KEY BALLOT ISSUES IN 1998 ELECTION

Americans will vote on 235 statewide ballot questions on Election Day.

Among them:

- -- Medical marijuana: Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Nevada and the District
of Columbia vote whether to allow people with certain illnesses to smoke
marijuana. Arizona, which passed such a law in 1996, asks voters if they
prefer a law passed by the Legislature in 1997, calling for a halt to
marijuana prescriptions until federal government approves.

- -- Abortion: Washington and Colorado vote whether to ban the late-term
procedure known as "partial-birth abortion."

- -- Affirmative action: Washington considers ending it in government hiring
and higher education.

- -- Gay marriage: Alaska could amend constitution to define marriage as
union of one woman, one man. Hawaii would amend constitution to give
Legislature the right to ban same-sex marriage.

- -- Suicide: Michigan could legalize physician-assisted suicide.

- -- Campaign finance: Arizona and Massachusetts consider reforms to give
candidates public monies.

- -- Clearcutting: Oregon could sharply limit logging practice.

- -- School credit: Colorado could give parents of all schoolchildren a
credit on income taxes, even if kids are in private schools or
home-schooled.

- -- Taxes: Approval would put a lid on the amount Nebraska's state and local
governments could levy.

- -- Presidential primary: California may close its presidential primary so
voters could pick candidates only of their own political party.