Americans voted to decide the fate of dozens of noteworthy ballot measures, from legalizing marijuana to taxing the rich.
In 37 states, people mulled in on familiar issues, including gambling, guns, and immigration. The 130 measures voted on Tuesday also included minimum-wage hikes and addressing constitutional language on slavery report The Wallstreet Journal.
Maryland and Missouri voters approved recreational marijuana use for those 21 and older. According to the Associated Press, Arkansas, South Dakota, and North Dakota refused similar recommendations . A Colorado effort seeking to legalize some plant-based hallucinogens was still too close to call on Wednesday.
Maryland and Missouri voters came out in favor of recreational marijuana use.
Voters in four states—Alabama, Tennessee, Oregon, and Vermont—opted to remove language in their state constitutions that allowed slavery as a form of criminal punishment (a loophole used to justify unpaid or underpaid prison labor). In Louisiana, the reverse happened, with most voters rejecting a similar proposal.
If you're watching Match of the Day tonight, keep an eye out for how many times you see a gambling advert or the word 'Bet'.
Then image what's it like to be someone in recovery from gambling addiction, someone trying to stop or a parent who'd lost a child to gambling suicide. pic.twitter.com/S5XeIX6oxK
— The Big Step (@the_bigstep) November 12, 2022
The most expensive ballot measure—a California initiative that would legalize online sports betting in one of the country’s most notable potential markets—was rejected by more than 80% of voters in the latest tally, according to the Associated Press.
The confrontational 2020 presidential election made an eternal impact on the way Americans vote. Here’s a look at what’s different for the midterms—from new voting ordinances and methods to poll watchers and voter turnouts—and what sparked these changes.
“We don’t want online gambling,” said Nestor Gonzalez, who cast his ballot at the Boyle Heights Senior Center in Los Angeles and said he was concerned about underage betting. “We already have our kids on our iPads and stuff as it is.”
Gambling companies DraftKings Inc. and FanDuel Group poured around $160 million into the measure, Proposition 27, but met vigorous opposition from California’s gaming tribes, which spent $220 million opposing it.