Story highlights Maryland, Maine, Washington allow same-sex marriage

Montana, Alabama voters approve anti-Obamacare measure

Colorado, Washington voters legalize the recreational use of marijuana

Florida voters defeat anti-Obamacare and anti-abortion measures

Ballot measures approving same-sex marriage and the recreational use of marijuana were approved Tuesday by voters in a handful of states, signaling a historical social shift by popular vote.

Voters in Maine approved for the first time in history a measure that gives the right to same-sex couples to marry, while in Maryland voters also made history by upholding a new law allowing same-sex couples to marry in the state, according to CNN projections. A couple of percentage points were all that separated similar measures in Minnesota and Washington, initial returns showed.

Colorado and Washington, meanwhile, voted to approve state initiatives legalizing marijuana, while Oregon voters turned away a similar initiative, projections show.

Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – Penn State students wait in line to vote in the student union building on the State College, Pennsylvania, campus on Tuesday. Hide Caption 1 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – Voters cast their ballots in Mansfield, Texas. Hide Caption 2 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – A man exits a voting booth at a fire station in Point Pleasant, New Jersey. As the New Jersey coastline continues to recover from Superstorm Sandy, numerous polling stations have had to merge and relocate due to storm damage and power outages. Hide Caption 3 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – Samantha Pelletier shows off her voting sticker outside Bristol's old Town Hall. Hide Caption 4 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – A man votes inside the Town Hall in Franconia, Minnesota. Hide Caption 5 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – Adults of the Uddin family, originally from Bangladesh, vote together at the Hightower Elementary School polling site in Doraville, Georgia. Hide Caption 6 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – An elderly women casts her vote at Salem Baptist Church in Sparta, Virginia. Hide Caption 7 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – A sign directs disabled voters to a polling site entrance at the Graham & Parks School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Hide Caption 8 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – People line up to cast their ballots at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library in Washington, D.C. Hide Caption 9 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – Kezia Gipson, 3, waits with her grandparents Doris Ross and Freddie Irvin in a voting line at the International Longshoremen's Association Office in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, on Tuesday. Hide Caption 10 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – A man puts on an "I Voted" sticker after casting his ballot in Otter Creek, Iowa, on Tuesday. Hide Caption 11 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – A voter's shadow appears on the wall as he arrives at a Phoenix, Arizona, polling station Tuesday. Hide Caption 12 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – Robert Palmer, left, and Pat Payne wait in line to cast their vote at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in Kansas City, Missouri. Hide Caption 13 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – Horse Gall precinct clerk David Smith talks with poll worker and daughter-in-law Charlene Smith at the home of his father, Vincent Smith, in Varnville, South Carolina. The precinct's polling place is in the elder Smith's den. Hide Caption 14 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – Three-term Democratic congressman and U.S. Senate candidate Chris Murphy casts his vote with his 1-year-old son Rider at Cheshire High School in Cheshire, Connecticut. Hide Caption 15 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – A woman walks out of a polling place after voting in South Jordan, Utah. The Jordan River Utah Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is visible in the background. Hide Caption 16 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – A voter casts her ballot in the gymnasium of Douglas Elementary School in Raleigh, North Carolina. Hide Caption 17 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – Gaberyel Chandler casts his vote with the help of safety patrol officer Cheyenne Roberts during a mock presidential election Tuesday at Emerald Shores Elementary School in Ocala, Florida. Hide Caption 18 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – A carved pumpkin greets voters at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. Hide Caption 19 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – Kaira Ray watches as her grandmother Theresa Bigl votes at the old Town Hall in Bristol, New Hampshire. Hide Caption 20 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – A poll worker directs people to a temporary polling center in the Coney Island section of Brooklyn, New York. Polling sites in Coney Island and the surrounding area were damaged during Superstorm Sandy. Hide Caption 21 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – Amy O'Neill, left, and Michelle Nowakowski show off an "I Voted" sticker on their Boston terrier Penny in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Hide Caption 22 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – Voters cast their ballots at Dunbar High School in Washington, D.C. Hide Caption 23 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – People cast their ballots inside a decorator's garage in South Philadelphia on Tuesday. Hide Caption 24 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – A person votes at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. Hide