Cannabis on the Ballot: Your 2026 Election Results, State by State

November 5, 2026

Okay, girls, grab your coffee (or your favorite little mug of something cozy), because we need to talk about Tuesday! Cannabis was on the ballot in a few places this year, and honestly? Voters showed up for it. Here's the scoop, state by state, so you know exactly what happened where you live.

Quick note before we dive in: these are early results as reported on November 4, 2026. The big ones have been called, but states still have to make it official, so the final numbers may shift a little.

Massachusetts: You kept it legal, ladies!

Massachusetts, I am so proud of you. Question 8 asked whether to undo a big chunk of the legalization you voted for back in 2016. It would have ended legal adult-use sales at dispensaries and taken away your right to grow a few plants at home. Possession and the medical program would have stayed, but the shops? Gone.

And you said a big, loud no. With about 80% of the vote counted, it was running roughly 76% No to 24% Yes, and the Associated Press projected that No would win. So your favorite dispensary isn't going anywhere, and your home garden is safe.

Here's the part that gave me chills: the Marijuana Policy Project says you're the first state in the country to beat back an organized ballot campaign to undo voter-approved legalization. You set the tone for everybody else, Bay State. Pour yourself something nice tonight.

Read more: NBC Boston results, GBH News, Marijuana Moment, and NORML.

Idaho: You kept your voice, friend!

Idaho, this one was sneaky, so let me break it down. HJR 4 was a proposed change to your state constitution that would have given only the Legislature the power to legalize any drug, medical marijuana included. In plain English, it would have taken away your ability to put cannabis on the ballot yourselves through a citizen initiative.

And you weren't having it! The AP called it on election night, and the latest count shows about 66% No to 34% Yes. The state is set to certify the official results on November 24.

Now, I'll be straight with you: cannabis is still illegal in Idaho, and a medical cannabis initiative didn't gather enough signatures to make this year's ballot. But the door is still open. If you and your neighbors want to try again, you still get to bring it straight to the voters. That's a real win, and you earned it.

Texas: Big, beautiful news, y'all!

Texas, sit down, because you had a night. You elected Gina Hinojosa as your new governor and James Talarico as your new U.S. senator, the first Democrats to win those races in decades. And both of them are on our side when it comes to cannabis!

Governor-elect Hinojosa has said she wants to let Texans vote on legalization, and she's backed taxing and regulating hemp products instead of banning them. Senator-elect Talarico has been even more direct. In his words: "I'll support legalizing marijuana for adults—regulating and imposing taxes on its sales." He's also said, "Texans aren't going to stop smoking weed because politicians in Austin or D.C. told them not to." Honestly? Preach.

And Houston, you didn't stop there! Y'all passed Proposition A, part of what organizers called the Houston Freedom Act, by about 72% to 28% on election night. It makes misdemeanor marijuana possession the "lowest possible enforcement priority" for city police, points folks toward options like treatment referrals or community service instead of arrest, and bans no-knock warrants in the city. Look at you go!

None of this flips a switch overnight. Texas doesn't let citizens put statewide measures on the ballot themselves, so legalization still has to go through the Legislature, which meets again starting January 12. And for now, hemp rules are still strict, so double-check before you buy anything like delta-8 or delta-10. But for the first time in a long time, Texas has leaders at the top who want to move forward instead of backward. That's worth celebrating!

Florida, Nebraska, Maine, Arizona and Ohio: Not this time

If you live in one of these states and were wondering why nothing cannabis-related showed up on your ballot, here's why:

Florida: The recreational legalization amendment didn't qualify for the 2026 ballot. I know, I'm bummed too.
Nebraska: The legalization measure fell short on valid signatures.
Maine: An effort to repeal legalization missed its 2026 deadline, so you're good for now, though it may come back in 2027.
Arizona: A campaign to roll back legalization was dropped back in May. Phew!
Ohio: An effort to challenge parts of the state's newer cannabis law was suspended.

The big picture

Here's what makes me smile about all of this. In every cannabis vote I've covered here, people kept or expanded their cannabis freedoms. Not one went backward. That tells me what we already know around here: grown women (and plenty of everybody else) want the right to make their own choices, safely and legally.

So whether you're celebrating in Boston, Boise or Texas, or still waiting for your state's turn, I'm right here cheering with you. Tell me what's happening where you live, because I want to hear it all!

Marijuana Mama

For a broader recap, see Forbes' midterm roundup on Yahoo News.

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