Republicans Use Anti-Trans Ballot Initiatives to Boost Midterm Turnout

Nevada Republican Governor Joe Lombardo openly acknowledged at a January fundraiser that his campaign strategy for the 2024 midterm elections includes using anti-transgender ballot initiatives to mobilize voters. In a recording obtained by the Nevada Independent, Lombardo admitted,

“I am not enough of a motor—uh, a motivator—as a governor candidate to get them off the couch.”

He then outlined his plan to address low voter enthusiasm:

“We have a couple ballot initiatives we’re going to initiate in order to get voters out.”

Among the measures Lombardo proposed is a requirement for photo IDs at polling places—a policy critics argue disproportionately targets racial minorities. The second initiative, which he referred to as “Men in Women’s Sports,” is a constitutional amendment to ban transgender girls and women from participating on girls’ school sports teams. Lombardo introduced this proposal earlier in 2024.

During an October 2023 event, Lombardo said,

“The second thing we’re going to do is this thing called Men in Women’s Sports.”

“Yay!” “Yeah!” “That’s going to get people out to vote,”

“Because, just from the groans in the room, I think they’re going to support it.”

While public opinion broadly supports nondiscrimination protections for transgender individuals, these issues rank low on voters’ priority lists. However, Republicans have strategically focused on a narrow set of wedge issues—such as transgender athletes in school sports and specialized pediatric healthcare—where public opinion has shifted rightward. By placing these measures directly on ballots, GOP leaders aim to drive turnout in competitive midterm races.

Six transgender-related ballot measures have already qualified for the 2024 ballots in Colorado, Maine, Missouri, and Washington. Additional initiatives are in development in Arizona, Nebraska, and Nevada.

Ballot Initiatives as “Ballot Candy”

Quentin Savwoir, director of programs and strategy at the left-leaning Ballot Initiative Strategy Center (BISC), described this tactic as “ballot candy.”

“This is absolutely being used as ballot candy,”

Missouri’s Abortion Amendment: A Counterexample

In Missouri, Republican officials aggressively opposed a 2024 constitutional amendment to enshrine the right to abortion before fetal viability—approximately 24 weeks. Despite their opposition, the measure qualified for the ballot and passed with a narrow 51.6 percent of the vote, effectively overturning the state’s total abortion ban.

This outcome highlights the unpredictability of ballot initiatives, even on contentious social issues, and underscores the potential risks for Republicans relying on polarizing measures to sway elections.