Voters in Washington, DC, on Tuesday voted overwhelmingly in favor of DC becoming the fifty-first US state. Advisory Referendum B [text, PDF] asked voters if the DC Council should petition the US Congress to admit the state of “New Columbia” to the Union. The plan, which will be submitted to Congress, seeks admission to the Union, approval of a Constitution, approval of the boundaries advocated by the DC Statehood Commission [official website] and the guarantee of legislative representation. The referendum reportedly passed with 86 percent of voters [Washington Times report] choosing “yes” for statehood. The DC Statehood Commission plan would divide the current District of Columbia into the aforementioned “New Columbia” and a small federal district containing the federal buildings at the center of the city. Further, the plan would give the new state voting representatives in Congress. The current district has only a non-voting member in the House of Representatives.

While DC’s referendum will have to await for congressional action, other ballot measures from this year’s general elections will have more immediate effect. Colorado voters approved a measure [JURIST report] that allows terminally ill adults to self-administer legal drugs. Voters in California, Nevada, and Massachusetts approved recreational marijuana [JURIST report] usage for adults. Mississippi approved a voter ID law [JURIST report], and Colorado rejected a universal healthcare measure [JURIST report].