Caption 25 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – A jogger on The Strand in the Los Angeles area community of Hermosa Beach passes a directional sign to a polling place at sunrise Tuesday. Hide Caption 26 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – Darrick West stands at a voting booth at Salem Baptist Church, on Tuesday in Sparta, Virginia. Hide Caption 27 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – A voter takes a moment to read a paper ballot before casting her vote on Chicago's Northside. Hide Caption 28 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – Voters mark paper ballots at Halloran Skating Rink in Cleveland, Ohio. Hide Caption 29 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – Derrick Banks wears an "I Voted" sticker on his forehead after casting his ballot in Chicago. Hide Caption 30 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – Mitt Romney and his wife, Ann, kiss after casting their votes in Belmont, Massachusetts. Hide Caption 31 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – Republican vice presidential candidate U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan and his family head to the polls in Janesville, Wisconsin. Hide Caption 32 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – An election worker helps President Barack Obama as he votes early at the Martin Luther King Community Center in Chicago on October 25. Hide Caption 33 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – Vice President Joe Biden, center, heads toward the voting booth in Greenville, Delaware. Hide Caption 34 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – Stickers for voters are seen at Tremont Elementary School in Cleveland, Ohio. Hide Caption 35 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – Voters line up to cast their vote at the Boston Public Library in Romney's home state of Massachusetts. Hide Caption 36 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – Citizens wait in line at a polling station in a senior appartment complex in Chicago. Hide Caption 37 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – A citizen votes at Carleton Middle School in Sterling Heights, Michigan. Hide Caption 38 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – Voters line up at the Mount Pleasant Library early Tuesday in Cleveland, Ohio. Hide Caption 39 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – Voters in Dixville Notch, New Hampshire, wait to cast the first Election Day ballots of the U.S. presidential race shortly after midnight. The village has opened polls early since 1960, but for the first time in its history, there was a tie. Obama and Romney each received five votes. Hide Caption 40 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – Voters wait outside the Johnson County election office in Olathe, Kansas, on Monday, November 5, the last day of early voting. Hide Caption 41 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – Residents of Ocean County vote in Toms River, New Jersey, on Monday. A special early mail voting arrangement allows residents of the areas affected by Superstorm Sandy to vote in person with a mail-in ballot on short notice. Hide Caption 42 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – Two-year-old Ariel Ferreras accompanies his mother, Erika, as she votes in Silver Spring, Maryland, on Friday, November 2. Voters in Maryland broke the state's record for early voting turnout. Hide Caption 43 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – Early voters fill out their ballots on the first day of early voting in Miami on October 27. Early voting in the swing state of Florida was held for eight straight 12-hour days. Hide Caption 44 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – Carol Braddock of Los Angeles casts her vote in Norwalk, California, on October 25. Hide Caption 45 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – Jalani Hervey, 5, waits with his grandmother, Victoria Gross, while she stands in line to cast a ballot during early voting in Milwaukee on October 22. Hide Caption 46 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – Election judges William Moeller, left, and Harry Sabin transfer ballots from a drop box outside of the library in Denver on October 22. Hide Caption 47 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – Phignora Brown, left, gets assistance from a polling station worker as she casts her ballot on the first day of early voting in Las Vegas on October 20. Hide Caption 48 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – Electronic voting authorization cards are returned at the East Las Vegas Community Center polling station on October 20. Hide Caption 49 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – A man uses a touch screen voting booth to cast his ballot on the first day of early voting in Washington on October 22. Hide Caption 50 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – Jaime Grant carries her 11-month-old daughter, Brynn, and holds her 3-year-old son Brian's hand as she casts her ballot during early voting in College Park, Georgia, on October 19. Hide Caption 51 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – A voter displays an "I Voted" sticker on her lapel after voting early in Wilson, North Carolina, on October 18. Hide Caption 52 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – Kalli Hannafious holds her daughter Averie as she signs in for early voting in Anchorage, Alaska on October 2. Hide Caption 53 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – Jerry Nagel fills in his ballot during early voting at the Black Hawk County Courthouse in Waterloo, Iowa, on September 27, the first day of early voting in the state. Hide Caption 54 of 55 Photos: Photos: America heads to the polls America heads to the polls – Voters enter the polling site at StarBridge Christian Center in Wildwood, Missouri. Hide Caption 55 of 55

