California Retains Death Penalty, Approves $6 Billion Tax Increase at Polls

A measure to repeal the death penalty has been voted down by Californians, while Gov. Jerry Brown's proposed $6 billion-a-year tax increase to avoid massive cuts to the state's education system was approved in Tuesday's election.

Nine other propositions were considered by California voters Tuesday.

Approved were Prop 35, which imposes harsher prison sentences on human trafficking convictions, and Prop 36, which revises the state's Three Strikes law to issue life sentences only on felony convictions for serious or violent crimes.

Besides Prop 34, the dealth penalty repeal -- which was voted down 52 percent to 47 percent -- voters also said no to Prop 32, a controversial proposal that would have prohibited unions from deducting funds from payroll for political purposes. The practice is considered a key tool in counteracting private corporations' big-dollar donations to political candidates. 

Also failing to pass was Prop 30, which would have required labeling of food sold to consumers made from genetically modified plants or animals. The measure was criticized for being too easily circumvented by loopholes favoring the sellers.

A full list of statewide results is available here.