MAINE OKS MEDICAL MARIJUANA

Anti-Abortion Measure In Maine Is Voted Down

Maine defeated a ban on certain late-term abortions and approved a
proposal to legalize medical marijuana Tuesday as voters elsewhere
decided on measures ranging from a fishing ban to sweeping tax changes.

The anti-abortion proposal lost with 201,115 voters or 55 percent
opposed and 162,963 or 45 percent in favor, with 88 percent of
precincts reporting. The medical marijuana measure had 223,957 votes,
or 61 percent, to 140,637 or 39 percent.

Oregonians defeated a measure that would have allowed murder
convictions by an 11-1 jury vote instead of a unanimous one.

In Washington state, voters approved America's most sweeping
tax-revolt proposal - a ballot measure coupling a big car-tax cut with
veto power over all future taxes and fees.

It substitutes an annual fee of $30 per car to replace a much-maligned
tax of 2.2 percent of the vehicle's value - hundreds of dollars for
many motorists - for a tax break worth $750 million a year.

And for the second time in four years, Washington voters rejected a
proposal to ban most commercial fishing nets from state waters by a
margin of 58 percent to 42 percent even though backers said it could
save taxpayers' money in the fight to restore dwindling salmon runs.

Also in Maine, Falmouth residents soundly rejected a ballot measure
that would have nullified a homosexual-rights ordinance adopted
unanimously by the town Council last spring.

Among other measures:

- - In a nonbinding referendum, the city of Ketchum, Idaho, decided to
keep the 25-year-old tradition of mock six-gun shoot-out on Main
Street during the community's annual Wagon Days festival. Supporters
viewed it as good fun, but opponents mindful of the slayings at
Columbine High School in Colorado wanted to do away with any show of
violence.

- - Voters in Missoula, Mont. defeated a measure to adopt a higher
minimum wage of $8 for municipal employees and people whose employers
receive at least $5,000 in city assistance. (The federal minimum wage
is $5.15. some 40 U.S. cities and counties have such laws in some form.)

- - Voters approved a $2.3 billion bond issue for 28 statewide road
improvements in Colorado, including widening congested Interstate 25,
which runs through Denver. A measure to expand a light-rail system in
the Denver area also passed.

- - A constitutional amendment to restrict Mississippi state legislators
to back-to-back terms was defeated. Mississippi, which has a history
of long-serving politicians, becomes the first state to reject limits
after 18 other states adopted them in recent years.