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Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – A blur of waving flags greeted President Barack Obama's victory speech at an election night event in Chicago, Illinois. Hide Caption 1 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – President Barack Obama, first lady Michelle Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden look ahead to a second term and vowed to fight for equal opportunity for all. Hide Caption 2 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – Flags fluttered in Chicago as President Barack Obama delivered his victory speech after being reelected for a second term. Hide Caption 3 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – First lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden hugged and will spend four more years in the public eye. Hide Caption 4 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – Red, white and blue confetti snowed down on President Barack Obama after a victory speech that promised brighter days ahead. Hide Caption 5 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – A supporter listened intently to President Barack Obama's victory speech in Chicago. Hide Caption 6 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – "We know in our hearts that for the United States of America, the best is yet to come," President Obama said in a victory speech met by prolonged cheers. Hide Caption 7 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – President Barack Obama embraced Vice President Joe Biden after delivering his victory speech at McCormick Place in Chicago. Hide Caption 8 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – With first lady Michell Obama at his side, President Barack Obama gave the crowd a wave at an election night celebration in Chicago. Hide Caption 9 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – Children climbed trees outside the White House in Washington as people celebrated President Obama's victory at the polls. Hide Caption 10 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – A South Korean woman carried a cardboard cutout of Republican Mitt Romney at an election night party in Seoul. South Koreans watched the race closely. Hide Caption 11 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – President Barack Obama rode a wave of broad support from minorities, women and moderates to win re-election. Hide Caption 12 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – Emotion washed over an Obama supporter as the newly reeleted president deivered his victory speech in Chicago. Hide Caption 13 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – President Barack Obama embraced first lady Michelle Obama and daughters Sasha and Malia moments before he delivered a rousing victory speech. Hide Caption 14 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – Obama supporters beamed and cheered as he delivered an inspiring and inclusive victory speech. Hide Caption 15 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – Victorious, President Barack Obama was joined onstage by first lady Michelle Obama and daughters Sasha and Malia. Hide Caption 16 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – Young Obama supporters watched the president stride onto the stage to deliver his victory speech. Hide Caption 17 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – President Barack Obama clapped onstage in Chicago as the crowd cheered his reelection. Hide Caption 18 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – President Barack Obama walked onstage with first lady Michelle Obama and daughters Sasha and Malia to deliver his victory speech. Hide Caption 19 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – People gathered in Times Square in New York City and celebrated four more years in office for President Barack Obama. Hide Caption 20 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney conceded and hugged his running mate, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, of Wisconsin. Hide Caption 21 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – People celebrated in front of the White House in Washington after Barack Obama won a second term as president. Hide Caption 22 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – Mitt Romney slowly walked offstage in Boston after conceding the election to President Barack Obama. Hide Caption 23 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – Republican candidate Mitt Romney hung his head and smiled as he strode onto the stage to give his concession speech. Hide Caption 24 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – Mitt Romney waved to a crowd of supporters before conceding the presidency. Hide Caption 25 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – Romney supporters sought comfort in each other as his chances for the presidency faded. Hide Caption 26 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – An Obama supporter clutched a flag and a smart phone at an election night rally in Chicago. Hide Caption 27 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – Obama supporters attentively watched televised election results at an election night event in Chicago. Hide Caption 28 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – A supporter checks his smart phone while he waits for Republican Mitt Romney to give his concession speech in Boston, Massachusetts. Hide Caption 29 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama embraced Vice President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden moments after the election was called in their favor. Hide Caption 30 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – Keesha Patterson, left, proposed to Rowan Ha during a rally at Obama headquarters in Chicago. The women live in Maryland, where voters approved same-sex marriage. Hide Caption 31 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – Ajay Narayan cheered in Las Vegas, Nevada, as the election was called for President Obama. Hide Caption 32 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – Obama supporters celebrated the president's projected victory at a watch party at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois. Hide Caption 33 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – A huge screen gave Obama supporters in Chicago plenty to cheer about: The president won a second term. Hide Caption 34 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – President Barack Obama's supporters were exuberant as the news got better and better on election night. Hide Caption 35 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – A dejected supporter of Republican candidate Mitt Romney slumped on the floor in Boston, Massachusetts. Hide Caption 36 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – President Obama's young supporters in Chicago cheered and waved flags. Hide Caption 37 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – The Empire State Building in New York City was lit in Democratic blue after President Obama won the hotly contested election. Hide Caption 38 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – A Romney supporter teared up as the presidency seemed to slip out of grasp. Hide Caption 39 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – Obama supporters in Chicago, his hometown, shared their joy at the president's projected victory. Hide Caption 40 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – Obama supporters raised their hands in victory at an election night watch party in Chicago. Hide Caption 41 