From pot to the death penalty: Here are the issues America will be voting on - Action News
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From pot to the death penalty: Here are the issues America will be voting on

Americans are casting votes tomorrow for president, but theres more at stake than who sits in the Oval Office. Here's a look at some of the other issues on state ballots.

Legalization of marijuana, for medical or recreational use, on the ballot in 9 states

Voters in nine states will decide whether to legalize marijuana. (Jack Guez/AFP/Getty Images)

Americans are casting votes tomorrow for president, but there are a number of other issues they'll vote on.

On top of many congressional races, some states are also deciding onissues likethe death penalty and the minimum wage. And voters in nine states will make decisions on marijuana.

Here's a look at some of theother issues on state ballots:

Alabama

Alabama voters must decide on 14 statewide constitutional amendments affecting everything from funding for state parks and the age of public officeholders to beer. Yes, beer. The Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board wants to require brewers to report the name, address, age and phone number from anyone who purchases beer at one of the state's craft breweries for off-premises consumption.

Arizona

Joe Arpaio is seeking re-election as sheriff of the Phoenix metropolitan area. (Jason Burles/CBC)

Marijuana is on the ballot; voters could legalize the drug for recreational use by adults. Minimum wage could rise to $12 an hour by 2020 under a separate ballot measure. Metro Phoenix Sheriff Joe Arpaio, the self-proclaimed toughest sheriff in America, is fighting for his job after a criminal indictment stemming from his immigration patrols.

Arkansas

Arkansas could become the first Southern state to legalize medical marijuana, although a similar proposal lost by less than 30,000 votes a year ago, out of 1.3 million votes cast.

California

The statewide ballot has a whopping 17 propositions, the most on a single ballot since March 2000. There's a measure to legalize recreational marijuana and one requiring porn actors to wear condoms. Voters will weigh in twice on the death penalty: one measure would repeal capital punishment while another seeks to speed up the process.

Colorado

The chief ballot questions would allow medical aid in dying and create a universal health care system within the state.

District of Columbia

Voters in the U.S. capital will decide whether they want their city to become the nation's 51st state. The referendum backed by Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser is expected to pass easily. (Manuel Balce Ceneta/Associated Press)

Voters in the nation's capital will decide whether they want their city to become the 51st state. The measure, backed by Mayor Muriel Bowser, should pass easily, but that's probably as far as it goes. Congress would need to approve any such change and Republicans are unlikely to go along with it. With registered Democrats outnumbering Republicans by 12-1 in the city, statehood would tip the balance in the U.S. Senate with two more Democrats.

Florida

Floridians will cast ballots on whether to legalizemedical marijuana.

Georgia

Georgia voters will decide on a constitutional amendment allowing the state to take over low-performing schools.

Maine

Mainers will decide whether to make marijuana for recreational or medical use legal for everyone over age 21. Another initiative would require background checks before the sale or transfer of firearms between people who aren't licensed dealers. And another ballot initiativewould boost the hourly minimum wage from $7.50 to $12 by 2020.

Maryland

Sheila Dixon is running to be the mayor of Baltimore. She previously held the job from 2007 to 2010. (Karl Merton Ferron/The Baltimore Sun/Associated Press)

Baltimore will choose a new mayor. Stephanie Rawlings-Blakeis not seeking re-election after holding the position for the past five years. There are nine people running for job, includingCatherine Pugh, a Democratic state senator, and Sheila Dixon, who was the city's mayor from 2007 to 2010.

Massachusetts

Massachusetts voters will vote on marijuana legalization, as well as a proposed expansion of charter schools.

Montana

Pot is on the ballot, with a measure that would loosen many of the restrictions imposed on the state's medical marijuana program with a 2011 state law that limited marijuana providers to three patients each.

Nebraska

Nebraska voters have the opportunity to reinstate the death penalty and reverse last year's decision by the state legislature. The citizen-led ballot measure has triggered millions in campaign spending.

Nevada

Nevada voters will decide whether to legalize recreational marijuana, which would open up the possibility of pot shops near the famous Las Vegas strip. (Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Recreational marijuana is on the ballot, raising the possibility of pot shops springing up near the Las Vegas Strip.

North Dakota

Voters will have five ballot measures to consider. Among the most-watched will be a measure that would make it legal to possess up to threeounces (85 grams) of marijuana for medical purposes. Voters are also being asked whether to raise the state's cigarette tax if they vote yes, smokers would see a 400 per cent increase, from 44 cents to $2.20 a pack. They are also voting on whether victims of crime should have constitutional rights, such as being notified about the release of an attacker.

Oklahoma

Executions remain on hold in Oklahoma after mistakes in two recent lethal injections. (Pat Sullivan/Associated Press)

Oklahoma voters will be watching a ballot issue that targets the state's chronically low teacher salaries. They will also decide whether toenshrine the death penalty in the state constitution, even as executions remain on hold after mistakes in two recent lethal injections.

Rhode Island

Voters in Rhode Island, a state that has seen its share of political corruption, will decide whether to expand the authority of the state's ethics commission. They'll also be asked whether to allow a new casino.

South Dakota

The state has 10 ballot questions on topics ranging from public campaign funding to payday loan interest rates. Voters are also being asked to lower the state's minimum wage for workers under the age of 18 from $8.55 to $7.50 an hour.

Washington

Six initiatives are on the statewide ballot, including raising the minimum wage to $13.50 an hour by 2020 and imposing a carbon emission tax on certain fossil fuels.

Wyoming

Wyoming voterswill decide whether to allow the state to invest potentially billions more in the stock market, changing a state law that limits investments.

Follow the U.S. election on Tuesday, Nov. 8, with CBC News

CBC online:Our day starts first thing in the morning atCBCNews.cawith news and analysis. Then as polls close, we'll have live results and insights into the conversations happening on the ground and online. We'll cover the story from a Canadian perspective until a new U.S. president is declared.

CBC Television:America Votes, the CBC News election special with PeterMansbridge, starts at 8 p.m. ET on News Network and at 9 p.m. ET onCBC-TV. You can also watch our election special through the CBC News app on bothAppleTVand Android TV, and on the CBC NewsYouTubechannel.

CBC Radio One:Our election special hosted by SusanBonnerand MichaelEnrightstarts at 8 p.m. ET.

With files from CBC News