Republicans weren’t the only victors last night: marijuana legalization and prison reform made big gains in several states last night.
Oregon, Alaska, and Washington D.C. all passed pro-marijuana legalization initiatives. In D.C., this means “soft legalization”—anyone can legally grow and possess marijuana in small amounts, but sales have not been legalized.
In Oregon and Alaska, the measures are similar to those passed in Colorado and Washington; marijuana sales will now be legalize, taxed, and regulated.
An age split was clearly visible over the initiative in Alaska, with 6 in 10 young voters—18-29—supporting the legalization initiative, while 6 in 10 voters over 65 opposed it.
Florida, meanwhile, failed to pass a measure to legalize medical marijuana. The amendment gained 57.6 approval, short of the 60 percent it needed.
In California, a ground-breaking prison reform initiative passed, changing six nonviolent crimes from felonies to misdemeanors. The crimes range from petty theft to simple possession of drugs like heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamines, making California the first state to remove felony status from all drug possession.
This could mean early release from prison for 10,000 people, and 40,000 fewer felony convictions per year. The initiative stipulates that the money saved on prison costs be redirected to early education, truancy, and mental health and addiction programs.
It signals a continuing reversal of California’s previously tough criminal laws, like the three-strikes felony law which, at one point, had repeat offenders sentenced to life imprisonment over petty theft. The resulting overcrowded prisons have contributed to a major shift in public support for prison reform.