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – Romney supporters in Boston were tearful and subdued as the numbers told a story they didn't want to hear. Hide Caption 42 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – A Romney supporter's bowed head and slumped shoulders revealed that it wasn't going to be the Republicans' night. Hide Caption 43 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – Big boards in Tampa reported results at an event sponsored by the Republican Party of Florida. See the best of Romney and Obama on the campaign trail. Hide Caption 44 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – Party-goers wearing 'Stars and Stripes' clothing awaited results at an election night party at the U.S. Embassy in London. Hide Caption 45 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney was photographed aboard his campaign plane Tuesday in Boston, Massachusetts. Hide Caption 46 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – Voter Sheresa Walker used a flashlight for poll worker Lloyd Edwards in a tent set up as a polling place in Queens, New York. The area is still reeling from Superstorm Sandy. Hide Caption 47 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – Shadows were cast on a wall next to a television advertising "Election Night 2012" inside the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, where Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney was scheduled to speak Tuesday evening. Hide Caption 48 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – A volunteer prepared ballots at a polling station in San Francisco, California. Hide Caption 49 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – Justin Stucki, Leah Quirk, and Kenady Pettingill, left to right, urged drivers to vote for Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney in Spanish Springs, Nevada. Hide Caption 50 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – A sign directed voters to the gymnasium at Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Hide Caption 51 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney spoke with journalists during the last flight of his presidential campaign. Hide Caption 52 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – Raena Lamont, 3, wore a Captain America costume at a polling center Tuesday in Staten Island, New York. Hide Caption 53 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – A voter cast his ballot Tuesday in Mansfield, Texas. Hide Caption 54 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney took a break from last-minute campaigning to greet workers in Richmond Heights, Ohio. Hide Caption 55 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – A voter's bicycle leaned against a wall at a lifeguard station, home to a polling place in Hermosa Beach, California. Hide Caption 56 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – Voters walked past a plethora of campaign signs after casting their ballots at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Kansas City, Missouri. Hide Caption 57 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – Jesse James, whose home was damaged by Superstorm Sandy, prepared to vote in a makeshift tent set up as a polling place in Rockaway Park, a neighborhood in Queens, New York. Hide Caption 58 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney waved to supporters at Pittsburgh International Airport in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania. Hide Caption 59 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – Workers prepared for President Barack Obama's election night rally at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois. Hide Caption 60 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – A street scene was reflected in the window of a gift shop near the White House in Washington, DC. Hide Caption 61 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – Mike Wegart, 30, stood in line to vote at the Venice Beach lifeguard station in Los Angeles. Hide Caption 62 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – Obama supporter Tonya Lewis rallied for votes outside a polling station in Tampa, Florida. Hide Caption 63 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan left a campaign plane in Cleveland, Ohio. Hide Caption 64 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – President Obama greeted supporters outside a campaign office in Chicago. Hide Caption 65 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – A jogger on The Strand in the Los Angeles area community of Hermosa Beach passed a directional sign to a polling place at sunrise. Hide Caption 66 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – The stage was set for Obama's election night event in Chicago. Hide Caption 67 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – James Tate, 45, held a sign in support of the Republican ticket in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Hide Caption 68 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – A nun waited in line to cast her vote in Janesville, Wisconsin. Hide Caption 69 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – Children's books about politics lined a wall where citizens waited to cast their vote in Janesville, Wisconsin. Hide Caption 70 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – Volunteer David Bowser peeked outside the Pinellas County Democratic Party headquarters in St. Petersburg, Florida. Hide Caption 71 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – Election inspector Jim Nodorft prepared to hang the U.S. flag outside the Smelser Town Hall as polls opened at 7 a.m. in Georgetown, Wisconsin. Hide Caption 72 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – People headed to a polling station at Washington's Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library on Tuesday. Hide Caption 73 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – The sunrise was visible through a bus window on Election Day in Chicago. Hide Caption 74 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – Voters entered Washington Mill Elementary School in Alexandria, Virginia, to cast their ballots Tuesday. Hide Caption 75 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – Rain did no deter voters from waiting in line in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Sunshine State -- with its 29 electoral votes -- was a key player in determining the next president. Hide Caption 76 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – A young girl peered out from under a voting booth as her mother cast a ballot at the Bishop Leo O'Neil Youth Center in Manchester, New Hampshire. Hide Caption 77 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – William Carpenter, an assistant fire chief, put up an election rules sign at the entrance of a firehouse polling station Tuesday in Port Royal, Virginia. Hide Caption 78 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – Poll worker David Smith used a tape measure to mark a boundary at a Bowling Green, Ohio, school to keep local politicians 100 feet away from where voters cast ballots. Hide Caption 79 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – Precinct official Bill Partlow inspected a voting machine before polls open Tuesday in Pineville, North Carolina. Hide Caption 80 of 81 Photos: Election 2012: The best photos Election 2012: The best photos – Voters in Dixville Notch, New Hampshire, waited shortly after midnight to cast the first Election Day ballots of the U.S. presidential race. For the first time in the village's history, there was a tie. Hide Caption 81 of 81

