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Tuesday, February 9, 2010

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ISSUES ON THE BALLOT IN 2008

Abortion

In California a measure would require doctors to notify a parent before an abortion on a minor.
In Colorado a measure would define a “person” to include “any human being from the moment of fertilization.”
In South Dakota a measure would ban abortions with exceptions for rape, incest and the mother’s health.

Affirmative action

Colorado a measure would end race and gender preferences in college admissions and government hiring.
In Nebraska a measure would end race and gender preferences in college admissions and government hiring.

Elections

In California a measure would allow a commission to redraw leigislative districts rather than the Legislature.
In Colorado a measure would lower the age to run for the General Assembly to 21.
In Hawaii a measure would lower the age to run for governor and lieutenant governeror to 25.
In South Dakota a measure would eliminate term limits.

Energy

In California a measure would require all utilites in the state to generate 20% of their electricity from renwable sources by 2010.
In Missouri a measure would require 15% of the state's electricity come from clean sources by 2021.

Gambling

In Arkansas a measure would create a state-run lottery.
In Colorado a measure would expand casino gambling.
In Maryland a measure would legalize slots.
In Ohio a measure would allow the state's first casino.

Health care

Arizona a measure would prohibit the state from mandating coverage.
In California a measure would generate nearly $1 billion in bonds for children's hospitals.
In Montana a measure would extend coverage to more children.

Immigration

In Arizona a measure would amend a law that cracks down on businesses that knowingly hire undocumented workers.
In Missouri a measure would make English the official language.
In Oregon a measure would prohibit teaching in languages other than English.

Marijuana

In California a measure would decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana.
In Massachusetts a measure would decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana.
In Michigan a measure would allow the medical use of marijuana.

Same-sex marriage

In Arizona a measure would define marriage as between a man and woman.
In Arkansas a measure would limit foster parents to married couples.
In California a measure would amend the constitution to ban same-sex marriages, overturning the recent state Supreme Court ruling.
In Florida a measure would define marriage as between a man and woman

Stem-cell research

In Michigan a measure would end a 30-year-old ban on stem-cell research.

Taxes

In Colorado a measure would significantly weaken the state's taxpayers' bill of rights.
In Maine a measure would eliminate a tax on beer, wine and soda funding health care.
In Massachusetts a measure would abolish the state income tax.
In Minnesota a measure would devote a portion of the sales tax to protect wetlands.
In North Dakota a measure would lower the state income tax.

Veterans

In California a measure would provide $1 billion for recently returned veterans to help buy homes.
In Oklahoma a measure would lower personal property taxes for injured veterans.
In New York a measure would give hiring preference to veterans appyling for public sector jobs.

Stateline.org's Election Central

(Updated 2:45 a.m. EST, Nov. 5, 2008)

Throughout the night on Nov. 4, Stateline.org will be updating this page as results become available. Races listed in gray are still awaiting results.

11 governors

Delaware: Open* State Treasurer Jack Markell (D) defeats Bill Lee (R), retired judge, The Associated Press reports

Indiana: Incumbent Mitch Daniels (R) defeats former U.S. Rep. Jill Long Thompson (D), The Indianapolis Star reports.

Missouri: Open* Attorney General Jay Nixon (D) defeats U.S. Rep. Kenny Hulshof (R), AP and CNN report

Montana: Incumbent Brian Schweitzer (D) defeats state Sen. Roy Brown (R), AP reports

New Hampshire: Incumbent John Lynch (D) defeats state Sen. Joe Kenney (R), AP reports

North Carolina: Open* Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue (D) defeats Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory (R), The Charlotte Observer reports

North Dakota: Incumbent John Hoeven (R) defeats state Sen. Tim Mathern (D), AP reports

Utah: Incumbent Jon Huntsman Jr. (R) defeats Bob Springmeyer (D), management consultant and environmentalist, AP reports.

Vermont: Incumbent Jim Douglas (R) defeats state House Speaker Gaye Symington (D) and Anthony Pollina (Ind.), The Burlington Free Press reports.

West Virginia: Incumbent Joe Manchin III (D) defeats Russ Weeks (R), former state senator, The Charleston Gazette reports.

Washington: Incumbent Christine Gregoire (D) defeats Dino Rossi (R), former state senator

*Delaware Gov. Ruth Ann Minner (D) and North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley (D) are both term-limited, and Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt (R) is not running for re-election.

9 lieutenant governors**

Voters in New Hampshire and West Virginia will elect governors in 2008, but these states do not have the position of lieutenant governor.

Delaware: Open* State Insurance Commissioner Matt Denn (D) defeated state Senate Minority Leader Charlie Copland (R)

Missouri: Incumbent Peter Kinder (R) defeats state Rep. Sam Page (D)

North Carolina: Open* State Sen. Walter Dalton (D) defeated state Sen. Robert Pittenger (R)

Vermont: Incumbent Brian Dubie (R) defeats Thomas Costello (D), former state representative

Washington: Incumbent Brad Owen (D) defeats Marcia McCraw (R), attorney

*The incumbents in Delaware, John Carney (D), and North Carolina, Beverly Perdue (D), are both running for governor.
**In the following states, voters cast one ballot for both a governor and lieutenant governor who run together on the same ticket: Indiana, Montana, North Dakota, Utah.

