(no subject)

My fellow Americans! =D

One week from Tuesday we go to the polls to vote for President. By now I'm sure almost all of us know who they are going to cast their votes for. But it's important to remember that 36 states will also be voting on a total of 176 additional measures. I remember four years ago- my first presidential election- I was surprised and confused to find that I was voting on additional measures- not just for President- and I was totally unprepared. So I guessed. Guessing, I think we can agree, is not a particularly good strategy for a democracy, especially a first world democracy where so many of us have near-constant access to information.

So I'm asking you to do your research. This page lists all the measures that will be on the ballots on November 6th, divided by state. At the very least you should read the articles on each measure before you go to vote. These questions should not be new to you or take you by surprise when you arrive at your polling place. Know what you are voting on. Same sex marriage and marijuana legalization are just some of the many important subjects being voted on. Know if they're being voted on in your state, and understand what a yes vote or a no vote will mean.

To make this as easy as possible, I've compiled this handy list. All content is originally from Ballotopedia:



Alabama

• Alabama Health Care Amendment
• Alabama Forever Wild Land Trust Amendment
• Alabama Secret Ballot Amendment
• Alabama Segregation Reference Ban Amendment
• Alabama Assets and Liabilities Transfer Amendment
• Alabama Baldwin County Stockton Landmark District Amendment
• Alabama General Obligation Bond
• Alabama Banking Amendment
• Alabama Business Privilege Tax Amendment
• Alabama Legislative Compensation Amendment
• Alabama Lawrence County Amendment

Alaska

• Alaska Constitutional Convention Question
• Alaska Transportation Project Bonds Question, Bonding Proposition A (2012)

Arizona

• Arizona Crime Victims Protection Act Amendment
• Arizona Judicial Selection Amendment
• Arizona Property Tax Break For Business Equipment Amendment
• Arizona Declaration of State Sovereignty Amendment
• Arizona Permanent Funds Amendment (2012)
• Arizona State Trust Land Amendment (2012)
• Arizona Property Tax Assessed Valuation Amendment
• Arizona Sales Tax Renewal Amendment
• Arizona "Open Government Act" Initiative

Arkansas

• Arkansas Retail Project Amendment
• Arkansas Sales Tax Increase Amendment
• Arkansas Casino Amendment 1
• Arkansas Casino Amendment 2
• Arkansas Medical Marijuana Question

California

• California "Paycheck Protection" Initiative
• California Automobile Insurance Prices Based on History of Insurance Coverage
• California Referendum on the State Senate Redistricting Plan
• California End the Death Penalty Initiative
• "Californians Against Sexual Exploitation Act" Initiative
• California Repeal of the "Three Strikes Law"
• California Mandatory Labeling of Genetically-Engineered Food
• California Income Tax Calculations for Multistate Businesses
• California (Molly Munger's) State Income Tax Increase to Support Education Initiative
• California (Jerry Brown's) Sales and Income Tax Increase Initiative
• California Government Performance and Accountability Act/Two-Year Budget Cycle

Colorado

• Colorado Marijuana Legalization Initiative
• Colorado Corporate Contributions Amendment
• Colorado State Personnel System Amendment

Connecticut

• No measures

Delaware

• No measures

District of Colombia

• No measures

Florida

• Florida Health Care, Amendment 1
• Florida Veterans Property Tax, Amendment 2
• Florida State Revenue Limitation, Amendment 3
• Florida Property Tax, Amendment 4
• Florida Supreme Court, Amendment 5
• Florida Abortion, Amendment 6
• Florida Religious Freedom, Amendment 8
• Florida Appointment Process for State University System Board of Governors Revision, Amendment 12
• Florida Property Tax Exemption for Surviving Spouses, Amendment 9
• Florida Tangible Personal Property Tax Exemption, Amendment 10
• Florida Senior Homestead Tax Exemption, Amendment 11

Georgia

• Georgia Charter Schools Amendment
• Georgia Multi-Year Rental Agreements Amendment

