Today is one of those days that will go down in the history books. Forget about the candidates who are running for office. Forget about the fact that there is a great deal riding on whether the House and the Senate will be controlled by the Democrats or the Republicans. But this mid-term election is about more than Governor, Senate and House races, but about the multitude of hot-button topics and measures that will be voted on from illegal immigration to affirmative action to abortion to gay marriage.
There are a total of 205 measures being voted on 37 different state ballots. There are tens of millions of dollars being spent by different sides of every argument. One of the biggest hot-button issues is being decided in the state of South Dakota where voters will decide whether to ban all abortions except in the instance where it is needed to save a pregnant woman’s life.
Lawmakers in South Dakota are hoping the ban will hold up so that it can be challenged in court and eventually be taken to the U.S. Supreme Court where Roe V. Wade legalized abortion in 1973. These and other battles are spilling over onto the candidates and are likely to draw people to the polls that wouldn’t vote otherwise. There are boosts for the state minimum wage on the ballots in Arizona, Missouri, Colorado, Montana, Ohio and Nevada.
In Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin will be voting on banning gay-marriage amendments on their ballots. The ruling of the New Jersey Supreme Court last month may provide a backlash that conservatives are hoping for or the inspiration that liberals want.
Smoking, stem cell research and more are also on the battlefield in states such as Missouri where candidates are diametrically opposed on a state constitutional amendment that would allow stem cell research. Just look at the controversy stirred up by Michael J. Fox endorsing the amendment while sports star Jeff Suppan is opposing it.
There are new taxes for oil companies in California if they are drilling there. There are new taxes being voted on boost the average price of a pack of cigarettes to $6.55. There are votes in Colorado and Nevada to legalize the possession of marijuana by anyone over the age of 21 up to one ounce. In Rhode Island, voters will decide whether felons on probation and parole can have the right to vote restored to them. In Michigan, affirmative action is on the table and measures to prevent employment, admission and other allowances that affirmative action permits to be taken away and only allow admission and hiring to be based on merit rather than race or gender.
There is also another measure that is being voted on in 11 states that would prevent the government from taking private property away from homeowners to be used for government right of ways such as highways and more. States such as Arizona, Idaho, Washington and California are voting to make sure that local and state authorities have to compensate the property owners if land use lowers the value of their properties.
South Dakota in another bold and controversial vote is looking to strip immunity from judges, which would expose them to the possibility of fines, lawsuits and even jail. Arizona is also voting on whether to make English the official language of the state and another that will deny bail to any illegal immigrant charged with a felony.
If that’s not enough to get your blood pumping, there’s another measure in Arizona that will choose a voter by random to receive a $1 million for voting in the general election.
With so many issues on the table, with so many major decisions to be made – every vote counts. I voted an hour ago. Are you going to vote today?
Related Articles:
Marriage In The News – Ripple Effect
New Jersey Supreme Court Ruling on Same Sex Marriage
Marriage Debates: Unrealistic Demand
Marriage in the News: Virginia Voting
Miscegenation is Not Against the Law
Is it news? Trailblazers Separate in Massachusetts
Is One of the First Gay Marriages Ending Already?
Religious Marriage versus Civil Marriage
Marriage In The News: Jilted Bride Makes Lemonade from Lemons
Marriage in the News: Forbes Far From Funny
Marriage in the News: Divorce = Jail Time? When $2.5 Million is Involved, Apparently So