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| State initiatives live results: marijuana, death penalty and more | |
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| Voters around the US have cast ballots for a diverse range of initiatives that seek to reform laws on marijuana, the death penalty, climate change and more. Below are the results as they come in for the most important contests. | Voters around the US have cast ballots for a diverse range of initiatives that seek to reform laws on marijuana, the death penalty, climate change and more. Below are the results as they come in for the most important contests. |
| Marijuana | Marijuana |
| Approved: Florida voters have passed a constitutional amendment to legalize medical marijuana, the first victory in a string of high-profile cannabis measures on Tuesday’s state ballots. | Approved: Florida voters have passed a constitutional amendment to legalize medical marijuana, the first victory in a string of high-profile cannabis measures on Tuesday’s state ballots. |
| California, Nevada, Arizona, Maine and Massachusetts are voting on measures to approve recreational marijuana, which would allow adults 21 and older to possess small amounts of marijuana and grow up to six plants in their homes. Voters in Arkansas, Montana and North Dakota are also voting on medical marijuana measures. | California, Nevada, Arizona, Maine and Massachusetts are voting on measures to approve recreational marijuana, which would allow adults 21 and older to possess small amounts of marijuana and grow up to six plants in their homes. Voters in Arkansas, Montana and North Dakota are also voting on medical marijuana measures. |
| Colorado and Washington became the first states to legalize recreational marijuana in 2012, paving the way for Oregon, and Alaska to follow suit. | Colorado and Washington became the first states to legalize recreational marijuana in 2012, paving the way for Oregon, and Alaska to follow suit. |
| As medical and retail cannabis operations have spread across the US, legal marijuana has become the fastest growing industry in the US, with some analysts projecting sales to reach $22bn by 2020. | As medical and retail cannabis operations have spread across the US, legal marijuana has become the fastest growing industry in the US, with some analysts projecting sales to reach $22bn by 2020. |
| Although dozens of states have also taken steps to authorize medical marijuana or decriminalize pot, cannabis remains an illegal drug at the federal level. | Although dozens of states have also taken steps to authorize medical marijuana or decriminalize pot, cannabis remains an illegal drug at the federal level. |
| Opponents of legalization, who have spent millions campaigning against this year’s measures, have argued that pot shops pose public safety risks and lead to an increase in adolescent drug abuse. | Opponents of legalization, who have spent millions campaigning against this year’s measures, have argued that pot shops pose public safety risks and lead to an increase in adolescent drug abuse. |
| But supporters of the measures have argued that ending marijuana prohibition is critical for eliminating the war on drugs that has fueled mass incarceration and disproportionately impacted people of color. | But supporters of the measures have argued that ending marijuana prohibition is critical for eliminating the war on drugs that has fueled mass incarceration and disproportionately impacted people of color. |
| Some studies have also cast doubts on fears that legalization leads to higher rates of teen abuse, and backers of legalization further point to the massive tax revenues the commercial industries have raised, exceeding initial projections. | Some studies have also cast doubts on fears that legalization leads to higher rates of teen abuse, and backers of legalization further point to the massive tax revenues the commercial industries have raised, exceeding initial projections. |
| Advocates and opponents agree that California’s Proposition 64 is the most important cannabis measure America has seen and could be an international game-changer for marijuana policy in the US. | Advocates and opponents agree that California’s Proposition 64 is the most important cannabis measure America has seen and could be an international game-changer for marijuana policy in the US. |
| California, which recently overtook the UK to have the fifth largest economy in the world, is expected to have a recreational marijuana market greater than Colorado, Washington, Oregon and Alaska combined, said Ethan Nadelmann, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance. | California, which recently overtook the UK to have the fifth largest economy in the world, is expected to have a recreational marijuana market greater than Colorado, Washington, Oregon and Alaska combined, said Ethan Nadelmann, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance. |
