The Cognitive Dissonance Election
By Alex Tribou, Chloe Whiteaker and David Ingold | November 5, 2014
The country that voted to give the Senate back to conservative Republicans also voted for more marijuana, fewer abortion restrictions, higher minimum wages, and more gambling.

Legal Marijuana

The pro-marijuana trend continued as Alaska, Oregon and Washington D.C. became the latest to legalize the possession and use of recreational pot. An amendment in Florida to legalize medical marijuana failed. When the new bills go into effect, 47 percent of Americans will live in states with legal access to marijuana.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, NORML.org, Gallup

Looser Gambling Laws

Voters approved new forms of gaming in six of eight states with gambling initiatives on the ballot.

Sources: Bloomberg reporting, state gaming regulatory agencies

Higher Pay

Five states passed ballot initiatives to raise their minimum wage – meaning more than half of Americans now live in states where the lowest legal wage is higher than the $7.25 federal minimum.

Sources: Department of Labor, American FactFinder

A Limit to Abortion Restrictions

States have increasingly restricted access to abortion in recent years. From 2011 through Nov. 1, states have passed 246 laws limiting abortion, more than were passed over the previous decade. But on Tuesday, voters continued a trend of rejecting laws to grant personhood to fetuses.

Sources: Guttmacher Institute, AP Elections

Legal Marijuana

The pro-marijuana trend continued as Alaska, Oregon and Washington D.C. became the latest to legalize the possession and use of recreational pot. An amendment in Florida to legalize medical marijuana failed. When the new bills go into effect, 47 percent of Americans will live in states with legal access to marijuana.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, NORML.org, Gallup

Looser Gambling Laws

Voters approved new forms of gaming in six of eight states with gambling initiatives on the ballot.

Sources: Bloomberg reporting, state gaming regulatory agencies

Higher Pay

Five states passed ballot initiatives to raise their minimum wage – meaning more than half of Americans now live in states where the lowest legal wage is higher than the $7.25 federal minimum.

Sources: Department of Labor, American FactFinder

A Limit to Abortion Restrictions

States have increasingly restricted access to abortion in recent years. From 2011 through Nov. 1, states have passed 246 laws limiting abortion, more than were passed over the previous decade. But on Tuesday, voters continued a trend of rejecting laws to grant personhood to fetuses.

Sources: Guttmacher Institute, AP Elections

Legal Marijuana

The pro-marijuana trend continued as Alaska, Oregon and Washington D.C. became the latest to legalize the possession and use of recreational pot. An amendment in Florida to legalize medical marijuana failed. When the new bills go into effect, 47 percent of Americans will live in states with legal access to marijuana.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, NORML.org, Gallup

Looser Gambling Laws

Voters approved new forms of gaming in six of eight states with gambling initiatives on the ballot.

Sources: Bloomberg reporting, state gaming regulatory agencies

Higher Pay

Five states passed ballot initiatives to raise their minimum wage – meaning more than half of Americans now live in states where the lowest legal wage is higher than the $7.25 federal minimum.

Sources: Department of Labor, American FactFinder

A Limit to Abortion Restrictions

States have increasingly restricted access to abortion in recent years. From 2011 through Nov. 1, states have passed 246 laws limiting abortion, more than were passed over the previous decade. But on Tuesday, voters continued a trend of rejecting laws to grant personhood to fetuses.

Sources: Guttmacher Institute, AP Elections