How States Voted on Gun Ballot Measures

Every statewide gun measure voters have decided at the ballot box.

Each card links to the results it comes from.

35 of 42Binding measures approved
20 of 23Gun rights measures passed
13 of 17Restriction measures passed
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Type
Result
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Protects gun rightsAdds gun restrictionsTaxes and feesAdvisoryFaded = defeated

1948

South Dakota · Amendment D

Approved

Allowed taxes on state public shooting areas.

Taxes and fees59.7% yes
106,458 yes · 71,942 no
Results: Ballotpedia
1976

Massachusetts · Question 5

Defeated

Would have banned private handgun ownership.

Adds gun restrictions30.8% yes
743,014 yes · 1,669,945 no
Results: Ballotpedia
1978

Idaho · SJR 116

Approved

Strengthened the right to keep and bear arms in the state constitution.

Protects gun rights82.5% yes
222,423 yes · 47,084 no
Results: Ballotpedia
1978

New Hampshire · Question 1

Defeated

Would have added a right to bear arms to the state constitution.

Protects gun rights64.7% yes
160,628 yes · 87,807 no

Won a majority but fell short of the two-thirds vote required.

Results: Ballotpedia
1982

California · Proposition 15

Defeated

Would have frozen handgun sales and required handgun registration.

Adds gun restrictions37.2% yes
2,840,154 yes · 4,799,586 no
Results: Ballotpedia
1982

Nevada · Question 2

Approved

Added the right to keep and bear arms to the state constitution.

Protects gun rights71.0% yes
162,460 yes · 66,385 no
Results: Ballotpedia
1982

New Hampshire · Question 3

Approved

Added a right to bear arms to the state constitution.

Protects gun rights72.9% yes
178,791 yes · 66,441 no
Results: Ballotpedia
1984

North Dakota · Amendment 3

Approved

Added the right to keep and bear arms to the state constitution.

Protects gun rights80.2% yes
236,596 yes · 58,582 no
Results: Ballotpedia
1984

Utah · Proposition 5

Approved

Rewrote the state right to bear arms, with the legislature defining lawful use.

Protects gun rights61.6% yes
370,566 yes · 231,413 no
Results: Ballotpedia
1986

New Mexico · Amendment 2

Approved

Strengthened the right to keep and bear arms in the state constitution.

Protects gun rights61.7% yes
179,716 yes · 111,517 no
Results: Ballotpedia
1986

West Virginia · Amendment 1

Approved

Added the right to keep and bear arms to the state constitution.

Protects gun rights83.6% yes
342,963 yes · 67,168 no
Results: Ballotpedia
1987

Maine · Question 12

Approved

Made the state right to keep and bear arms an individual right.

Protects gun rights57.6% yes
215,370 yes · 158,753 no
Results: Ballotpedia
1988

Maryland · Question 3

Approved

Upheld a law banning the sale of handguns not on a state-approved roster.

Adds gun restrictions58.3% yes
927,947 yes · 663,424 no

A Yes vote kept the law.

1988

Nebraska · Measure 403

Approved

Added the right to keep and bear arms to the state constitution.

Protects gun rights64.5% yes
393,829 yes · 216,528 no
Results: Ballotpedia
1990

Florida · Amendment 2

Approved

Required a three-day waiting period for handgun purchases.

Adds gun restrictions84.5% yes
2,840,912 yes · 522,248 no
Results: Ballotpedia
1994

Alaska · Measure 1

Approved

Made the state right to bear arms an individual right.

Protects gun rights72.7% yes
153,300 yes · 57,636 no
Results: Ballotpedia
1997

Washington · Initiative 676

Defeated

Would have required handgun trigger locks and safety licenses.

Adds gun restrictions29.4% yes
496,690 yes · 1,194,004 no
Results: Ballotpedia
1998

Florida · Amendment 12

Approved

Let counties require background checks and waiting periods on firearm sales.

Adds gun restrictions72.0% yes
2,655,010 yes · 1,033,020 no
Results: Ballotpedia
1998

Wisconsin · Question 2

Approved

Added the right to keep and bear arms to the state constitution.

Protects gun rights73.9% yes
1,205,873 yes · 425,052 no
Results: Ballotpedia
1999

Missouri · Proposition B

Defeated

Would have allowed concealed carry permits.

Protects gun rights48.3% yes
634,809 yes · 678,652 no

April 1999 special election.

Results: Ballotpedia
2000

Colorado · Amendment 22

Approved

Required background checks on gun show sales.

Adds gun restrictions70.0% yes
1,197,593 yes · 512,084 no
Results: Ballotpedia
2000

Oregon · Measure 5

Approved

Required background checks on gun show transfers.

Adds gun restrictions61.8% yes
921,926 yes · 569,996 no
Results: Ballotpedia
2010

Kansas · Question 1

Approved

Made the state right to bear arms an individual right.