Hawaii

• Hawaii Dam and Reservoir Owners Assistance Amendment
• Hawaii Appointment of Retired Judges Amendment

Idaho

• Idaho Education Reform Veto Referenda
• Idaho Hunting and Fishing Amendment
• Idaho State Prison Control Amendment

Illinois

• Illinois Public Pension Amendment

Indiana

• No Measures

Iowa

• No Measures

Kansas

• Kansas Boat Property Tax Amendment

Kentucky

• Kentucky Hunting and Fishing Amendment

Louisiana

• Louisiana Medicaid Trust Fund Amendment
• Louisiana Right to Bear Arms Amendment
• Louisiana Business Property Tax Exemption Amendment
• Louisiana Retirement Benefits Amendment
• Louisiana New Iberia Property Tax Exemption Amendment
• Louisiana Boards and Commissions Restructuring Amendment
• Louisiana Public Retirement Bill Filing Amendment
• Louisiana Property Tax Exemption for Veterans' Spouses Amendment
• Louisiana Special District Creation Amendment

Maine

• Maine Same-Sex Marriage Question
• Maine Transportation Bond Question
• Maine Community College Bond Question
• Maine Community Water and Sewer Bond Question 1
• Maine Community Water and Sewer Bond Question 2

Maryland

• Maryland Orphans' Court Judge Qualifications
• Maryland In-State Tuition Referendum
• Maryland Elected Officials Removal from Office Amendment
• Maryland Orphans' Court Judge Qualifications Amendment, Baltimore County
• Maryland Same-Sex Marriage Referendum
• Maryland Redistricting Referendum
• Maryland Gaming Expansion Question

Massachusetts

• Massachusetts Medical Marijuana Initiative
• Massachusetts "Death with Dignity" Initiative
• Massachusetts "Right to Repair" Initiative

Michigan

• Michigan Emergency Manager Referendum
• Michigan Renewable Energy Amendment
• Michigan Home Health Care Amendment
• Michigan "Protect Our Jobs" Amendment
• Michigan International Bridge Initiative
• Michigan Taxation Amendment

Minnesota

• Minnesota Same-Sex Marriage Amendment
• Minnesota Voter Identification Amendment

Mississippi

• No measures

Missouri

• Missouri Judicial Appointment Amendment
• Missouri Health Care Exchange Question
• Missouri Minimum Wage Initiative
• Missouri Municipal Police Amendment

Montana

• Montana Medical Marijuana Veto Referendum
• Montana Parental Notification Measure
• Montana Proof of Citizenship Question
• Montana Health Care Amendment
• Montana Corporate Contributions Initiative

Nebraska

• Nebraska Grounds for Impeachment Amendment
• Nebraska Hunting and Fishing Amendment
• Nebraska Legislative Salary Amendment
• Nebraska Term Limits Amendment

Nevada

• Nevada Special Session Amendment

New Hampshire

• New Hampshire Constitutional Convention Question
• New Hampshire State Court Amendment
• New Hampshire Income Tax Amendment

New Mexico

• New Mexico Senior Citizen Facility Improvement Bonds, Bond Question A (2012)
• New Mexico Library Acquisition and Construction Bonds, Bond Question B (2012)
• New Mexico Higher Education and Special Schools Bonds, Bond Question C (2012)
• New Mexico Judicial Standards Amendment
• New Mexico Public Defender Office Amendment
• New Mexico Public Regulation Commissioner Qualifications Amendment
• New Mexico Public Regulation Commission Corporation Chartering Amendment
• New Mexico Public Regulation Commission Insurance Division Amendment

New Jersey

• New Jersey Salary and Benefits Amendment
• New Jersey State College Bond Issue

New York

• No measures

North Carolina

• No measures

North Dakota

• North Dakota Poll Tax Amendment, Measure 1
• North Dakota Oaths of Office Amendment, Measure 2
• North Dakota Farming and Ranching Amendment
• North Dakota Prevention of Animal Cruelty Initiative
• North Dakota Smoking Ban Initiative

