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Voters will face an unusually large set of state tax questions in the November 3, 2026, midterm election. The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) counts 30 tax proposals in 16 states, while the Tax Foundation counts 33 tax-related measures. Property taxes dominate, but the most consequential fights involve billionaire wealth, high-income taxes and limits on local-government revenue. Counts are not perfectly interchangeable: Ballotpedia listed 157 certified statewide measures by August 31, above its 153-measure average for even-numbered years from 2014 through 2024, and its current tracker lists 164 measures in 40 states, 145 scheduled for November 3.
All figures below are ballot counts or fiscal projections available before voting. They are not election results, and estimates can change as states interpret ballot language, face litigation or revise revenue forecasts.
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There is no single official total because organizations classify measures differently. NCSL identifies 30 tax proposals in 16 states, including 15 property-tax proposals and 11 income-tax proposals. The Tax Foundation identifies 33 tax-related measures. Those totals sit within a broader statewide ballot that Ballotpedia tracks at 164 measures in 40 states.
| Source and date | Count | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| NCSL, 2026 | 30 | Tax proposals in 16 states |
| NCSL, 2026 | 15 | Property-tax proposals |
| NCSL, 2026 | 11 | Income-tax proposals |
| Tax Foundation, 2026 | 33 | Tax-related measures |
| Ballotpedia, August 31, 2026 | 157 | Certified statewide measures, compared with a 153-measure even-year average for 2014–2024 |
| Ballotpedia tracker, 2026 | 164 in 40 states | 145 scheduled for November 3 |
The “record” description therefore needs a qualifier: the broad statewide-measure count is above the recent even-year average, while tax-only totals depend on whether an organization includes tax administration, revenue-dedication and tax-limit questions.
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Which states are voting on income-tax or wealth-tax changes?
California, Colorado and Washington present the largest potential changes for high-income households. Other amendments would change constitutional rate ceilings or the rules for approving tax increases.
California: a one-time billionaire wealth tax and permanent income rates
- Proposition 40 would impose a one-time tax of up to 5% on the covered wealth of billionaires treated as California residents on January 1, 2026, measured at December 31, 2026. It directs 90% of proceeds to health care and the balance to food assistance or education.
- Propositions 41 and 42 create an unusual interaction: either could invalidate Proposition 40 if it receives more affirmative votes. Voters must therefore read the full set of propositions, not just Proposition 40’s headline rate.
- Proposition 3 would make temporary top marginal income-tax rates permanent. The Legislative Analyst’s Office estimate cited by NCSL puts retained annual revenue at roughly $5 billion to $10 billion.
Colorado: competing income-tax proposals
Amendment 87 would replace Colorado’s 4.4% flat individual and corporate income-tax rate with graduated rates from 3.7% to 8.4%. The proposal generally lowers tax for taxpayers with less than $500,000 of taxable income and raises it above that level. Kiplinger, citing a Colorado Legislative Council estimate, reports about $2.7 billion in additional revenue in the first full fiscal year.
Proposition 136 is a competing measure that would cap individual and corporate income-tax rates at 4.4%. The two proposals point in opposite directions: Amendment 87 changes the rate structure, while Proposition 136 preserves a ceiling. The ballot outcome and the final legal relationship between them will determine which rules can operate together.
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Washington: repeal of a scheduled millionaire tax
Initiative 645 would repeal the newly enacted 9.9% tax on individual and household income above $1 million, scheduled to begin in 2028. It would also prohibit future state and local individual-income taxes. NCSL, citing state analysis, estimates that repeal would reduce state revenue by $11.4 billion over fiscal years 2027 through 2031.
Constitutional rate and approval rules
- North Carolina: a constitutional amendment would reduce the maximum allowable income-tax rate from 7% to 3.5%. Current statutory rates are already below the proposed ceiling, so the immediate change would be to the state’s constitutional limit.
- Iowa Amendment 1: specified income-tax increases or new income taxes would require approval by two-thirds of both legislative chambers.
- Massachusetts Question 5: millionaire-surtax revenue would come under the state revenue limit, with the limit based on actual prior collections. The Tax Foundation says that design would produce more frequent refunds.
Will property taxes go down?
Not automatically. Most property-tax proposals change exemptions, assessment growth or local taxing authority. A homeowner’s bill still depends on the property’s assessed value, local rates and which services the local government must fund.
Florida: larger homestead exemptions and lower local revenue
Amendment 3 would raise the non-school homestead exemption to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, index it afterward, cap non-homestead assessment growth at 5% instead of 10% and restrict eligible uses of local property-tax revenue. NCSL cites state estimates of $4.95 billion less local nonschool revenue in fiscal 2028 and $8.78 billion less in fiscal 2029. Lower bills for eligible homeowners could therefore coincide with pressure on county and municipal budgets.
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Amendment 2 would exempt qualifying tangible personal property used in agriculture and agritourism from property tax beginning in 2027.
Wyoming, Oklahoma and North Carolina
- Wyoming Initiative 1: a qualifying primary residence would receive a 50% exemption on its structure, with no value cap. Ballot-text estimates cited by NCSL project nearly $93 million less revenue in fiscal 2028 and more than $95 million less in fiscal 2029.
