It's not all about the president! On Tuesday night, Americans voted on 120 different statewide ballot measures. In addition to several states approving the decriminalization of marijuana and other drugs, here are some of the other biggest moments of the night.
The Mississippi state flag
Voters in Mississippi approved a new flag, featuring a white magnolia flower and the words "In God We Trust." The design replaces the state's old flag, which featured the Confederate Battle Cross. In 2001, Mississippians had voted to keep the Confederate symbol on their flag by an overwhelming 64 percent; as of Tuesday night, the new design appeared to have gotten 68 percent of the vote, NBC News reports.
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Uber, Lyft celebrate victory in California
California voters sided with tech companies in exempting gig economy workers from a state labor law that would have required companies like Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash to provide basic benefits and minimum wage pay. Proposition 22 was the most expensive ballot measure campaign in California's history, with tech companies spending over $200 million in the fight to keep treating their workers as contractors, rather than employees. It was an investment that almost immediately paid off.
Colorado rejects 22-week abortion ban
As of Tuesday night, over 59 percent of Colorado voters had rejected a measure that would have banned later-term abortions in the state. "For the fourth time in 12 years, Coloradans have rejected attempts to ban abortion at the ballot, trusting patients and families to make the personal medical decisions that are right for them, without interference from politicians," said Lucy Olena, a campaign organizer against the ban, in a statement.
Other notable ballot measure results include: Colorado passing a historic 12-week paid leave program; Florida passing a $15 minimum wage increase; Alaska and Massachusetts rejecting ranked-choice voting; and Oklahoma rejecting a constitutional amendment to prevent prosecutors and judges from using previous nonviolent felony convictions to enhance the sentences for nonviolent crimes. Read more about ballot measures — and click through the "races to watch" links to see the results — here at The Week.
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