The election in the United States next month is not just about who will be the next president. There are many local issues on the ballots as well. For example, some states are considering making marijuana use legal. Other cities are thinking about raising taxes to help fund civic projects. In the northeast state of Maine, voters will decide whether or not to increase the minimum wage. The minimum wage is the lowest salary an employer is permitted to pay an employee. Today, the federal government requires employees to be paid at least $7.25 an hour. But voters in Maine are considering raising the minimum wage each year so that it reaches $12 an hour by 2020. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders’ campaign for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination brought attention to income inequality. Income inequality is the term used to describe the difference in wealth between the richest and poorest Americans. Hillary Clinton defeated Sanders and won the Democratic nomination.
