Four States Join Minimum Wage Hike Movement

NATIONAL REPORT — Voters who headed to the polls on Tuesday approved minimum wage increases in four states.

In Arizona, voters gave a collective thumbs up to Proposition 206, also known as The Minimum Wage and Paid Time Off Initiative, by a 59 percent to 41 percent tally. The measure raises the minimum wage to $10 in 2017, and then incrementally to $12 by 2020, and creates a right to paid sick time off from employment.

The hourly wage currently stands at $8.05 in Arizona. The paid sick time component of the law will go into effect July 1.

Staying in the west, Colorado voters approved Amendment 70 — with 54.4 percent of those at the polls voting yes. The measure raises the minimum wage from $8.31 to $9.30 per hour in 2017 and then increase it 90 cents each year until the wage reaches $12 in 2020.

In Washington State, 59 percent of voters checked the yes box for The Washington Minimum Wage Increase, also known as Initiative 1433. The initiative increases the state's minimum wage from $9.47 to $13.50 by 2020 and mandates employers offer paid sick leave. The hourly wage hike was the largest one on the ballot in this year's election. 

Moving to the east, Maine voters supported The Maine Minimum Wage Increase, also known as Question 4, to gradually increasing the state's minimum wage to $12 by 2020. The state's rate is now $7.50.

The four wage increase measures were among the 162 ballot questions nationwide on Nov. 8. According to the Convenience Distribution Association, historically minimum wage measures pass when presented directly to the voters.