Californians had to vote on 11 propositions this year. Five were approved and six defeated. More than $420 million were spent in favor or against the propositions.

Is there a correlation between the amount of money spent for one position and the outcome of the passage of the California propositions? The following infographic summarizes the amount of money spent on each side and clearly shows that it is not always the most funded position that wins.

This poem led to my designation as Poet Laureate of the Kerry Presidential campaign. It bears the title “Distant Bells”, and was written in 2003 in strident opposition to the war in Iraq.

The distant bells are ringing,are ringing night and day,are ringing as the horseman ridesto take my son away.

The 2012 election cycle saw a record number of women elected to Congress. An all time high of 20 women were elected in the Senate, and at least 77 women in the House, with a few races left uncertain.

Tuesday, Californians voted for a three-strikes law reform, while a proposition to abolish the death penalty failed in the state. While the state will undergo changes in sentencing for repeat offenders, the death penalty remains on the books, with over 700 inmates on death row.

Joe Arpaio is known as the “Toughest Sheriff in America" for his hard stance on crime and undocumented immigrants in Maricopa County, Arizona. He has been investigated by the US Department of Justice for discrimination and supposed misconduct, although he denies the accusations.

The United States Senate has 12 new Members joining its ranks. The balance of power essentially remains unchanged as the Democratic Party retains its majority while Angus King replaces fellow Independent Joe Lieberman. Below is a short bio on each new Senator-elect.