JUST WATCHED Rallying seniors for medical marijuana Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Rallying seniors for medical marijuana 02:54

"The voters have spoken and we have to respect their will. This will be a complicated process, but we intend to follow through," Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper said in a statement released late Tuesday.

"That said, federal law still says marijuana is an illegal drug, so don't break out the Cheetos or Goldfish too quickly."

Even as voters returned President Barack Obama to office for a second term, according to CNN projections, a key component of his signature health care reform law was on the line in a number of states.

In Alabama and Wyoming, voters approved measures to amend their state constitution to prohibit people from being compelled to participate in Obamacare, while early returns in Montana showed voters approving similar measures.

The one exception appears to be Florida, where voters turned back a measure that would have prohibited people and businesses from participating in Obamacare.

"These laws may promise more than they can deliver," said Jonathan Turley, a professor at George Washington University Law School.

"What the laws certainly do is to give state officials more of a basis to go to court and challenge the national health care law."

Voters nationwide were deciding the outcome of nearly 180 ballot measures in 38 states. That's up from 159 in 2010, but down from 204 in 2008.

Voters in Florida, meanwhile, nixed a constitutional amendment that would have banned the use of public funds for abortions, according to a CNN projection.

The campaign pitted the Protect Florida Taxpayers and Parental Rights, which was primarily funded by a large collection of Catholic archdioceses across Florida, against Planned Parenthood.