- Oklahoma Question 847: annual fair-cash-value growth caps would fall to 4% generally and 1.75% for homestead or agricultural property. Senior-freeze rules would also change. NCSL cites an estimated $85.4 million reduction in local tax revenue.
- North Carolina’s local-levy amendment: the General Assembly would be directed to create a local property-tax levy limit, potentially with exceptions. The amendment itself does not state a single statewide dollar reduction for homeowners.
Louisiana and Georgia
Louisiana has five property-tax amendments covering transfers of surviving-veteran-spouse exemptions, local millage calculations, senior exemptions, a higher income threshold for assessment freezes and exemptions for rehabilitated property. Georgia Amendment 1 would double the acreage eligible for preferential conservation-use assessment from 2,000 to 4,000 acres.
Which measures affect sales, excise taxes or tax governance?
Food, transportation and conservation
- Arizona Proposition 316: local grocery taxes would be capped at 2%, and voters would have to approve new or increased taxes on qualifying food and nonalcoholic beverages.
- Arizona Proposition 141: state and local vehicle-miles-traveled taxes and fees would be prohibited.
- Colorado Proposition 137: certain sporting-goods sales-tax revenue would remain in a conservation fund instead of being returned under the state’s Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR).
- Massachusetts Question 6: specified sporting-goods, recreational-vehicle and golf-course sales-tax revenue would be dedicated to a conservation fund.
Cannabis and Utah’s 60% threshold
Massachusetts Question 8 would re-prohibit recreational-marijuana sales, cultivation and possession. The Tax Foundation reports that Massachusetts collected $289 million in cannabis sales and excise taxes in fiscal year 2025, so the question has both legal and budgetary implications.
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Utah’s proposal would require 60% voter approval for citizen initiatives that impose, expand or increase taxes, including specified property-tax changes. That is a rule about how future tax measures pass, rather than a rate change on its own.
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Wisconsin voters would decide whether to bar the governor from using the partial veto to create or increase a tax or fee. The measure changes executive authority over enacted budgets and tax legislation rather than setting a new tax rate.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How could these measures change local services?
Local effects are clearest where state estimates quantify a revenue loss. Florida’s Amendment 3 and Wyoming Initiative 1 project billions or tens of millions in lower local property-tax collections, while Oklahoma’s Question 847 estimates an $85.4 million reduction. Counties, cities and special districts could respond through spending reductions, different assessment or levy choices, user charges, reserve use or requests for legislative changes; the ballot materials do not guarantee which response any particular locality will choose.
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Measures that dedicate revenue can also redirect money without changing the overall tax rate. California Proposition 40 specifies health care, food assistance and education uses; Colorado Proposition 137 and Massachusetts Question 6 direct sales-tax money to conservation; Massachusetts Question 5 changes the treatment of surtax revenue under a state limit. The practical effect depends on the fund rules and on whether lawmakers or agencies must implement them.
What should voters check before marking a tax measure?
- Identify the tax base. Determine whether the proposal concerns income, net worth, assessed property, sales, vehicles or a tax on a particular business asset.
- Check the effective date and residency test. California Proposition 40 uses residency on January 1, 2026, and wealth measured at December 31, 2026; Washington’s tax repeal concerns a levy scheduled for 2028; several property provisions begin in 2027 or 2028.
- Separate a household saving from a government revenue loss. An exemption or assessment cap may lower a qualifying bill while reducing money available to schools, counties, cities or special districts.
- Read interaction clauses. California Propositions 40–42 and Colorado Amendment 87 versus Proposition 136 cannot be evaluated independently.
- Look for the approval rule. Utah’s proposed 60% threshold and Iowa’s two-thirds legislative requirement affect future tax policy, not just this year’s collection.
- Treat fiscal estimates as projections. The cited dollar amounts are estimates made before the election and can differ from eventual collections after implementation, appeals and economic changes.
Frequently Asked Questions
When would the 2026 tax measures start affecting taxpayers?
The dates differ by measure. Florida’s larger exemptions and its agricultural-property exemption begin in 2027, the next Florida exemption step is in 2028, Washington’s high-income tax is scheduled for 2028 if it remains in force, and some constitutional changes would first require later legislation.
Can a lower property-tax assessment still lead to higher local fees?
Yes. If an exemption or assessment cap reduces property-tax collections, a county or city may face a budget gap. The measure itself generally does not dictate whether officials use spending cuts, reserves, service changes or other charges to close it.
Why do California Propositions 40, 41 and 42 need to be read together?
Proposition 40 contains the proposed one-time wealth tax, while Propositions 41 and 42 include provisions that could invalidate it if either receives more affirmative votes. The result is determined by the combined ballot outcomes, not Proposition 40’s vote alone.
Are the revenue numbers guaranteed if voters approve a measure?
No. The Florida, Washington, Wyoming and Oklahoma figures are projections cited by NCSL from state analyses or ballot materials. Actual collections can change with taxpayer behavior, court decisions, implementation rules and economic conditions.
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