11 attorneys general

Indiana:Open* Greg Zoeller (R), chief deputy to current attorney general defeats. Linda Pence (D), attorney

Missouri: Open* State Sen.Chris Koster (D) defeats Senate President Pro Tem Mike Gibbons (R)

Montana: Open*Steve Bullock (D), former attorney, defeats Tim Fox (R), attorney

North Carolina: Incumbent Roy Cooper (D) defeats Bob Crumley (R), attorney

Ohio: Open* State Treasurer Richard Cordray (D) defeats D. Michael Crites (R), former U.S. attorney, and Robert Owens (I), former state prosecutor, the AP reports

Oregon: Open* John Kroger (D), law professor, had no Republican opponent

Pennsylvania: Incumbent Tom Corbett (R) defeats John Morganelli (D), district attorney, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports

Utah:Incumbent Mark Shurtleff (R) defeats Jean Hill (D), attorney at the state Board of Education

Vermont: Incumbent Bill Sorrell (D) defeats Karin Kerin (R), attorney

Washington: Incumbent Rob McKenna (R) defeats John Ladenburg (D), county executive

West Virginia: Incumbent Darrell McGraw (D) defeats Dan Greear (R), former state representative

*Indiana AG Steve Carter (R) is retiring; Missouri AG Jay Nixon (D) is running for governor; Montana AG Mike McGrath (D) is running for Montana Supreme Court; Ohio AG Marc Dann (D) resigned from office; and Oregon AG Hardy Meyers (D) is retiring.

7 secretaries of state*

North Carolina: Incumbent Elaine F. Marshall (D) defeats Jack Sawyer (R), attorney

Vermont: Incumbent Deborah Markowitz (D) defeats Eugene Bifano (R), former mayor of Briarcliff Manor, N.Y.

Missouri: Incumbent Robin Carnahan (D) defeats Mitch Hubbard (R), attorney

West Virginia: Open** Natalie Tennant (D), former TV news anchor defeats Charles Minimah (R), businessman, the AP reports

Montana: Incumbent Brad Johnson (R) vs. Linda McCulloch (D), superintendent of public instruction and former state representative

Oregon: Open** State Senate Majority Leader Kate Brown (D) vs. Rick Dancer (R), former TV anchorman

Washington: Incumbent Sam Reed (R) defeats Jason Osgood (D), computer programmer

*In New Hampshire and Tennessee, the legislatures will elect new secretaries of state following this year's elections; the Utah lieutenant governor performs the duties normally associated with a secretary of state.
**Oregon SOS Bill Bradbury (D) is term-limited and West Virginia SOS Betty Ireland (R) is retiring.

Sources: State election offices, and Stateline.org reporting

25 legislative chambers in play

Arizona Senate: Republicans keep control
Arizona House: Republicans keep control

Colorado Senate: Democrats keep control
Delaware House: Republican lose control

Indiana House: Democrats keep control

Maine Senate: Democrats keep control

Michigan House: Democrats keep control

New Hampshire Senate: Democrats keep control

New Hampshire House: Democrats keep control

New York Senate: Republicans lose control

North Carolina Senate: Democrats keep control

North Dakota Senate: Republicans keep control

Oklahoma Senate: Republicans gain control of split chamber

Pennsylvania House: Democrats keep control

South Dakota Senate: Republicans keep control

Tennessee Senate: Republicans gain control of split chamber

Tennessee House: Democrats lose control

Texas House: Republicans keep control

Wisconsin Senate: Democrats keep control

Wisconsin Assembly: Republicans lose control

Alaska Senate: Republican-controlled

Montana Senate: Democratic-controlled

Montana House: Republican-controlled

Nevada Senate: Republicans lost control

Ohio House: Republican-controlled

Comment on this story in the space below by registering with Stateline.org.

COMMENTS (2)

Most Recent Comments: Vermont
By Joshua Bell on Oct 30, 2008 10:07:02 PM

I just wanted to say that Anthony Pollina is an independent candidate for Governor of Vermont. He is polling at as much as 25% well ahead of Speaker Symington.

Report as Offensive
Chief state school officers up for election
By Lucy Gettman on Jun 5, 2008 11:46:31 AM

There are five state, I believe, electing chief state school officers this November. This group would be a welcome addtion to the excellent list.

Report as Offensive

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The seventh annual Hal Hovey Award was presented Feb. 3 to Marc Perrusquia, an enterprise and investigative reporter for The Commercial Appeal, the daily newspaper in Memphis Tenn. The award is made jointly by Stateline.org, which is part of the Pew Center on the States, and Governing Magazine for outstanding coverage of state and local government.

Governors' State of the State Speeches

Links to daily news and summaries of the governors' speeches

Full text of governors’ addresses going back to 2000

Dates for state of the state speeches

Recession and Recovery

Read the latest news, analysis and research on the economic crisis in the states in Stateline.org's new Recession and Recovery special section.

The Stimulus and the States

The Stimulus and the
States
Follow how states are managing the stimulus money and which programs are receiving funding as part of the recovery effort using Stateline.org's stimulus special section.

Legislative Review 2009

Click here for a calendar of legislative sessions in 2010.

Click here to read summaries of action in all 50 states and major trends of the 2009 legislative session.

Stateline.org has compiled an extensive list of state issue political blogs to make it convenient for you to follow state government.

If a blog you find interesting and informative is not on our list, tell us about it by sending an email to editor@stateline.org.

Blogs organized by Issue

Blogs organized by State

State Public Policy Resources

Stateline.org has put together a list of state public policy resources organized by issue. Here, you will find useful links to essential information from government, academia, and think tanks. If you have a link to add, please email us.

Go to the state public policy resources page

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