Cannabis reform may soon start popping up in unexpected places.

The landslide vote to legalize the adult possession of cannabis in Portland, Maine caught many commentators by surprise. While the ballot initiative, Question 1, polled well, few expected such a blowout victory in an off-year election in state not usually associated with cannabis policy reform.

The good news is that Maine’s largest city will probably not be the only surprise reform victory notched in coming years. Here’s a snapshot of five surprising states which are poised to beat expectations and pass significant cannabis reform by 2016:

Missouri came out of seemingly nowhere to become the surprise hit of the International Drug Policy Reform Conference in Denver last month. The legalization group Show Me Cannabis impressed even seasoned drug policy activists with a surprisingly strong performance to date: through a series of “town hall”-style meetings, the reform group has generated considerable momentum by bucking the common wisdom. Instead of pushing for decriminalization or a medical initiative, the group has pushed for a full-throated adult legalization bill which could go before the voters of the Show Me state as early as the midterm November 2014 election. Initial polling, showing support well over 50%, has taken the national movement by storm; if they can keep up the momentum for another year, Show Me Cannabis may soon be showing the whole world what a small group of concerned and dedicated citizens can accomplish in a very short time.