15 Reasons Why You Should Vote Today

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Immigration groups have been pulling for President Barack Obama to use his executive powers to suspend deportations, without the help of Congress. While he initially said he would, the President decided to wait until after the midterm elections. (If Obama used executive action before the midterm elections, he would have hurt the chances of Democratic candidates by giving Republicans another reason to criticize him.) 

"There is a never a 'right' time for the President to declare amnesty by executive action, but the decision to simply delay this deeply-controversial and possibly unconstitutional unilateral action until after the election—instead of abandoning the idea altogether—smacks of raw politics," House Speaker John Boehner (R) said. "The American people deserve honesty, transparency, and accountability —and any unilateral action will only further strain the bonds of trust between the White House and the people they are supposed to serve."

Either way, there is a chance that newly elected Republicans will be willing to work on new policy as they head into the 2016 elections.

If you think you're too busy to make it to the polls, well, Tinder and Mark Zuckerberg would have something to say about that.

California's Proposition 47 would reduce the penalties for possession of heroin, methamphetamine and other illegal drugs, and for petty theft of $950 or less, to misdemeanors. In effect, it would "de-felonize" these crimes and potentially lead to a reduction of people being sent to prison.

A lot of eyes are on this proposition, as California's vote is thought to set a precedent for the rest of the nation. It would save the state hundreds of millions of dollars, but would potentially release 10,000 felons from prison and reduce penalties for stealing guns and possession of date rape drugs.

Alaska, South Dakota, and Nebraska, have the chance to lift their minimum wage well above the federal requirement of $7.25 an hour. (Twenty-two states already do so.) Alaska could jump from $7.75 to $9.75 in 2016; South Dakota could jump to $8.50 by next year; and Nebraska could go to $9 in 2016. Illinois' measure isn't binding, so voters can let politicians know that they want a wage hike—but lawmakers wouldn't have to raise it. Yet.

Massachusetts citizens will vote on Question 4, which will give workers one hour of sick time for every 30 hours worked, up to 40 hours per year. Seems like something everyone could get behind, right? These hours could be used on yourself, or taking care of a family member. If you feel guilty about using this earned sick time, employers are prohibited from firing workers who use it. This will affect nearly one million workers in the state.

California's Proposition 45 would give the state insurance commissioner the power to veto health insurance increases for individual and small group plans that seem too excessive. If the commissioner does approve a price increase, Californians could sue to cancel it. The proposition is meant to save citizens money as health insurance rates have gone up in recent years, and is backed by Consumer Watchdog and the California Nurses Association. Some worry that the approval system could slow the process for determining the annual rate in the state.

Polls leading up to Election Day showed Republicans leading Democrats in key states, especially in Iowa and Georgia. Republicans only need six more Senate seats to win a majority, and if Dems lose usual swing states like Iowa (it's already expected they'll lose Arkansas, Louisiana, Alaska, and Colorado), they may be out of luck when it comes to keeping their 55-seat lead. Republicans control the House of Representatives, so winning the Senate would make it almost impossible for President Obama to pass bills through Congress.

Two competing gun control measures, one that requires background checks for all gun-buyers (Initiative 594), and one that prevents all background-checks unless there's already a federal standard (Initiative 591), are up in Washington. That means both have the chance of passing, and gun control debates may be headed to the state Supreme Court if they do.

North Dakota voters will decide if laws state that life begins at conception. If they do, they would establish an "unalienable right to life" for a fetus. In Colorado, citizens will vote on whether unborn humans are people; and Tennessee voters will decide to give state lawmakers more control over anti-abortion laws, letting politicians pass them more easily. Each one of these measures may restrict abortions or birth control access for women. 

The politicians who'll be elected to join Congress today are the ones who help confirm or block the appointment of a future Supreme Court or federal justice, and this alone changes the course of the nation. Just earlier this year, the Supreme Court decision on Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores Inc. led to companies being able to refuse giving women insurance plans that cover birth control if it conflicts with their religious beliefs.

The Illinois Crime Victims’ Bill of Rights Amendment, known as Marsy's Law, would give more rights to crime victims in the state, which include being free from "harassment, intimidation and abuse through the criminal trial process, the right to be heard as any post-arraignment proceedings, and the right to notice and hearing before court rulings on access to victim records."

The bill gets its name from the California Victims' Bill of Rights Act of 2008. Marsy Nicholas was stalked and murdered by her ex-boyfriend when she was a senior at UC Santa Barbara in 1983. Marsy's brother fought to get the law passed after having to attend multiple parole hearings for Marsy's killer in the decades after.