The results are (mostly) in regarding ballot initiatives from across the country: Colorado won’t fund a statewide UFO commission. Californians still can’t smoke pot legally unless they’ve been diagnosed with anxiety or early-onset balding or gas. Arizona can’t use affirmative action to hire for government jobs. Rhode Island will stay Rhode Island. Here are some of the more notable ballot initiatives and how they fared.
Losers
– “The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations” will remain exactly that despite a campaign arguing that the name conjures up images of slavery.
– Perhaps due to an already tight state budget, 85% of Denver residents voted against the creation of an extraterrestrial affairs commission, despite the initiative’s claim that the board wouldn’t need a budget. The commission would have investigated UFO sightings across the state. The measure might have fared better if the initiative had promised counseling for people who spot UFOs.
– Marijuana initiatives in four states failed. Medical marijuana initiatives in South Dakota and Oregon failed by double digits, as did a legalization measure in California. An initiative to regulate medical marijuana in New Mexico failed by roughly one percentage point.
– An initiative to increase the state income tax on earners in the top 1% was rejected by roughly 65% of Washington residents.
Winners
– Voters in Oklahoma and Arizona voted to opt out of Obamacare’s insurance mandate. The initiatives won by more than 60% in both states, while a similar amendment in Colorado was trailing as of this writing.
– In Massachusetts, voters repealed a year-old sales tax on alcohol, but failed to cut the actual sales tax or repeal a state mandate on subsidized housing.
– Ballot initiatives in New York and Oklahoma passed that improve ballot access.
– Puppy mill opponents in Missouri passed a ballot initiative requiring “large-scale dog breeding operations” to provide exercise, food, clean water, rest, and recreation for the animals in their care.
– Arizona residents voted to do away with affirmative action at the government level. This includes in state universities and colleges.
– In Florida and California, residents voted to de-politicize the redistricting process.