A set of local minimum wage proposals appeared to fare poorly in initial ballot-box results Tuesday, as voters considered industry-specific pay increases for health-care, hotel, gig, and service workers in California and Maine cities.
The California measures proposed to raise minimum wages in unusually industry-specific ways. A Portland, Maine, ballot measure would have raised the wage floor for all workers, while also extending the minimum wage to cover tipped workers and independent contractors.
The proposals faced vocal opposition from the industries that would be affected, including hospitals fighting the California measures and the restaurant industry— along with rideshare and delivery app companies—fighting the Maine proposal. Voters rejected the Portland measure, and two of three California proposals were on track to fail as of Wednesday morning.
The California results weren’t final, however, as a large number of mail-in ballots still need to be counted, spokespeople in the Los Angeles County and Orange County elections offices said on Wednesday afternoon.
Statewide minimum wage proposals fared better than local initiatives on election night. Nebraska voters approved a plan to phase in a $15 minimum by 2026, and voters in the District of Columbia approved a proposal to phase out the subminimum wage for tipped workers,...
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