Beyond the federal elections, several states considered ballot measures that may have a more immediate impact on employers. Here are some of the key results.
Approved
Minimum Wage Increase, Paid Sick Leave, and Ban Captive Audience Meetings
Voters in Alaska appear to have decisively approved the “Minimum Wage Increase and Paid Sick Leave Initiative,” passing with nearly 57 percent of the vote. The measure will increase the state’s minimum wage to $15.00 per hour by July 1, 2027, provide employees the ability to accrue up to fifty-six (56) hours of paid sick leave per year at employers with fifteen or more employees and up to forty (40) hours at employers with under fifteen employees, and would prohibit captive audience meetings.
Minimum Wage Increase and Paid Sick Leave
Missouri voters approved the “Minimum Wage and Earned Paid Sick Time Initiative,” with nearly 58 percent voting in favor. The measure will increase the minimum wage to $13.75 per hour by 2025 and increase it to $15.00 per hour by 2026. Additionally, the measure adopts a new law that will require employers with fifteen or more employees to allow employees to use up to fifty-six (56) hours of paid sick time per year and employers with fewer than fifteen employees to allow employees to use up to forty (40) hours of paid sick time per year. Employees will accrue one hour of paid sick time for every thirty (30) hours worked, beginning on May 1, 2025.
Paid Sick Leave
Nebraska voters overwhelmingly approved the “Nebraska Healthy Families and Workplaces Act” (NHFWA), with nearly 75 percent of the vote, according to the state’s unofficial election results. The measure will require employers with at least twenty employees to provide up to seven (7) days, or fifty-six (56) hours, of earned paid sick leave per year and employers with fewer than twenty employees up to forty (40) hours per year. Under the measure, employees will start accruing paid sick time on October 1, 2025.
Rejected
Minimum Wage Increase
California voters have rejected measures to immediately raised California’s minimum wage for employees with twenty-six or more employees to $17.00 per hour and to $18.00 per hour on January 1, 2024, and raised it for employers with twenty-five or fewer employees to $17.00 on January 1, 2025, and $18.00 per hour on January 1, 2026.
Cannabis
Rejected - Voters in Florida, North Dakota, and South Dakota rejected ballot measures legalizing marijuana for recreational or personal use, and Massachusetts rejected an initiative to legalize natural psychedelic substances, including psilocybin.
Approved - Alternatively, voters in Nebraska overwhelmingly approved two ballot measures legalizing and regulating medical marijuana use in the state.
As of now, 24 states and Washington, D.C., have legalized the possession and personal use of marijuana for recreational purposes. while 38 states have legalized medical marijuana.
Control of state governments was on the ballot in many places this year.
GOVERNORS
23 Democrats to 27 Republicans
.jpeg "image0-(1).jpeg")
Going into the election, Democrats held 23 gubernatorial seats to Republicans' 27, as well as four of the five US territories.
While the partisan balance of state executive branch control remains unchanged, the figures occupying those offices have shuffled considerably.
Top-targeted New Hampshire is one of two Republican-held gubernatorial seats, along with Vermont, that was up for election this year in a state Joe Biden won in the 2020 presidential election -- and Harris took in 2024. Both seats will remain in GOP control with the election of Kelly Ayotte.
In Vermont, incumbent Republican Governor Phil Scott was easily reelected with 73.4% of the vote.
In the swing state of North Carolina -- which Trump won in 2020 and 2024, and where incumbent Roy Cooper (D) is term-limited -- two-term North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein (D) soundly defeated Lt. Governor Mark Robinson (R).
In Delaware, where incumbent Democratic Governor John Carney is term-limited, New Castle County Chief Executive Matt Meyer (D) dispatched with GOP House Minority Leader Mike Ramone (R).
The retirement of three-term Democratic Governor Jay Inslee in Washington set off a frenzy, drawing 29 contenders in the August 9 primary. Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson (D) and former seven-term Republican Congressman Dave Reichert advanced to the general election where Ferguson won a resoundingly.
The other six gubernatorial seats -- Indiana, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Utah and West Virginia -- all remained in GOP hands.
State Legislatures
Up and down the ballot, Republicans had a good election. They'll continue to control more legislatures than Democrats — 27 to 17 — a trend that dates back to 2010 elections when Republicans made a concerted push to win statehouses ahead of redistricting.
Nine states had significant shifts in who controls the legislature — parties either gained or lost majorities or supermajorities in at least one legislative chamber.
Riding on the coattails of President-elect Donald Trump, the GOP flipped control of the Michigan House.
Republicans also gained enough seats to create a tie in Minnesota and a likely power-sharing agreement in the chamber.
Republicans fended off Democratic challenges to vulnerable legislative majorities in Arizona, New Hampshire and Wisconsin. In Wisconsin, Democrats gained seats under new court-ordered political maps, but not enough to win legislative control in either chamber.
Pennsylvania — one of two split legislatures before this year's election — Democrats held on to a one-seat majority in the House and Republicans retained control of the Senate.
Republicans padded majorities in New Hampshire and gained enough seats to create supermajorities in Iowa and South Carolina — enough votes for lawmakers to override a governor's veto. They also broke Democratic supermajorities in New York and Vermont.
Democrats netted a significant victory in North Carolina, where they flipped one state House seat, breaking apart the GOP supermajority. And though they didn't win a majority in either of Wisconsin's chambers, Democrats celebrated winning 10 seats in the state Assembly, and four seats in the Senate.
Support SMAC-PAC
Now, more than ever, we need your support for our political activities. Washington is a volatile place. Our friends need our aid and there are new threats to our sector at every turn. If you have not been part of SMAC-PAC in the past, we hope you will take a first step by completing a Prior Approval Form (SMAC PAC Prior Approval Form | SMACNA). This does not commit you to anything, but simply allows us to communicate with you regarding PAC efforts.
If you have completed a PA, please consider giving to our new Fund for the 119th to help us begin building our 2026 Congressional Election SMAC-PAC program. As for existing members, we hope you will consider stepping up to the next tier. Membership certainly has its privileges – including fabulous trips to Wine Country, Spring Training, and Broadway.
If you have questions about our program and how you can get more involved, contact Denise Murphy McGraw our Special Assistant for Political Affairs at dmurphymcgraw@smacna.org.
