While most Americans were glued to the results of the presidential election on Tuesday night, dozens of states asked voters to make crucial decisions on a litany of issues, including same sex marriage, marijuana, immigration and health care.
Latinos Post rounds up the results of these and several other ballot measures.
Same-sex Marriage:
In Maine, residents voted to repeal a statewide same-sex marriage ban, allowing same-sex couples to marry in the state, 53.2 percent to 46.8 percent. In Maryland, voters also decided to approve same-sex marriage, 52 percent to 48 percent. The two states became the first states to approve of same-sex marriage by popular vote, the Associated Press reported. Maine and Maryland become the seventh and eighth states to fully legalize same-sex marriage.
In Minnesota, voters denied a same-sex marriage ban, 51.3 percent to 47.6 percent, according to Politico. According to the AP, similar bans have been approved in 30 other states, including North Carolina.
The state of Washington also voted on legalizing same-sex marriage, although full results are not yet available. With 51.3 percent reporting done, Politico stated that 51.8 percent of Washington residents have voted to legalize same-sex marriage and 48.2 percent have voted not to legalize it.
Marijuana:
Marijuana was also a big ballot measure during Tuesday's election. In Arkansas, residents voted not to allow the use of medical marijuana, 51.4 percent to 48.6 percent. Over in Oregon, voters decided to deny the "commercial cultivation and sale of marijuana to adults through state-licensed stores," reported Politico, 54.8 percent to 45.2 percent.
However, proponents of marijuana use were victorious in Colorado, where voters passed a measure that legalized marijuana possession for people ages 21 and older, 54.8 percent to 45.2 percent. In Massachusetts, voters also passed a measure that would eliminate criminal and civil penalties for the medical use of marijuana by eligible patients, 63.4 percent to 36.6 percent.
Washington voters also decided to legalize marijuana, including licensed cultivation, distribution and possession by people ages 21 and older, 55.4 percent to 44.6 percent.
In Montana, voters upheld changes made to the 2004 law that legalized medical marijuana in the state, 56.5 percent to 43.5 percent.
Immigration:
Issues revolving around immigration and undocumented immigrants also made ballots in several states. In Maryland, residents voted to allow undocumented immigrants be eligible to pay in-state tuition rate at state community colleges, 58.6 percent to 41.4 percent. In Montana, however, voters supported a measure to deny state services to undocumented immigrants by an overwhelming vote, 79.1 percent to 20.9 percent.
Health Care:
Health care ballot measures were made in at least five states, including Alabama, Florida, Missouri, Montana and Wyoming.
In Alabama, residents voted to allow mandatory health care coverage rejection, prohibiting anyone from being "forced to participate in any health care system," Politico reported, 58.9 percent to 41.1 percent. A similar measure was upheld in Montana, 66.8 percent to 33.2 percent.
Down in Florida, voters rejected a measure that "would create an amendment to the state constitution to prohibit laws from requiring a person or employer to purchase health care coverage," according to Politico, 51.5 percent to 48.5 percent. Voters in Missouri upheld a health care exchange ban, 61.8 percent to 38.2 percent.
Wyoming residents also voted on a health care amendment, which would reserve health care decision of residents, allow them to pay for any health care they choose and give the state legislature authority to regulate health care. A total 77 percent voted yes and 23 percent voted no.
Other Notable Measures:
Other notable ballot measures that were in play in several states included the death penalty, doctor-assisted suicide, abortion, voter ID, an affirmative-action ban and others.
In California, voters denied a death penalty repeal, 52.8 percent to 47.2 percent, keeping the death penalty in that state in place.
Massachusetts voters were asked to vote on doctor-assisted suicide, ultimately denying doctors the right to prescribe medication to terminally ill patients to end their lives, 51 percent to 49 percent. In another medical ballot measure, Montana voters overwhelmingly supported a measure that requires physicians notify parents of girls under the age of 16 at least 48 hours before performing an abortion, 70.2 percent to 29.8 percent.
The controversial issue of voter ID was decided on in Minnesota, with 52.2 percent of voters rejecting the motion that would require voters to show valid photo ID, compared to 46.4 percent that approved.
And in Oklahoma, voters voted in favor of an affirmative-action ban that would prohibit the use of Affirmative Action in public employment, education and contracting sectors, save for a few exceptions, 58.2 percent to 40.8 percent.
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