medical services provided to their child at school. It would also allow parents to review educational materials and opt out of sexual-health education.

• Washington: An item on the ballot would require school districts and nonprofit organizations to prohibit male students from competing with and against female students. It would also require students seeking to participate in female-only activities to submit documentation from a healthcare provider verifying the student’s sex.

Is prayer on the ballot?

• Alabama: An amendment to the state constitution would require schools to recite the Pledge of Allegiance each day and allow student-led prayers on campus.