Four states will consider ballot measures that would bar transgender students from competing in sports teams that match their gender identity. Two of these states already have such bans, and the new proposals would bolster those existing restrictions.
These initiatives are part of a broader set of state-level votes on contentious health care issues, including abortion access, during the midterms. According to STAT+, the volume of these measures represents a step down from 2024, when a record number of states held votes on abortion following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn national protections for the procedure.
The midterms also feature relatively few measures on issues central to the Make America Healthy Again movement, which has taken a backseat in this election cycle. A small number of states will vote on other health-related topics, such as Medicaid and school meals. These ballots provide a concrete view of how voters across the U.S. regard these matters two years into the Trump administration.