Millions of registered voters stayed home on Election Day, perhaps thinking their votes didn’t matter.
msnbc’s Lawrence O’Donnell challenged those naysayers in Monday’s Rewrite segment. He thanked Washington State residents for proving that votes do matter, especially when it comes to the outcome of local issues.
In the state, precisely 1,540,928 residents—approximately 55 % of voters—backed Initiative 502, to legalize marijuana possession up to an ounce for people over the age of 21.
“When people tell you that voting doesn’t matter, tell them to talk to those 220 people in Washington state who won’t be dragged into court for possession of a little bit of weed,” said O’Donnell. “And tell it to the thousands and thousands and thousands of people for years to come who will not be arrested for minor possession of marijuana.”
After the ballot measure passed, Washington State prosecutors in two counties are now taking action to dismiss charges in all of the simple marijuana possession cases in their jurisdictions.
Sarah Muller