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Election Results From Around The Public Radio Dial

Patrick Cannon, Charlotte, N.C.'s newly elected Democratic mayor, speaks to students at Queens University on Oct. 29.
Chuck Burton
/
AP
Patrick Cannon, Charlotte, N.C.'s newly elected Democratic mayor, speaks to students at Queens University on Oct. 29.

Governors, legislators and mayors were elected Tuesday across the nation. Voters also made key decisions about taxes, marijuana, genetically modified foods — and even secession.

Below is a roundup of some of Tuesday's most noteworthy election results, reported by NPR member stations:

Colorado

Colo. School Funding Measure Fails By Large Margin (CPR News)

Colorado voters rejected a ballot measure to increase income taxes by nearly $1 billion to provide more funding for public schools by a 2-1 margin. The campaign behind the measure had raised $10 million and Gov. John Hickenlooper supported the proposal.

Colo. Pot Taxes Sail To Victory (CPR News)

Meanwhile, 65 percent of the state's voters approved a tax on all recreational marijuana sales, which are set to begin in January. Colorado legalized the use of recreational pot last year.

2013 Election Big Success For Colorado's Fracking Foes (KUNC)

Voters in Fort Collins, Boulder and Lafayette all approved measures that will either ban or pause the practice of hydraulic fracturing.

51st State Supporters Get Mixed Message At The Polls (KUNC)

Six of the 11 counties in Colorado with the question on its ballot voted to secede and create a new state. But the effort is unlikely to succeed, as it would have to be approved by both the state and Congress.

Florida

Foster Out, Kriseman In As St. Petersburg Mayor (WUSF)

St. Petersburg, Fla., is getting a new mayor.

Georgia

Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed Sails To Re-Election (WABE)

The incumbent Reed sailed to re-election Tuesday, winning "every precinct, every neighborhood, every quadrant of the city of Atlanta." In his second term, he wants to make Atlanta the "center of logistics in the Western Hemisphere."

Maine

Portland Becomes First East Coast City To Legalize Pot (MPBN)

Portland, Maine, voted Tuesday to legalize possession of small amounts of marijuana for adults.

Massachusetts

Walsh Elected The Next Mayor Of Boston (WBUR)

Meet Boston's new mayor, Marty Walsh. A son of Irish immigrants, Walsh overcame a childhood fight against cancer and a young adult's struggle with alcoholism. He succeeds Tom Menino, the city's longest-serving mayor in history.

Where Walsh, Connolly Won (WBUR)

Really want to get down in the weeds on the Boston mayoral race? WBUR has a great interactive ward-by-ward map that shows where City Hall was won and lost.

Boston Mayor-Elect Marty Walsh Talks Victory, Transition (WGBH)

Walsh talks about his win Tuesday, his transition from the State House to City Hall, and the congratulatory phone call from President Obama.

Women Top Boston At-Large City Councilor Race (WBUR)

The Boston City Council will have four new faces next year — the largest turnover in over a decade. In the at-large race, the two top vote earners were women.

Michigan

Duggan Elected Detroit Mayor Under Shadow Of Bankruptcy (WDET)

In Detroit, voters have elected the city's first new mayor since it was taken over by the state and filed for bankruptcy protection. Race also became an issue in the election — Mike Duggan is the first white mayor to represent Detroit's majority black population in four decades.

Minnesota

Betsy Hodges Holds Commanding Lead In Minneapolis Mayoral Race (MPR News)

City Councilor Betsy Hodges looks likely to emerge victorious from the 35-candidate field in the Minneapolis mayor's election after finishing with 36 percent of voters' first-choice ballots. The city is employing a "ranked choice" voting system for the first time, so the final results won't be known until the second- and third-choice ballots are counted Wednesday.

New York

De Blasio's Long, And Lucky, Campaign (WNYC)

Bill de Blasio won the New York City mayoral election in a landslide, even though he was widely considered to be a long shot just a few short months ago during the Democratic primary.

New Jersey

Christie Re-Elected As N.J. Governor (WNYC)

Republican Gov. Chris Christie cruised to re-election over Democrat Barbara Buono in New Jersey, prompting speculation about his prospects in the 2016 presidential election.

North Carolina

Democrats Keep Firm Grip On Charlotte (WFAE)

Patrick Cannon came out on top in Charlotte's mayoral race with 53 percent of the vote as Democrats maintained their solid 9-2 majority on the City Council.

Patrick Cannon Is Charlotte's New Mayor (WFAE)

Cannon says his election as mayor culminates a long, arduous journey where there haven't been any "crystal stairs."

Texas

Texas Voters Approve All 9 State Constitutional Amendments (KUT)

Among the amendments approved was Proposition 6, which creates a new water infrastructure loan program with $2 billion from the state's rainy day fund.

Referendum's Defeat Could Doom The Astrodome (KUHF)

You know the Astrodome? The so-called Eighth Wonder of the World? The failure of a bond issue to repurpose the aging hall means it might have to be demolished.

Houston Mayor Annise Parker Wins Third Term, Pledges Hard Work Ahead (KUHF)

The incumbent Mayor Parker easily won re-election with more than 57 percent of the vote — amid chants of "Governor! Governor!"

Virginia

Despite Loss, Cuccinelli Says Conservative Principles Retain Wide Support (WAMU)

Republican Ken Cuccinelli, who lost the Virginia governor's race, and his supporters say his narrow defeat Tuesday was a moral victory.

Washington

Ed Murray Pulls Ahead Of McGinn With 56 Percent (KUOW)

State Sen. Ed Murray appears poised to defeat incumbent Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn, earning 56 percent of the vote in the initial round of ballot counting. Since Washington voters submit ballots by mail, some votes have yet to be tabulated.

Effort To Label GMO Foods Failing In Washington State (KUOW)

A ballot measure that requires the labeling of genetically modified food is headed for defeat in Washington state. Some influential members of the food and beverage industry opposed the initiative, raising a state record $22 million to defeat it.

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Adam Wollner