34 states face 163 ballot referendums

WASHINGTON, Nov. 2 (UPI) -- U.S. voters in 34 states face a broad spectrum of 163 referendum questions on their ballots Tuesday, ranging from marijuana use to same-sex marriages.

In Alabama and Arkansas, voters choose whether to raise property taxes to shore up school funding, and Californians decide if the "three strikes you're out" court sentencing provision is too tough. In Alaska, voters indicate if they want to decriminalize marijuana use for adults and Montana could become the 10th state to legalize medical use of marijuana.

Californians decide whether to expand Indian gambling, and Oklahoma may approve a lottery.

In Florida and Nevada the issue of raising the minimum wage is on the ballot while 11 states are voting on a constitutional ban on same-sex marriages.

Presidential politics aside, some of the initiatives are behind what's expected to be a record voter turnout, the Christian Science Monitor said.

"These initiatives are definitely driving turnout in these key states," said Dan Smith, scholar on Democratic process at the University of Florida. "We are finding that although the (polling) margin is small -- maybe as low as 1 percent -- it could be decisive in a presidential contest as close as this."