Protects gun rights88.2% yes
720,102 yes · 95,957 no
Results: Ballotpedia
2012

Louisiana · Amendment 2

Approved

Made the right to bear arms fundamental, with strict scrutiny for limits.

Protects gun rights73.5% yes
1,331,891 yes · 481,360 no
Results: Ballotpedia
2014

Alabama · Amendment 3

Approved

Made the right to bear arms fundamental, with strict scrutiny for limits.

Protects gun rights72.5% yes
736,462 yes · 279,397 no
Results: Ballotpedia
2014

Missouri · Amendment 5

Approved

Made the right to bear arms unalienable, with strict scrutiny for limits.

Protects gun rights60.9% yes
602,863 yes · 386,308 no

August 2014 primary ballot.

Results: Ballotpedia
2014

Washington · Initiative 591

Defeated

Would have barred state background checks beyond the federal standard.

Protects gun rights44.7% yes
929,220 yes · 1,147,966 no
Results: Ballotpedia
2014

Washington · Initiative 594

Approved

Required background checks on most private gun sales and transfers.

Adds gun restrictions59.3% yes
1,242,734 yes · 853,990 no
Results: Ballotpedia
2016

California · Proposition 63

Approved

Required background checks for ammunition and banned large-capacity magazines.

Adds gun restrictions63.1% yes
8,663,159 yes · 5,070,772 no
Results: Ballotpedia
2016

Maine · Question 3

Defeated

Would have required background checks on most private gun sales.

Adds gun restrictions48.2% yes
366,770 yes · 394,157 no
Results: Ballotpedia
2016

Nevada · Question 1

Approved

Required background checks on most private gun sales.

Adds gun restrictions50.4% yes
558,631 yes · 548,732 no
Results: Ballotpedia
2016

Washington · Initiative 1491

Approved

Created court orders to remove firearms from people judged a risk.

Adds gun restrictions69.4% yes
2,234,799 yes · 985,658 no
Results: Ballotpedia
2018

Washington · Initiative 1639

Approved

Raised the age for semiautomatic rifle purchases and added waiting periods and training.

Adds gun restrictions59.4% yes
1,839,475 yes · 1,259,681 no
Results: Ballotpedia
2020

Alabama · Amendment 5

Approved

Applied stand your ground rights in Franklin County churches.

Protects gun rights71.6% yes
1,213,544 yes · 481,088 no
Results: Ballotpedia
2020

Alabama · Amendment 6

Approved

Applied stand your ground rights in Lauderdale County churches.

Protects gun rights71.6% yes
1,216,008 yes · 482,189 no
Results: Ballotpedia
2020

Montana · LR-130

Approved

Limited local governments from regulating firearms.

Protects gun rights51.0% yes
298,388 yes · 287,129 no
Results: Ballotpedia
2022

Iowa · Amendment 1

Approved

Added the right to keep and bear arms, with strict scrutiny for limits.

Protects gun rights65.2% yes
748,363 yes · 399,959 no
Results: Ballotpedia
2022

Oregon · Measure 114

Approved

Required permits to purchase and banned magazines over 10 rounds.

Adds gun restrictions50.6% yes
975,862 yes · 950,891 no
Results: Ballotpedia
2024

Colorado · Proposition KK

Approved

Added a 6.5% excise tax on firearm and ammunition sales.

Taxes and fees54.4% yes
1,675,123 yes · 1,406,112 no
Results: Ballotpedia
2025

Maine · Question 2

Approved

Created extreme risk protection orders to remove firearms by court order.

Adds gun restrictions62.9% yes
307,911 yes · 181,601 no
Results: Ballotpedia
2026

Arkansas · Issue 2

Approved

Strengthened the right to keep and bear arms in the state constitution.

Protects gun rights70.8% yes
613,909 yes · 253,144 no

Unofficial until certified: count as reported November 5, 2026.

Results: Ballotpedia
2026

Massachusetts · Question 9

Approved

Upheld the 2024 state gun law (Chapter 135), including its assault-style firearm ban and expanded red flag orders.

Adds gun restrictions67.3% yes
1,753,854 yes · 852,096 no

Unofficial until certified: 99% counted, as reported November 5, 2026; AP projected Yes. A Yes vote kept the law.

2026

Idaho · Official State Gun Question

Advisory

Non-binding question asking voters to choose an official state gun from six historic firearms.

Advisory voteWinchester 1873 won
Winchester 1873 (.44-40)31.1%
Winchester 1894 (.30-30)25.3%
Colt Single Action Army (.45 Colt)15.3%
Remington 700 (.30-06)12.4%
Colt M1911 (.45 ACP)8.8%
M1 Garand (.30-06)7.1%
528,641 votes cast

Unofficial until certified. The Legislature may name the official state gun in its 2027 session.

Results: Ballotpedia

Type labels describe what each measure does, not whether it was good policy.

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