In the absence of federal action on the issue, efforts to increase the minimum wage were on the ballot in five states: Alaska, Arkansas, Illinois, Nebraska, and South Dakota. Read more...ALASKA: Measure 3| Our Vote | Option | Votes | Vote % | Reporting | | X | YES | 154,516 | 68.8% | 100% | | NO | 70,082 | 31.2% | | ARKANSAS: Issue 5| Our Vote | Option | Votes | Vote % | Reporting | | X | YES | 542,179 | 66% | 100% | | NO | 280,797 | 34% | | ILLINOIS: Minimum Wage Increase | Our Vote | Option | Votes | Vote % | Reporting | | X | YES | 2,198,881 | 66.4% | 100% | | NO | 1,113,963 | 33.6% | | NEBRASKA: Initiative 425| Our Vote | Option | Votes | Vote % | Reporting | | X | YES | 301,968 | 59.23% | 0% | | NO | 207,841 | 40.77% | 0% | SOUTH DAKOTA: Measure 18| Our Vote | Option | Votes | Vote % | Reporting | | X | YES | 138,622 | 54.85% | 85% | | NO | 114,100 | 45.15% | | |
Three states this year faced sweeping anti-choice legislation that sought to curtail or eliminate reproductive rights: Colorado, North Dakota, and Tennessee.
Read more...COLORADO: Amendment 67| Our Vote | Option | Votes | Vote % | Reporting | | YES | 89,888 | 35.87% | 100% | | X | NO | 160,728 | 64.13% | | NORTH DAKOTA: Measure 1| Our Vote | Option | Votes | Vote % | Reporting | | YES | 89,888 | 35.87% | 100% | | X | NO | 160,728 | 64.13% | | TENNESSEE: Amendment 1| Our Vote | Option | Votes | Vote % | Reporting | | X | YES | 728,751 | 52.61% | 0% | | NO | 656,427 | 47.39% | 0% | |
Voters in communities in California, Texas and Ohio had a chance to ban the dangerous oil and gas drilling practice known as "fracking" this year. Read more...SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA: Measure P| Our Vote | Option | Votes | Vote % | Reporting | | X | YES | 30,732 | 37.35% | 100% | | NO | 51,547 | 62.65% | | SAN BENITO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA: Measure J| Our Vote | Option | Votes | Vote % | Reporting | | X | YES | 5,021 | 57.36% | 100% | | NO | 3,733 | 42.64% | | MENDOCINO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA: Measure S| Our Vote | Option | Votes | Vote % | Reporting | | X | YES | 7,302 | 67.18% | 100% | | NO | 3,567 | 32.82% | | DENTON, TEXAS: Fracking Ban Initiative| Our Vote | Option | Votes | Vote % | Reporting | | X | FOR | 14,881 | 58.64% | 100% | | AGAINST | 10,495 | 41.36% | | ATHENS, OHIO: Issue 7| Our Vote | Option | Votes | Vote % | Reporting | | X | YES | 2,245 | 78.28% | 100% | | NO | 623 | 21.72% | | YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO: Issue 4| Our Vote | Option | Votes | Vote % | Reporting | | X | YES | 5,268 | 42.15% | 100% | | NO | 7,231 | 87.85% | | GATES MILLS, OHIO: Issue 51| Our Vote | Option | Votes | Vote % | Reporting | | X | YES | 313 | 30.7% | 100% | | NO | 707 | 69.3% | | KENT, OHIO: Issue 21| Our Vote | Option | Votes | Vote % | Reporting | | X | YES | 0 | 0% | 0% | | NO | 0 | 0% | | |
Efforts to regulate GMOs were on both state and local ballots. Colorado and Oregon voted on a labeling mandate, while Humboldt and Maui counties voted on planting bans. Read more...OREGON: Measure 92| Our Vote | Option | Votes | Vote % | Reporting | | X | YES | 610,655 | 49.08% | 100% | | NO | 633,451 | 50.92% | | COLORADO:
Proposition 105| Our Vote | Option | Votes | Vote % | Reporting | | X | YES | 595,528 | 33.22% | 100% | | NO | 1,196,971 | 66.78% | | MAUI COUNTY:
Hawaii Moratorium Initiative| Our Vote | Option | Votes | Vote % | Reporting | | X | YES | 23,082 | 50.2% | 100% | | NO | 22,005 | 47.9% | | HUMBOLDT COUNTY:
California Measure P| Our Vote | Option | Votes | Vote % | Reporting | | X | YES | 17,029 | 59.43% | 100% | | NO | 11,624 | 40.57% | | |
Washington state voters cast ballots for or against two competing ballot initiatives—one to strengthen, the other to weaken—gun control measures in the state. Read more...WASHINGTON: Initiative 594| Our Vote | Option | Votes | Vote % | Reporting | | X | YES | 724,330 | 59.72% | 0% | | NO | 488,625 | 40.28% | 0% | WASHINGTON: Initiative 591| Our Vote | Option | Votes | Vote % | Reporting | | YES | 546,375 | 45.45% | 100% | | X | NO | 655,750 | 54.55% | | |
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Oil giant Chevron dumped millions of dollars into municipal elections in the city of Richmond, Calif. to fight a progressive slate of candidates in what critics said was one of the most egregious examples of a corporate interest using nearly unlimited financial resources to overwhelm local candidates. Read more...RICHMOND, CALIFORNIA:
City Council/Mayor| Our Candidates | Elected | Votes | Vote % | Reporting | | Gayle McLaughlin (Council) | YES | 4,880 | 16.91% | 100% | | Eduardo Martinez (Council) | YES | 4,214 | 14.60% | | | Jocanka Beckles (Council) | YES | 4,679 | 16.21% | | | Tom Butt (Mayor) | YES | 5,537 | 51.43% | | |
Efforts to expand legal access to marijuana took place in Washington, D.C., Alaska, and Oregon. Read more...ALASKA: Measure 2| Our Vote | Option | Votes | Vote % | Reporting | | X | YES | 116,803 | 52% | 100% | | NO | 107,179 | 48% | | OREGON: Measure 91| Our Vote | Option | Votes | Vote % | Reporting | | X | YES | 692,669 | 54.82% | 100% | | NO | 570,798 | 45.18% | | WASHINGTON, D.C.: Measure 71| Our Vote | Option | Votes | Vote % | Reporting | | X | FOR | 96,113 | 64.62% | 100% | | AGAINST | 42,280 | 28.43% | | |
As the U.S. system of mass incarceration comes under increasing fire, Californians voted on a measure to reduce prison populations by reducing the penalties for a number of "non-serious and nonviolent property and drug crimes." Read more...CALIFORNIA: Proposition 47| Our Vote | Option | Votes | Vote % | Reporting | | X | YES | 2,955,206 | 58.5% | 100% | | NO | 2,100,278 | 41.5% | | |
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