| “When I talk to everybody from allies to government officials in Mexico and I ask them what’s it going to take to transform the debate,” he said, “the response to me is when California legalizes marijuana.” | “When I talk to everybody from allies to government officials in Mexico and I ask them what’s it going to take to transform the debate,” he said, “the response to me is when California legalizes marijuana.” |
| Keith Humphreys, professor of psychiatry at Stanford University and an expert in drug policy, predicted that as more states legalize pot, there will be a continual decline in marijuana arrests. | Keith Humphreys, professor of psychiatry at Stanford University and an expert in drug policy, predicted that as more states legalize pot, there will be a continual decline in marijuana arrests. |
| “You’ll see plunging prices all over,” he added, “and you’re going to have a lot more consumption.” | “You’ll see plunging prices all over,” he added, “and you’re going to have a lot more consumption.” |
| Tuesday Victories could encourage other states and congress to pursue similar reforms, said Mason Tvert, director of communications for the Marijuana Policy Project. | Tuesday Victories could encourage other states and congress to pursue similar reforms, said Mason Tvert, director of communications for the Marijuana Policy Project. |
| “It emboldens legislators to take on the issue and treat it more seriously.” | “It emboldens legislators to take on the issue and treat it more seriously.” |
| Death penalty | Death penalty |
| California has two competing measures on the ballot – one abolishing the death penalty and another that would speed up the process for the state’s 741 death row inmates, who make up a quarter of all death row prisoners in the US. | California has two competing measures on the ballot – one abolishing the death penalty and another that would speed up the process for the state’s 741 death row inmates, who make up a quarter of all death row prisoners in the US. |
| Proposition 62 applies retroactively to current death row inmates, switching them to the new maximum punishment of life in prison without the possibility of parole. Proposition 66 would keep the death penalty intact while making the appeals process for inmates move faster. California hasn’t put anyone to death since 2006. | Proposition 62 applies retroactively to current death row inmates, switching them to the new maximum punishment of life in prison without the possibility of parole. Proposition 66 would keep the death penalty intact while making the appeals process for inmates move faster. California hasn’t put anyone to death since 2006. |
| Nebraska has an unusual proposal on the ballot to reinstate the death penalty after state lawmakers repealed it in 2015. In a similar vein, Oklahoma is voting on reaffirming the state’s commitment to the death penalty after the state attorney general suspended executions last year. | Nebraska has an unusual proposal on the ballot to reinstate the death penalty after state lawmakers repealed it in 2015. In a similar vein, Oklahoma is voting on reaffirming the state’s commitment to the death penalty after the state attorney general suspended executions last year. |
| Minimum wage | Minimum wage |
| The Fight for $15 labor movement helped put minimum wage increase initiatives on the ballot in Arizona, Colorado, Maine and Washington. All four states voted on proposals to increase the state rates about the $7.25 per hour minimum at the federal level. | The Fight for $15 labor movement helped put minimum wage increase initiatives on the ballot in Arizona, Colorado, Maine and Washington. All four states voted on proposals to increase the state rates about the $7.25 per hour minimum at the federal level. |
| South Dakota was an outlier this year with a referendum on whether to lower the minimum wage for workers under the age of 18. The state’s Referred Law 20 would exempt youth from South Dakota’s new minimum wage, which increased to $8.50 in 2014. | South Dakota was an outlier this year with a referendum on whether to lower the minimum wage for workers under the age of 18. The state’s Referred Law 20 would exempt youth from South Dakota’s new minimum wage, which increased to $8.50 in 2014. |
| Climate change | Climate change |
| In the state of Washington, a measure called I-732 calls for the first carbon tax in the US, which would cost emitters $25 for each ton of carbon dioxide from 2018. It would rise gradually over the course of 40 years to $100 a ton. | In the state of Washington, a measure called I-732 calls for the first carbon tax in the US, which would cost emitters $25 for each ton of carbon dioxide from 2018. It would rise gradually over the course of 40 years to $100 a ton. |