Ohio

• Ohio Constitutional Convention Question
• Ohio Redistricting Amendment

Oklahoma

• Oklahoma Affirmative Action Ban Amendment
• Oklahoma Property Tax Amendment
• Oklahoma Governor in the Parole Process Amendment
• Oklahoma Reserve Fund Amendment
• Oklahoma Public Welfare Amendment
• Oklahoma Intangible Tax Ban Amendment

Oregon

• Oregon Government Branches Amendment
• Oregon Catastrophic Disaster Amendment
• Oregon Real Estate Transfer Tax Amendment
• Oregon Cannabis Tax Act Initiative
• Oregon Gillnet Fishing Initiative
• Oregon Privately-Owned Casinos Amendment
• Oregon Estate Tax Phase-Out Initiative
• Oregon Corporate Tax "Kicker" Funds for Education Initiative
• Oregon Multnomah County Casino Initiative

Pennsylvania

• No measures

Rhode Island

• Rhode Island Casino Gambling Amendment
• Rhode Newport Grand Casino Amendment
• Rhode Island Higher Education Bonds Question
• Rhode Newport Veterans' Home Bond Question
• Rhode Island Clean Water Finance Bond Question
• Rhode Newport Environmental Management Bonds Question
• Rhode Island Affordable House Bonds Question

South Carolina

• South Carolina Gubernatorial Elections Amendment

South Dakota

• South Dakota Corporate Language Amendment
• South Dakota Legislative Travel Reimbursement Amendment
• South Dakota Budget Balance Amendment
• South Dakota Cement-Plant Trust Amendment
• South Dakota Tax Revenues for Grants Referendum
• South Dakota Sales Tax Increase Measure, Initiated Measure 15
• South Dakota Teachers Union Veto Referendum

Tennessee

• No measures

Texas

• No measures

Utah

• Utah Severance Tax Amendment, Constitutional Amendment A (2012)
• Utah Military Property Tax Exemption Amendment, Constitutional Amendment B (2012)

Vermont

• No measures

Virginia

• Virginia Eminent Domain Amendment
• Virginia Veto Session Amendment, Question 2

Washington

• Washington Marijuana Legalization and Regulation, Initiative 502
• Washington Same-Sex Marriage Veto Referendum, Referendum 74
• Washington Charter School Initiative
• Washington Two-Thirds Vote Required to Raise Taxes, Initiative 1185
• Washington Public University Investments Amendment
• Washington State Debt Amendment
• Washington Pollution Liability Insurance Measure (2012)
• Washington Omnibus Tax Preference Measure (2012)

West Virginia

• West Virginia County Sheriff Term Limit Amendment

Wisconsin

• No measures

Wyoming

• Wyoming Health Care Amendment
• Wyoming Hunting Rights Amendment
• Wyoming District Court Commissioners Amendment

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Ho-hum.

I should make a post to let y'all know I'm alive, if anyone's still out there.

The hurricane isn't too bad from where I'm sitting; it's just like Irene was last year with lots of wind. All bark and no bite. I know other parts of the city and outlying area have it bad, but I'm relatively inland, high and dry. We've got all our power (it might have flickered once or twice, I don't know), and we've got hot water, so we're good. There's food and bottled water just in case, but I'm pretty sure life will go on in the Carey household without missing a beat.

The center of the storm is still like 100 miles (160 km) south of here (so we're not suffering hurricane-strength winds, which are further south. Not that we don't have strong wind as it is!) but it looks like it'll only graze the southern part of Jersey before hooking a left and landing in Delaware and coming up through Maryland and central PA. We'll still get shit on here tomorrow, but Halloween will likely be safe. Good. I wanna see some Trick-or-Treaters and I have errands to run. :D

But how's that for nasty storms on Oct. 29 two years in a row? It snowed last year!

tl;dr - Don't worry about me, guys. :D