The other races to watch: Governors, pot and more

The presidential race isn't the only game-changing item on the 2012 ballot.

In a handful of states, voters will decide on hot-button issues like same-sex marriage, marijuana legalization and genetically modified food labeling. In some states, competitive races for the governor's office could reset economic policy. While ballot initiatives and gubernatorial races are decided at the state level, their impact could be felt nationwide.

There are 11 gubernatorial elections today, and Republicans have an opportunity to expand the number of governor's offices they occupy to its highest level in decades. Currently, the GOP holds 29 seats, while Democrats hold 20 (there's one independent governor: Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island). Eight of the 11 seats up for grabs today are currently held by Democrats, giving Republicans an opportunity to increase their advantage.

• What to watch for as the House, Senate results come in
• What to watch for as the presidential results come in

In states with ballot initiatives, there are some firsts this year: Voters in a couple of states could legalize recreational marijuana use, setting up an unprecedented fight with the federal government. In other states, voters are likely to approve, for the first time in the nation, a ballot measure to allow for same-sex marriage instead of banning it.

Here's a look at the ballot initiatives and gubernatorial races to watch today:

Washington state's Initiative 502: Marijuana legalization

There are six states this November voting on marijuana-related measures, including three that would buck federal law and for the first time legalize the drug's recreational use at the state level: Washington state, Colorado and Oregon. Washington's Initiative 502 is the most likely to pass.

The measure, like its counterparts in Colorado and Oregon, would legalize, regulate and tax marijuana. A University of Washington poll conducted Oct. 18-31 showed that 55.4 percent of likely voters in the state plan to vote for marijuana legalization while only 37.6 percent plan to vote against the measure. Both major candidates for governor, Republican Rob McKenna and Democrat Jay Inslee, are opposed to I-502.

It's unclear exactly how the federal government would respond if a state chose to legalize the recreational use of marijuana. Seventeen states have, over the past decade and a half, legalized medical marijuana -- also in violation of federal law, which prohibits any use of marijuana. However, it's up to federal officials how to enforce federal laws. In his first presidential campaign, President Obama promised to respect state medical marijuana laws, but his administration has cracked down on hundreds of medical marijuana dispensaries, including some in compliance with state laws.

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[Abby-Sapp]

On the morning after election day, Florida (where I live) is the only undecided state. There was early voting, people wrapped around buildings for two weeks to do that. On election day there were other problems in the county where I live that had to do with the efficiency of the office for the Supervisor of Elections. My prayer while I was standing in line that what I was about to do would raise a red flag. I doubt that my issues did, but Florida is still undecided and I have written in an "unknown" to be on the Supreme Court instead of who is there. This man is serving a 40 year sentence because of a dream had two years after-the-fact by a drug/alcohol dependent friend and has been dilly-dallied around since his conviction in 2005 by the judges, prosecutor and police. Sorry ... I don't buy it. Neither should they and each and every one of the participants in Ryan's incarceration should not only lose their jobs, but be put up for trial also and investigated thoroughly. The bail from his arraignment being set at 20 million dollars would make you think he is John Wilkes Booth revisited. EVERYONE who has not seen the information on this should tour www.freeryanferguson.com
and the other sites mentioned there.

[dougd120]

one knows where this will go to

[Tarzan98]

Legalize, regulate, tax, and grow it here. Take the Mexican drug cartels out of the equation. That's the definition of sanity. What the US gov't has been doing is insanity and just plain wrong.

Where's that coke snortin George Bush at now?

[PourpaixPourpaix]

California's genetically engineered labeling seems pretty stupid to me. Even common wheat has been genetically engineered. What's the point of labeling nearly everything in the grocery store as "genetically engineered"?