| Rejected: Florida voters said no to Amendment 1, a measure that would have restricted the ability of homeowners to sell electricity they create through rooftop solar panels to the grid. Environmental groups said the measure was “fundamentally dishonest” because it was backed by the state’s large utilities and could have hurt the regional solar industry. | Rejected: Florida voters said no to Amendment 1, a measure that would have restricted the ability of homeowners to sell electricity they create through rooftop solar panels to the grid. Environmental groups said the measure was “fundamentally dishonest” because it was backed by the state’s large utilities and could have hurt the regional solar industry. |
| Healthcare | Healthcare |
| Colorado is voting on a single-payer healthcare system that would make the state the first in the country to have universal, government-run healthcare. Amendment 69, also known as ColoradoCare, would create a $36bn health system designed to insure that every residents of the state is served. | Colorado is voting on a single-payer healthcare system that would make the state the first in the country to have universal, government-run healthcare. Amendment 69, also known as ColoradoCare, would create a $36bn health system designed to insure that every residents of the state is served. |
| The program, paid for by a new 10% payroll tax, would replace the private health insurance system, prompting significant opposition from medical providers such as Anthem and Kaiser. | The program, paid for by a new 10% payroll tax, would replace the private health insurance system, prompting significant opposition from medical providers such as Anthem and Kaiser. |
| In California, Proposition 61, which earned support from US senator Bernie Sanders, would restrict the state from spending more on prescription drugs than the prices paid by the US department of veterans affairs. Opponents have spent $109m against the proposition, which the pharmaceutical industry strongly opposes. | In California, Proposition 61, which earned support from US senator Bernie Sanders, would restrict the state from spending more on prescription drugs than the prices paid by the US department of veterans affairs. Opponents have spent $109m against the proposition, which the pharmaceutical industry strongly opposes. |
| Sanders has said he hopes the measure would spark a national movement to lower drug prices. | Sanders has said he hopes the measure would spark a national movement to lower drug prices. |
| Homelessness | Homelessness |
| Both San Francisco and Los Angeles have high-profile measures aimed to tackle homelessness in the west – with very different strategies. | Both San Francisco and Los Angeles have high-profile measures aimed to tackle homelessness in the west – with very different strategies. |
| Los Angeles is hoping to make a $1.2bn investment over 10 years to support housing and programs through the issuance of bonds. The measure requires a two-thirds super-majority. | Los Angeles is hoping to make a $1.2bn investment over 10 years to support housing and programs through the issuance of bonds. The measure requires a two-thirds super-majority. |
| San Francisco has a ballot measure that would ban the tents that the homeless use to sleep on the street. A group of tech billionaires and millionaires – venture capitalist Michael Moritz, angel investor Ron Conway, and hedge fund manager William Oberndorf – have each donated $49,999 to support the measure. | San Francisco has a ballot measure that would ban the tents that the homeless use to sleep on the street. A group of tech billionaires and millionaires – venture capitalist Michael Moritz, angel investor Ron Conway, and hedge fund manager William Oberndorf – have each donated $49,999 to support the measure. |
| Critics have slammed the proposal for further criminalizing homeless people without providing new funding for services or housing. | Critics have slammed the proposal for further criminalizing homeless people without providing new funding for services or housing. |
| Other initiatives | Other initiatives |
| California’s Proposition 60 mandates that pornography performers wear condoms during film shoots. Performers oppose the measure, arguing that industry testing protocols are effective. | California’s Proposition 60 mandates that pornography performers wear condoms during film shoots. Performers oppose the measure, arguing that industry testing protocols are effective. |
| There’s also a movement to enshrine a constitutional right to hunt and fish. Since 1996, 18 states have amended their constitutions to establish hunting and fishing as inalienable rights. | There’s also a movement to enshrine a constitutional right to hunt and fish. Since 1996, 18 states have amended their constitutions to establish hunting and fishing as inalienable rights. |
| Approved: Indiana passed its “right to hunt” measure on Tuesday, and Kansas has a similar measure on the ballot. | Approved: Indiana passed its “right to hunt” measure on Tuesday, and Kansas has a similar measure on the ballot. |