Another Election Day is behind us. When November takes place, it is not only about which party gains control of Congress or whether there are more governors of one party versus another. I relish the state and local ballots to see what issues matter to the people. It comes with a wide variety of topics and multiple implications for peoples' lives. In 2020, I wrote a hodgepodge of analysis on state ballot initiatives that covered such topics as taxes, the gig economy, marijuana, and minimum wage. Instead of looking at many of these prior to Election Day, I decided to do this year's ballot hodgepodge after the elections so I can reflect on some of the decisions voters made across the United States. Below are some of the notable results. For additional information on the given ballots, you can go to Ballotpedia for excellent coverage.
Recreational Marijuana Legalization: It should be no surprise that I am for marijuana legalization. That is why last Tuesday was a mixed bag in this category. There were two states that voted in favor of legalizing marijuana in their states: Maryland and Missouri. This brings the count of states that have legalized recreational marijuana to 21 states plus the District of Columbia. The downside of the ballot results is that three states rejected legalizing recreational marijuana: Arkansas, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Even so, I remain optimistic that the United States is heading toward the path of legalizing it across the nation so we do not have to have this debate anymore.
Decriminalizing Psychedelics: Oregon was the first state to legalize psychedelics. This past Tuesday, drug legalization had another victory. The state of Colorado voted to decriminalize psychedelics. You can read my 2019 piece on why psychedelics should be legalized.
Millionaire Taxes: California proposed enacting a 1.75% individual income tax on those making over $2 million. This tax revenue would have gone towards providing incentives towards purchasing electric cars, charging infrastructure, and wildlife prevention. Thankfully, California rejected Proposition 30. Given that California ranks 46th on state-local tax burden (Tax Foundation), I'm both surprised and relieved. I wish I could say the same for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Bay State voted to create an additional 4 percent income tax on those making over $1 million. This 4 percent is on top of the 5 percent in state income tax they already pay. As I pointed out in my analysis on Massachusetts' millionaire tax, this is going to have considerable and negative impact on the Bay State's economy.
Flavored Cigarette Ban: California passed a ballot initiative (Proposition 31) to uphold its ban on flavored cigarettes, which includes menthol cigarettes. In June, I compiled a list of eight reasons as to why we should not have menthol cigarette bans, which included economic, public health, and criminal justice explanations.
Sports Betting: Another reason to be irritated with California voters. California proposed two initiatives on the topic: one to allow for sports betting on Native American lands (Proposition 26) and one to legalize online sports betting with platforms that have agreements with Native Americans (Proposition 27). Both propositions got shot down by the California populace. Setting aside how this affects the Native American population and an ability to make greater revenue off an activity for which there is clear demand, I made an argument a couple of years ago in favor of sports betting.
Minimum Wage: Nevada will set its minimum wage to $12/hour by July 2024. Nebraska is set to raise its minimum wage to $15/hour by 2026. I have written on the topic of minimum wage multiple times, and I am unhappy with these outcomes to say the least.
Data Privacy and Due Process: Through Measure C-48, Montana amended its constitution to include electronic data and communication in search and seizure protection. Montana joins Michigan and Missouri as the only states with explicit protections in their state constitutions. As far as I am concerned, this is a victory for due process.
Abortion: Three states voted to enshrine abortion rights in their state constitutions: California, Michigan, and Vermont. Kentucky rejected enshrining the illegality of abortion in their constitution, although it is de facto illegal in Kentucky. Montana rejected a law that would require medical care to infants born alive, which would have included those born in botched abortions. If we look at abortions strictly from ballot initiatives (without factoring in pro-life governors that won their elections), then it looks like a good night for those claiming abortion to be a right. I am a pro-life libertarian, which puts me in an atypical position for a libertarian. I also view Roe v. Wade as shoddy constitutional law, which means that states navigating the topic at least removes the legal and constitutional concerns I previously had.
Ranked Choice Voting: As of June 2022, only Alaska and Maine have had ranked choice voting on federal or state-level voting. Nevada has become the third state to do so. I understand the appeal of having more options and to have your vote more accurately reflect your preferences. I also understand how this could make counting ballots more complicated. I would need to look further into this topic before having a more defined opinion.
Enslavement and Indentured Servitude: I am working on a separate piece for this particular topic. Since that analysis is pending, I do not want to say too much at this time. However, there were five states that were looking to modify their state amendments to not allow for forced prison labor. Four of the states succeeded: Alabama, Oregon, Tennessee, and Vermont. The fact that there are fewer places where slavery or indentured servitude is a punishment for a crime is a win for civil liberties.
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