Measure by measure: voters gave an enthusiastic thumbs-up to many ballot measures, from marijuana legalization to minimum wage hikes.

• Author: Underhill, Wendy
• Position: ELECTION

The voters said yes.

Yes, that is, to increasing the minimum wage, legalizing marijuana, helping veterans, protecting the environment and passing bonds.

In Alaska, Arkansas, Nebraska and South Dakota, citizens petitioned to have minimum wage hikes go before the voters, and in all four states, the measures passed handily. It could be that voters really were voting their pocketbooks--and lawmakers are taking note. Voters said yes to marijuana measures as well. Alaska, Oregon and the District of Columbia all approved legalizing marijuana for adult use. The measures in Alaska and Oregon were similar to Colorado's and Washington's, the two states that led the way in 2012 to recreational marijuana. D.C.'s measure is a bit different--it decriminalizes the possession of a small amount of pot or a few marijuana plants. Guam voters had their very first referendum of any kind this year, and they said yes to medical marijuana, now legal in 23 states. Although a majority of voters in Florida said yes to medical marijuana, the measure failed. That's because in the Sunshine State it takes 60 percent to pass a constitutional amendment, but only 57.6 percent of the voters said yes.

Even conservation was popular at the polls. Alaska, Florida, Louisiana, Maine, New Jersey and Rhode Island all approved new measures to preserve wildlife or land, or to fund such programs. North Dakota was the holdout on this issue, turning down a proposal to use 5 percent of its mineral extraction tax for efforts to preserve clean water, wildlife and parks.

Bond Measures Pass

Staying with the thumbs-up theme, voters said yes to all statewide bond measures, no matter how big and no matter how small. California's long-awaited $7.12 billion package to deal with infrastructure for a sufficient (and clean) water supply was by far the biggest. It passed with 67.7 percent of the vote--perhaps not a huge surprise in a state where residents sometimes worry where their next shower is coming from, thanks to a long-lasting drought.

The smallest bond measure? Voters approved $3 million for biomedical research in Maine.

Illinoisans said yes to a trio of nonbinding advisory measures that served more as popularity polls than as policy decisions. They addressed three hot-button issues: whether health insurance should cover birth control, whether millionaires should be taxed extra to fund education, and whether the legislature should increase the minimum wage. Yes, yes and yes, the voters...