In addition to seeing who will control the Senate, here are four specific votes we’ll be watching:
CALIFORNIA
Berkeley Sugary Drink Tax (Measure D)
The proposed ordinance imposes a general tax of one cent ($0.01) per ounce on the distribution in Berkeley of sugar-sweetened beverages and the added-calorie sweeteners used to make them. The tax on added-calorie sweeteners would be calculated based on the number of ounces of sweetened beverage that would typically be produced using that sweetener. If passed, the measure would take effect January 1, 2015.San Francisco Sugary Drink Tax (Prop E)
The Tax on Sugar Sweetened Beverages imposes a tax of two cents ($0.02) per ounce on the distribution of sugar-sweetened beverages. If passed, the measure would take effect January 1, 2016.COLORADO
Mandatory GMO Labels (Prop 105)
The Colorado Right to Know Act requires food that has been genetically modified or treated with genetically modified material to carry the label, “Produced with Genetic Engineering.” If passed, the measure would take effect July 1, 2016.HAWAII
Maui County Moratorium on the Cultivation of GMOs (voter initiative)
The Genetically Engineered Organisms Initiative prohibits any growth, testing or cultivation of GMO crops and would put a temporary stop to any genetic modification and engineering operations in the county until an environmental and public health study is conducted and finds the proposed cultivation practices to be safe and harmless. If passed, the moratorium would go into effect immediately, though genetically engineered organisms that were in mid-growth cycle would be allowed to keep growing.OREGON