Planned Parenthood spent $3.2 million on ads to defeat the measure in Florida during the week heading into the election.

"The people of Florida have sent a clear message that politicians have no place in a woman's deeply personal and private medical decisions," said Jennifer Dalven, director of the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project.

Results for key ballot initiatives:

Alabama

Obamacare

A measure that would amend the state constitution to prohibit individuals and businesses from being compelled to participate in any health care system passed.

Arkansas

Medical marijuana

A measure to legalize the use of marijuana for medical purposes trailed narrowly with 89% of the vote in, according to CNN estimates.

California

Propostion 30: Jerry Brown tax Increase

More than 4.3 million voters said "Yes" to the temporary tax to fund education, with 53.4% of voters casting ballots in the affirmative, according to the unofficial results on the California secretary of state's website. The measure sponsored by Gov. Jerry Brown will increase personal income tax for seven years for those making more than $250,000 a year. It also increases the sales tax by 0.25% for four years.

Proposition 34: Death penalty

By roughly the same margin -- 53.1% to 46.9% -- voters decided against a measure to abolish capital punishment in California and make life imprisonment without the possibility of parole the maximum punishment for murder. The measure would have applied retroactively to all death row inmates.

Proposition 38: Other tax increase

A measure that would raise income taxes for almost all income levels for 12 years resoundingly failed, according to unofficial results on the California secretary of state website. Almost 5.7 million voters, or 72.6% of ballots cast, disapproved of the measure that would dedicate revenue to K-12 education, debt reduction and early childhood programs. This measure was in competition with Brown's Proposition 30.

Marijuana legalization

A measure to amend the state constitution to legalize and regulate the production, possession and distribution of marijuana for people age 21 and older passed.

Florida

Obamacare

The measure to amend the state constitution to prohibit individuals and businesses from being compelled to participate in any health care system failed by a narrow margin.

With more than 96% of the vote counted, 52%, or 3.6 million people, opposed the measure, compared to 48%, 3.4 million people, for it.

Under Florida state law, the measure required 60% of the vote to pass.

Abortion funding

Voters nixed a constitutional amendment that would have banned the use of public funds for abortions, with the exception of rape, incest and cases where the mother's life is in danger, according to a CNN projection.

Maine

Same-sex marriage

The effort to repeal a previous state law banning same-sex marriage passed.

Maryland

Same-sex marriage

The vote in support of a new law allowing same-sex couples to marry in the state of Maryland was approved by a slim margin.

Massachusetts

Medical marijuana

The measure to legalize the use of marijuana for medical purposes was ahead by nearly 2-to-1.

Minnesota

Same-sex marriage

A measure to amend the state constitution to define marriage as a union of one man and one woman was shot down, with 1,485,606 voting against it and 1,379,572 voting for it, according to the Minnesota secretary of state's unofficial results.

Montana

Obamacare

By a 2-to-1 margin, voters approved a measure that prohibits federal and state government from requiring the purchase of health insurance, according to the unofficial results on the Montana secretary of state's website.

Medical marijuana

Initial returns showed voters agreeing by a wide margin to change the state's medical marijuana law for a more restrictive version.

Oregon

Marijuana legalization

A measure that would allow the commercial cultivation and sale of marijuana through state-licensed stores as well as unlicensed cultivation failed, according to a CNN projection.

Washington

Same-sex marriage

In a tight vote, a majority of Washington voters, 51.8%, cast ballots to "allow same-sex couples to marry, preserve domestic partnerships only for seniors, and preserve the right of clergy" to perform and recognize such marriages, according to unofficial results on the Washington secretary of state's website.

A measure that would legalize and regulate the production, possession and distribution of marijuana for people age 21 and older passed, according to CNN projections.

Wyoming

Obamacare

A measure to amend the state constitution to give residents the right to make their own health care decisions passed by a wide margin, according to CNN estimates.