Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota and North Dakota are all set to hold primaries or caucuses in the first two months of the new year.

Oregon was the first state to use iPads for voting in the past election cycle, and in doing so it bolstered its reputation as a trend-setter among the states in elections.  Oregon was also the first state to allow all residents to conveniently vote by mail.  The iPads were used in limited applications during this cycle--only 5 were used on loan from Apple, Inc.  The reason for the limited roll out is because Oregon is trying a new experiement: using tablets to help disabled citizens vote by having the polls come to them.

Voters offered up few surprises as they took to the polls Tuesday to elect statewide officials and vote on various ballot propositions. In an election year with a small percentage of seats up for election, ballot propositions and special legislative recall elections took center stage. Seven states had propositions on the ballot Tuesday. Voters in Ohio and Mississippi rejected two measures that garnered plenty of national attention.

Transportation was the focus of about a dozen state or local ballot measures voted on in Tuesday’s elections around the country. Here’s a look at how some of them fared.

Voters in seven states took to the polls on Tuesday to vote on 27 ballot measures. In a year that had very few legislative and executive elections, some of the measures gained media attention over the last several months. The two that were seen as the most controversial, the Mississippi personhood amendment and the Ohio collective bargaining issue, were handily defeated. Below is a summary of the results from all seven states:

Voters yesterday sent mixed messages.  The success of two popular referenda to repeal laws passed this year and the recall of two powerful legislators is seen by many as a rebuke to Republicans, who gained power in the 2010 elections.   The party control of two state legislative chambers is still up for grabs, with Republicans making gains in Virginia and Mississippi, and a much-watched "personhood" ballot initiative failed in Mississippi, where supporters thought they had the best chance for success. 

Yesterday's legislative and executive branch results did not offer up many suprises.Only three states held regularly scheduled legislative elections, while two state elected governors. Below is a summary of the current results:

Today, voters in seven states will vote on 27 ballot initiatives.  These include two citizen-driven efforts to overturn laws passed by the legislature, and controversial measures related to taxes, abortion, elections, and gambling.