Voters had say on dozens of issues on the ballot, from voting rights for felons to redistricting to marijuana
Voters in 37 states voted on a total of 157 ballot measures on Election Day, the results of which will affect wide-ranging aspects of people’s daily lives in those states — from their right to purchase a gun to which bathroom they can use.
Massachusetts passed the nation’s first statewide vote on anti-discrimination protections for transgender people, prohibiting gender-based discrimination in public places. In Washington state, voters passed an initiative tightening gun control laws, which includes raising the minimum age to purchase firearms to 21 years.
Four states also cast ballots on Medicaid expansion. Three of those states — Idaho, Nebraska, and Utah — voted to pass the Medicaid expansion, which means 300,000 more low-income Americans will receive coverage. The fourth state, Montana, rejected the measure.
Voters in six states approved versions of a Marsy’s Law, first enacted in California 10 years ago. The California law grants crime victims 17 rights in the judicial process, including tightening parole requirements and protecting victims from the defendants. Advocates argue that crime victims deserve the right to legal standing and knowledge over the defendant’s whereabouts during the legal process, while critics — including the ACLU — say Marsy’s Law undermines due process and puts a strain on court systems. Illinois, Ohio, and the Dakotas enacted similar laws in the past few years; now the measure has passed in Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Nevada, North Carolina, and Oklahoma.
Alabama and West Virginia voters passed measures that cease to recognize and protect a woman’s right to have an abortion, while Oregonians rejected a measure to ban public funding for the procedure. But unless the Supreme Court overrules Roe v. Wade, the restrictions protecting the sanctity of life remain symbolic, since they’re not decided at the state level.
Florida passed the historic Amendment 4, which will allow up to 1.4 million ex-felons to regain their voting rights. Maryland, Nevada, and Michigan are hoping to enact laws that allow same-day voter registration, automatic voter registration, or both, while Arkansas and North Carolina wish for voter restrictions by issuing changes on voter ID laws.
Arkansas and Missouri both voted to increase the minimum wage, which will give raises to a combined total of 900,000 workers in the two states. And several states voted on whether to expand the legalization of marijuana: Michigan fully legalized marijuana, while Utah and Missouri voted to legalize medical marijuana, and North Dakota rejected a measure to legalize marijuana.
More results below.
Medicaid expansion
Idaho
Proposition 2: An “affirmative” vote expands Medicaid eligibility to those under 65 years old, whose income is equal to or below 133 percent of the federal poverty line.
Affirmative | 364,861 | 61% |
No | 237,276 | 39% |
Montana
Initiative 185: An “affirmative” vote expands Medicaid eligibility and raises taxes on tobacco products.
No | 258,714 | 53% | |
Affirmative | 230,167 | 47% |
Nebraska
Initiative 427: An “affirmative” vote expands Medicaid eligibility to those under 65 years old, whose income is equal to or below 138 percent of the federal poverty line.
Affirmative | 384,983 | 53% | |
No | 336,106 | 47% |
Utah
Proposition 3: An “affirmative” vote expands Medicaid eligibility to those under 65 years old, whose income is equal to or below 138 percent of the federal poverty line.
Affirmative | 540,402 | 53% | |
No | 477,218 | 47% |
Criminal Justice
Florida
Amendment 6: An “affirmative” vote supports adding specific rights for victims, together known as a Marsy’s Law, to the Florida Constitution.
Affirmative | 4,454,479 | 61% | |
No | 2,801,959 | 39% |
Georgia
Amendment 4: An “affirmative” vote supports adding specific rights for victims, together known as a Marsy’s Law, to the Georgia Constitution.
Affirmative | 3,068,357 | 81% | |
No | 723,223 | 19% |
Kentucky
Marsy’s Law Crime Victim Rights Amendment: An “affirmative” vote supports adding specific rights for victims, together known as a Marsy’s Law, to the Kentucky Constitution.
Affirmative | 868,932 | 63% | |
No | 514,440 | 37% |
Louisiana
Amendment 1: An “affirmative” vote supports prohibiting convicted felons, unless pardoned, from seeking or holding public office until five years after they complete their sentences.
Affirmative | 1,090,464 | 75% | |
No | 370,050 | 25% |
Nevada
Question 1: An “affirmative” vote supports adding specific rights for victims, together known as a Marsy’s Law, to the Nevada Constitution.
Affirmative | 560,371 | 61% |
No | 356,216 | 39% |
North Carolina
Marsy’s Law Crime Victim Rights Amendment: An “affirmative” vote supports amending a section on the North Carolina Constitution that addresses the rights of crime victims by adding a version of a Marsy’s Law.
Affirmative | — | |
No | — |
Ohio
Issue 1: An “affirmative” vote supports a criminal reform package that includes reducing offenses related to drug possession and use to misdemeanors, creating a sentence credits program for inmates, and requiring the state to spend savings from inmate reduction on crime victim and rehabilitation programs.
No | 2,711,965 | 63% | |
Affirmative | 1,563,230 | 37% |
Oklahoma
State Question 794: An “affirmative” vote supports adding specific rights for victims, together known as a Marsy’s Law, to the Oklahoma Constitution.
Affirmative | 904,308 | 78% | |
No | 254,966 | 22% |
Oregon
Measure 105: An “affirmative” vote supports repealing Oregon’s sanctuary state law, thus allowing local law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration officers.
