Election 2016 Results: Ballot Questions on Minimum Wage, Gun Control, Health Care and More

While Donald Trump's shocking win of the presidential race absorbs most of the media's attention, many states in 2016 voted on consequential ballot initiatives that may have a major impact their residents' lives.

California, Arizona, Colorado, Maine, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nevada and Missouri all had major laws on the ballot this year, and voters made the most simple decision possible: yea or nay. Some states, like California, made it much easier than others to put a question on the ballot.

On the minimum wage, voters in four states came out in favor of gradual raises over the next few years. South Dakota, the only state to have a ballot measure proposing to lower the minimum wage by a dollar, rejected its referendum.

Gun control initiatives in California, Nevada and Washington all passed. Maine's Question 3, however, which would have restricted transfers of firearm ownership, has not been called at press time but looks to be on the verge of failing.

The boldest initiative in the country, which would have enacted single-payer healthcare in Colorado, failed decisively at the ballot box.

And out of five states that proposed raising taxes on tobacco products, only California's measure passed.

Here's a more detailed break down of the results:

Minimum wage

Since the "Fight for 15" movement has raised the profile of the battles over the national minimum wage, many states have taken the issue into their own hands.

• Arizona — Proposition 206 advances legislation raising the state minimum wage to $12/hr by 2020 and guaranteeing paid sick time off from a job.
  • "Yes" is won by 59 percent to 41 percent.
• Colorado — Amendment 20 would raise the state minimum wage to $12/hr by 2020.
  • "Yes" won by around 55 percent to 45 percent.
• Maine – Question 4 proposes raising the state minimum wage to $12/hr by 2020, and subsequently keeping the rate tied to the consumer price index of inflation.
  • "Yes" won by about 55 percent to 45 percent.
• South Dakota — Referred Law 20 proposes lowering the minimum wage from $8.50/hr to $7.50/hr for anyone under the age of 18.
  • "No" won 71 percent to 29 percent.
• Washington — Initiative 1433 proposes raising the state minimum wage to $13.50/hr by 2020 and guaranteeing paid sick time off from a job.
  • "Yes" won by around 60 percent to 40 percent.

Gun control

After many highly publicized shootings in the last few years, gun control advocates are working to restrict access to firearms in a variety of ways.

• California — Proposition 63 is a ban on high-capacity magazines and creates a court procedure to restrict prohibited individuals from procuring firearms.
  • "Yes" won by about 67 percent to 33 percent.
• Nevada — Question 1 proposes limiting all transfers of gun ownership to licensed gun dealers, with temporary exchanges and transfers between family members exempted.
  • "Yes" won in a very tight contest, up only about 10,000 votes, split almost 50 percent to 50 percent.
• Washington — Initiative 1491 proposes allowing judges to issue orders banning particular individuals from accessing guns.
  • "Yes" won by about 71 percent to 29 percent.
• Maine — Question 3 proposes limiting all transfers of gun ownership to licensed gun dealers, with transfers between family members, and certain other exchanges, exempted.
  • "No" won with 52 percent of the vote to 48 percent.

Health care

Even after the passage of President Obama's Affordable Care Act, health care legislation still varies wildly state by state.

• California — Proposition 52 would require the voters to approve any change to the dedicated use of particular fees from hospital that receive funding from government programs; currently, this only requires a majority vote in the legislature. Under Proposition 52, lawmakers would need two-thirds support to end the program.
  • "Yes" won by about 70 percent to 30 percent.
• California — Proposition 61 would require state agencies to pay the same rate (or lower) for prescription drugs than that paid by the veterans' health plan.
  • "No" won by 54 percent to 46 percent.
• Nevada — Question 4 proposes exempting medical equipment from sales and use taxes, as long as they've been prescribed by a medical professional.
  • "Yes" won 72 percent to 28 percent.
• Colorado — Amendment 69, if approved by voters, would create ColoradoCare, a single-payer health insurance system in the state. It would levy a 10 percent payroll tax, paid from by employers and employees at a ratio of 1:2, raising approximately $25 billion a year.
  • "No" won by 80 percent to 20 percent.

Tobacco tax hikes

As tobacco continues to fall out of social favor, several states have moved to raise taxes on cigarettes and related products.