This year’s statewide ballot measures are written, on average, at a graduate-school reading level, according to a new report.
The readability of 2026’s ballot questions — which ask voters to weigh in on issues as varied as abortion, property taxes, voter ID and firearms — varies by state, political data tracking nonprofit Ballotpedia found in its newest Ballot Measure Readability Report.
The report analyzes the level of education voters would need to understand the titles and summaries of the measures put before them. Because ballot measures are often lengthy and full of legal language, states write shorter titles to be published on the ballot for voters to read.
Many of this year’s ballot measures don’t include summaries to supplement the titles. And many voters don’t read beyond a measure’s title before deciding how to vote, Ballotpedia researchers note.
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This is why I love the League of Women Voters; their guides explain these things in plain language.
I’ll need to check that out in the future. I generally understand the measures and double check my decision against my preferred endorsement site, but having a plain language explanation would also be good
