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takyon writes:

There are 155 ballot measures being voted on during the 2016 U.S. elections on November 8th, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). Eight measures were voted on before November, and the 155 count includes Washington, D.C.'s statehood referendum. Hundreds of local ballot measures are not reflected in this count.

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Arkansas, Florida, Montana and North Dakota are voting on permitting medical cannabis, while Arizona, California, Maine, Massachusetts and Nevada are voting on recreational cannabis. Montana will vote on expanding access to medical cannabis to patients diagnosed with chronic pain or PTSD, and the removal of some limits of the current law, including surprise inspection by law enforcement. Oklahoma's "Act relating to Criminal Justice Reform for Low-Level Offenses" would soften penalties for drug possession (but not possession or transportation with intent to distribute).

Currently, 20 states allow only medical cannabis under various circumstances, and Colorado, Washington, Alaska, Oregon, and Washington D.C. have legalized or decriminalized recreational cannabis. Since at least some of the 2016 cannabis initiatives are likely to pass, you can expect more banking-related headaches in the near future. The number of U.S. banks that will accept money from semi-legal cannabis businesses is up 45%, but many dispensaries are still forced to operate on an all-cash basis, making them attractive robbery targets.

Colorado will vote on a "Medical Aid in Dying" measure which would allow doctor-assisted suicide. If passed, Colorado would join Oregon, Washington, California, Montana and Vermont in allowing some form of assisted suicide. Meanwhile, California is voting on the repeal of the death penalty and Nebraska is voting on reinstatement. California has two death penalty measures on the ballot: one for repeal, and one for changes that would speed up appeals and petitions. Oklahoma may revise the state constitution to make it easier to change the method of execution.

Washington, D.C. is voting on a non-binding statehood referendum. This is the first such vote since 1982. Some would-be backers are turned off by the take-it-or-leave-it inclusion of a new constitution. Previously, the vote would have also included accepting the proposed new name from the 1982 vote, "New Columbia", but that has been rejected by the D.C. Council. Instead, the new state would be called the "State of Washington, D.C." with the D.C. being shorthand for "Douglass Commonwealth".

The state of Washington's Initiative 1491, "Extreme Risk Protection Orders", would allow police or family/household members to obtain court orders temporarily restricting access to firearms for "persons exhibiting mental illness, violent or other behavior indicating they may harm themselves or others". Maine, California and Nevada will vote on measures that would require background checks to purchase guns. Indiana and Kansas will vote on right to hunt/fish measures that do not explicitly mention guns.

Arizona, Maine, Colorado and Washington are voting on increases in the minimum wage, to be phased in by 2020. Washington will consider a $13.50/hour minimum wage, while the other states will decide on $12/hour. On the other side of the coin, South Dakota will vote on a decrease of the minimum wage for workers under 18 years old.

Some more interesting initiatives and referenda: Florida will vote on the "Consumer Rights Regarding Solar Energy Amendment", which claims to establish a right for homeowners to own or lease solar power equipment, while preventing subsidization by non-solar power customers. This measure has been criticized as a ploy by utility companies to raise fees for solar users, and the utilities have spent $22 million to try to get it passed. Colorado will vote on establishing ColoradoCare, a universal health care system. Georgia will vote on imposing additional penalties on child sex-trafficking crimes. Maine voters will consider establishing ranked-choice voting, allowing the method to be used in the U.S. Senator, State Senator, U.S. Representative, State Representative, and Governor races. Montana will vote on establishing the Montana Biomedical Research Authority, which would oversee grants for brain-related medical research and fund some peer-reviewed research. Oklahoma's Wine and Beer Amendment would make extensive changes to the sale of alcohol in the state. Oregon will vote on an increase in corporate taxes to fund education, health care, and senior citizen services.

You can find lists of all the amendments at the NCSL and Ballotpedia.

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