A State-by-State Look at Housing Measures on the 2026 Ballot

On November 3^rd, voters in seven states will decide 12 statewide property tax ballot measures, and voters in four other states will weigh in on six statewide housing policy measures. Together, the 2026 housing ballot measures we’re identifying here cover homestead exemptions, limits on how fast taxable home values can rise, bond funding, and zoning rules. Many are written in dense legal language, and the topics change from state to state.

This guide focuses on statewide property tax and housing policy measures appearing on the Nov. 3, 2026, ballot. It does not include local ballot measures, which vary by city and county. Our goal here is to describe the proposals, not recommend how anyone should vote. If you own a home or hope to buy one, it can help you recognize relevant questions that may appear on your ballot in the 2026 midterm elections.

2026 Housing Ballot Measures: Key Terms to Know

The 2026 midterm elections put a mix of housing questions in front of voters in certain states. Some change how property taxes are calculated. Others seek to fund housing programs or change local zoning rules. A few terms come up again and again:

• Homestead exemption: Removes part of a primary residence’s assessed value before property tax is calculated.
• Assessment cap: Limits how much a property’s assessed value can rise in a year. It does not set the tax rate.
• Levy limit: Limits how much total property tax revenue a local government can raise.
• Bond: Money a government borrows for a set purpose, such as housing programs, and repays over time.
• Zoning: Local rules about what can be built on a piece of land.

Property taxes are one of several ongoing costs of owning a home, and the rules differ by state and even by county. How a measure affects any one tax bill depends on local assessments, tax rates, and other details.

2026 Property Tax Ballot Measures by State

Ballotpedia tracks 13 statewide property tax measures in 2026. Louisiana voters defeated one in May, which leaves 12 on the Nov. 3 ballot. Here they are by state, in alphabetical order.

Florida: Homestead Exemption and Assessment Changes

Florida Amendment 3 would raise the homestead exemption for non-school property taxes to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, with inflation adjustments after that. School taxes would not be affected by the larger exemption. The amendment would also lower the annual assessment cap on non-homestead property, such as second homes and commercial property, from 10% to 5%. It would restrict how counties and cities may use property tax revenue and set a process for local governments to raise the exemption further.

People who establish Florida residency after Dec. 31, 2026 would start with the existing exemption, and the larger one would begin in their fifth year of homestead exemption. Because Amendment 3 changes the state constitution, it needs at least 60% of the vote to pass.

A second measure, Amendment 2, would exempt certain tangible personal property, such as farm equipment, from property taxes when it is located on agricultural land, used for agricultural production or agritourism, and owned by the landowner or leaseholder.

Georgia: Agriculture and Timber Land

Georgia’s property tax measure, Amendment 1, relates to agriculture and timber land. It would raise the maximum acreage one owner may enroll in the state’s Conservation Use Valuation Assessment program from 2,000 acres to 4,000 acres.

Louisiana: Five Property Tax Amendments

Louisiana voters will see five property tax amendments on the Nov. 3 ballot:

• Amendment 1: Would let the surviving spouse of a qualifying disabled veteran transfer an additional property tax exemption to a new home one time.
• Amendment 2: Would give local governments more time to raise a lowered property tax rate back up to a previously authorized maximum.
• Amendment 6: Would allow an additional property tax exemption of up to $30,000 in assessed value, with the amount increasing with age, for homeowners age 65 and older who already qualify for Louisiana’s income-based special assessment freeze.
• Amendment 9: Would raise the income limit for the special assessment freeze from $100,000 to $150,000. The freeze generally keeps a home’s assessed value from rising while the homeowner stays eligible.
• Amendment 10: Would allow parishes to create property tax exemptions for certain rehabilitated properties that were previously blighted or derelict.

North Carolina: Property Tax Levy Limit

North Carolina’s Property Tax Levy Limit Amendment would require the General Assembly to pass laws limiting how much local governments can increase property tax levies. The laws could include exceptions, and the amendment itself does not set the limit. The ballot question reads, “Constitutional amendment requiring limits on property tax increases by local governments.”

Oklahoma: Lower Assessment Caps

State Question 847 would lower the annual limit on how much a property’s assessed value can grow, beginning in 2027. For homesteads and agricultural land, the cap would drop from 3% to 1.75%. For other real property, including commercial and rental property, it would drop from 5% to 4%. The measure would also introduce additional assessment caps, ranging from 0.35% to 1.75%, for homeowners age 65 and older whose incomes exceed the limit for the state’s existing senior assessment freeze.

Tennessee: Prohibiting a State Property Tax

Tennessee’s Amendment 2 would prohibit the General Assembly from imposing a state property tax. Tennessee does not currently collect one, and local governments would still be able to levy property taxes.

Wyoming: Primary Residence Exemption

Wyoming voters will decide a citizen-initiated measure, often called Prop 1 in local coverage, that would exempt 50% of the assessed value of a qualifying primary residence from property tax. Homeowners would need to have lived in Wyoming for at least one year and in the home for at least six months of the prior tax year.

Housing Ballot Initiatives Beyond Property Taxes

Four states have housing measures that go beyond property taxes. They cover bonds, homebuyer programs, and zoning. Ballotpedia’s housing policy list includes all six.

California: Three Housing Measures

• Proposition 1: Would authorize $11.25 billion in state bonds for housing purposes: $10 billion for a range of state housing programs and $1.25 billion for home loan assistance to veterans.
• Proposition 37: Would authorize up to $25 billion in revenue bonds to fund a program offering eligible homebuyers fixed-rate second mortgages covering up to 17% of the purchase price of a qualifying new home. Buyers would need to have lived in California for at least one year, meet income limits, make a down payment of at least 3%, and use the home as their primary residence.
• Proposition 45: Would amend the California Environmental Quality Act to speed up environmental review for specified project types, including most housing, by setting review deadlines and deadlines for lawsuits over project approvals.

Hawaii, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island

• Hawaii Question 2: Would direct the Legislature to establish a process allowing counties to issue bonds for public improvements, such as sewer, water, and drainage systems, in designated districts. The bonds would be repaid from growth in property tax revenue within those districts, not from higher tax rates.
• Massachusetts Question 7: Would allow single-family homes on residentially zoned lots of at least 5,000 square feet with at least 50 feet of street frontage and public sewer and water service. Cities and towns could still reasonably regulate certain aspects, such as height and distance from neighboring buildings.
• Rhode Island Question 2: Would authorize up to $120 million in bonds for affordable and accessible housing, including at least $25 million for housing intended for homeownership.

How to Find the Housing Measures on Your Ballot

The measures on your ballot depend on where you live, and the wording printed on the ballot can be shorter than the full text. Your state or county election office publishes official voter guides, and Ballotpedia’s Sample Ballot Lookup is another tool for previewing your ballot. Reading the full text and summaries from more than one source can make each measure easier to follow.

Final Thoughts on the 2026 Housing Ballot Measures

The 2026 housing ballot measures range from homestead exemptions and assessment caps to bonds and zoning rules, and each one has its own details. Knowing which part of homeownership a measure touches may help you make your decision. The official text and your state’s voter guide are reliable places to confirm specifics before Election Day on Nov. 3.