Nevada 2026 Ballot: Abortion Rights and Voter ID Return; New Fights Over Girls’ Sports, Primaries and Redistricting
As the November 2026 general election approaches, Nevada voters will decide on two major constitutional amendments that passed in 2024 and now seek final approval.
Question 6, the Right to Abortion Initiative, would enshrine a fundamental right to abortion in the Nevada Constitution. The measure prohibits government interference with abortions performed by qualified health care professionals until fetal viability or when necessary to protect the life or health of the pregnant individual. It received about 64% support in 2024.
Question 7, the Require Voter Identification Initiative, would amend the constitution to mandate a government-issued photo ID for in-person voting and the last four digits of a driver's license or Social Security number for mail ballots. The measure passed with strong support in 2024.
A separate initiative to exempt public school teachers from Nevada’s ban on public employee strikes was certified for the ballot but later withdrawn. Proponents pulled the measure after Gov. Lombardo (R) signed legislation clarifying rules around teacher protests.
No other measures have been fully certified for the statewide ballot so far, though several additional initiatives are actively collecting signatures.
The Protect Girls’ Sports initiative is currently gathering signatures in an effort to qualify for the 2026 ballot. If approved, it would amend the Nevada Constitution to require participation in public school and college sports to be determined by biological sex at birth, effectively barring transgender girls and women from competing in female categories.
Vote Nevada PAC is also gathering signatures for two additional constitutional initiatives. The Open Primaries Initiative would allow all registered voters, including nonpartisans, to participate in primary elections regardless of party affiliation. The Independent Redistricting Commission Initiative would establish a seven-member commission with equal representation from Democrats, Republicans, and non-major party members to redraw legislative and congressional districts after each census. Similar redistricting efforts failed in 2020, 2022, and 2024 due to legal challenges.
To qualify for the ballot, each initiative requires approximately 149K valid signatures from registered Nevada voters, including at approximately 38K signatures from each of the state's four congressional districts. The signature validation process is overseen by the Nevada Secretary of State’s office (NVSOS), which is led by an elected official affiliated with a political party. In the past, the NVSOS has been criticized for providing petitioners with inaccurate guidance. For instance, the Nevada Green Party was disqualified from the 2024 ballot after NVSOS staff advised it to use an incorrect petition form.
