Voters approve smoking ban

Nevada decided Tuesday they didn't want legalized marijuana sold at state-sanctioned pot shops and approved constitutional amendments raising Nevada's minimum wage and curbing government seizures of private property.

Question 7, to legalize adult possession of up to 1 ounce of marijuana and require the state to set up procedures to tax and regulate its sale failed, 58 percent to 42 percent with more than half the expected votes counted.

Question 6, setting Nevada's minimum wage at $1 above the federal standard, was given final approval after it was overwhelming embraced by voters in 2004. Question 2, setting new restrictions on eminent domain, must be approved again in 2008.

Nevadans also appeared to favor the more restrictive of competing measures to limit exposure to secondhand smoke.

Questions 4 and 5 both sought to restrict smoking in public places, but to varying degrees. With about half the votes tallied, Question 4 was narrowly failing, while Question 5, which imposes tougher limits on secondhand smoke, was passing.

Question 1, requiring lawmakers to fund education before other state budgets, also was favored in partial returns.

Three other proposed constitutional amendments were passed by the 2003 and 2005 legislatures and put to voters Tuesday for final approval.

Question 11, allowing lawmakers to be paid for each day they are in session instead of the current 60-day limit, was rejected. Question 10 authorizing lawmakers to call themselves into special session was failing, while Question 9, to reduce the size of the Board of Regents from 13 members to nine, was too close to call.

Question 8 to amend the state's sales tax to exempt farm machinery while expanding exemptions for the trade-in value of used vehicles also was approved by an overwhelming margin.

Election 06: Ballot questions

Constitutional Amendment Initiatives

Question 1

Education First:

Yes 54.78 percent; 300,948

No 45.22 percent; 248,443

Question 2

Nevada property owner's bill of rights

Yes 62.99 percent; 340,224

No 37 percent; 199,879

Statutory Initiatives

Question 4

Responsibly Protect Nevadans from Second-Hand Smoke Act

No 52 percent; 287,989

Yes 47.99 percent; 265,728

Question 5

Clean Indoor Air Act

Yes 54 percent; 299,777

No 45.97 percent; 255,062

Question 6

Raise the Minimum Wage for Working Nevadans Act

Yes 68.74 percent; 381,097

No 31.26 percent; 173,300

Question 7

Regulation of Marijuana Initiative

No 55.87 percent; 309,876

Yes 44.13 percent; 244,727

2005 Legislative Resolutions/Bills

Question 8

AB 554 Sales and Use Tax

Yes 68.75 percent; 370,599

No 31.25 percent; 168,461

Question 9

AJR 11 Board of Regents

No 50.61 percent; 266,936

Yes 49.39 percent; 260,537

Question 10

AJR 13 Legislators Call Special Session

No 52.32 percent; 276,217

Yes 47.68 percent; 251,764

Question 11

SJR 11 Legislators Paid Every Day of Session

No 70.17 percent; 376,158

Yes 29.83 percent; 159,939