No | 1,005,407 | 63% | |
Affirmative | 593,143 | 37% |
Washington
Initiative 940: An “affirmative” vote supports creating a good-faith test to determine when the use of deadly force by police is justifiable, and requiring officers to be trained on de-escalation, mental health, and first aid treatment.
Affirmative | 1,669,109 | 60% | |
No | 1,133,010 | 40% |
Voting Rights
Arkansas
Issue 2: An “affirmative” vote supports requiring individuals to present valid photo ID to cast in-person and absentee ballots.
Affirmative | 692,266 | 79% | |
No | 178,845 | 21% |
Colorado
Amendment Y: An “affirmative” vote supports redrawing maps for Colorado’s congressional districts.
Affirmative | 1,705,827 | 71% | |
No | 684,025 | 29% |
Amendment Z: An “affirmative” vote supports redrawing maps for Colorado’s state House of Representatives and state Senate districts.
Affirmative | 1,682,472 | 71% | |
No | 684,870 | 29% |
Florida
Amendment 4: An “affirmative” vote supports automatically restoring the right to vote for people with prior felony convictions, except those convicted of murder or a felony sexual offense.
Affirmative | 4,770,215 | 65% | |
No | 2,603,372 | 35% |
Maryland
Question 2: An “affirmative” vote supports allowing same-day voter registration on future elections.
Affirmative | 1,363,400 | 67% | |
No | 669,174 | 33% |
Michigan
Proposal 2: An “affirmative” vote supports re-drawing the state’s congressional and legislative districts.
Affirmative | 2,514,890 | 61% | |
No | 1,589,839 | 39% |
Proposal 3: An “affirmative” vote supports adding straight-ticket voting, automatic voter registration, same-day voter registration, and no-excuse absentee voting to the Michigan Constitution.
Affirmative | 2,770,011 | 67% | |
No | 1,371,043 | 33% |
Nevada
Question 5: An “affirmative” vote supports automatic voter registration on future Nevada elections.
Affirmative | 550,826 | 60% |
No | 371,040 | 40% |
North Carolina
Voter ID Amendment: An “affirmative” vote supports adding to the North Carolina Constitution that voters must present a photo ID to vote in person at elections.
Affirmative | — | |
No | — |
North Dakota
Measure 2: An “affirmative” vote supports clarifying that only US citizens can vote in federal, state, and local elections in North Dakota.
Affirmative | — | |
No | — |
Abortion
Alabama
Amendment 2: An “affirmative” vote supports recognizing and supporting the sanctity of unborn life and the rights of unborn children.
Affirmative | 892,391 | 59% |
No | 626,786 | 41% |
Oregon
Ballot Measure 106: An “affirmative” vote supports prohibiting public funds from being spent on abortions, except when medically necessary or required by federal law.
No | 1,005,407 | 63% | |
Affirmative | 593,143 | 37% |
West Virginia
Amendment 1: An “affirmative” vote supports that nothing in the West Virginia Constitution secures or protects a right to abortion, or requires funding for the procedure.
Affirmative | 298,113 | 52% | |
No | 278,387 | 48% |
Marijuana Legalization
Michigan
Proposal 1: An “affirmative” vote supports legalizing the recreational use and possession of marijuana for people 21 years and over.
Affirmative | 2,365,310 | 56% | |
No | 1,854,624 | 44% |
Missouri
Amendment 2: An “affirmative” vote supports legalizing the medical use of marijuana and taxing its sales at 4 percent.
Affirmative | 1,572,592 | 66% | |
No | 826,777 | 34% |
Amendment 3: An “affirmative” vote supports legalizing the medical use of marijuana and taxing its sales at 15 percent.
No | 1,631,228 | 69% | |
Affirmative | 747,977 | 31% |
Proposition C: An “affirmative” vote supports legalizing the medical use of marijuana and taxing its sales at 2 percent.
No | 1,339,299 | 56% | |
Affirmative | 1,031,371 | 44% |
North Dakota
Measure 3: An “affirmative” vote supports legalizing the recreational use and possession of marijuana for people 21 years and over, as well as automatically expunging individuals previously convicted for possession.
Affirmative | — | |
No | — |
Utah
Proposition 2: An “affirmative” vote supports legalizing the medical use of marijuana for individuals with qualifying medical illnesses.
Affirmative | 543,559 | 52% | |
No | 496,893 | 48% |
Gun Control
Washington
Initiative 1639: An “affirmative” vote supports implementing restrictions on the purchase and ownership of firearms, including raising the minimum age to purchase a gun to 21.
Affirmative | 1,689,094 | 60% | |
No | 1,131,895 | 40% |
LGBTQ Rights
Massachusetts
Question 3: An “affirmative” vote supports prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity in public places (such as hotels, restaurants, and stores).
Affirmative | 1,367,461 | 69% | |
No | 624,382 | 31% |
Minimum Wage
Arkansas
Issue 5: An “affirmative” vote supports increasing the minimum wage to $11 per hour by 2021.
Affirmative | 605,480 | 68% | |
No | 280,657 | 32% |
Missouri
Proposition B: An “affirmative” vote supports increasing the minimum wage to $12 per hour by 2023.
Affirmative | 1,488,368 | 62% | |
No | 901,808 | 38% |