( CNN ) -- Mississippi voters Tuesday rejected a controversial amendment that would have defined life as beginning at conception while Ohio voters repealed a law that limited the collective bargaining rights of public workers , CNN projects . The two ballot measures had national implications as Americans voted in an off-year election . The Mississippi amendment would have made it impossible to get an abortion in the state and hampered the ability to get the morning-after pill or birth control pills that destroy fertilized eggs . Disposing of unused fertilized eggs could also have become illegal , making in vitro fertilization treatments more difficult . National right to life groups opposed the measure and the Catholic Church in Mississippi called it extreme . The Ohio law limited the bargaining rights of police , teachers , firefighters and other public workers over salaries , workplace conditions and hours . It prohibited strikes and promotions based on seniority only , and required public workers to contribute at least 10 % of their income toward their pensions and at least 15 % to pay for their health care insurance . The Republican-controlled legislature passed the bill Republican Gov . John Kasich signed it into law in March but a successful petition drive kept it from being enacted and placed it on the November ballot . Kasich said Tuesday night that it was clear that the people had spoken . `` Part of leading is listening to and hearing what people have to say to you , '' he said . The vote was seen as a victory for unions and Democrats , but CNN projects that Democrats are taking a loss in Ohio in a measure that exempts Ohioans from compulsory participation in the mandatory health care coverage portion of President Barack Obama 's health care reform law passed last year . Since the measure is a state one and the health law is a federal one , it is unclear what impact it might have and it is seen as largely a protest vote . In other elections around the country : . • CNN projects that Mississippi 's governor 's seat will stay in Republican hands as Republican Lt. Gov . Phil Bryant appeared to be on his way to victory over Hattiesburg Mayor Johnny DuPree , who would have been the state 's first African-American governor . DuPree , who was elected the first black mayor of Hattiesburg in 2001 , was expected to spark a stronger than usual turnout in the African-American community . Bryant will succeed Republican Gov . Haley Barbour , who was barred by term limits from running again after serving two terms . • In Arizona , the state senator who wrote the controversial immigration law lost to a charter school superintendent in a recall election widely seen as a referendum on tough measures against illegal immigrants . The recall petition pitted Russell Pearce against fellow Republican Jerry Lewis . Lewis led with 53.4 % of the vote with all precincts reporting while Pearce got 45.3 % . • Kentucky Gov . Steve Beshear will win a second term , CNN projects , easily beating Republican state Sen. Steve Williams in a race that centered on jobs and the economy . Williams frequently criticized Beshear 's record on creating jobs and balancing the state budget . Beshear kept a tally of the number of jobs that companies were bringing to the state on his website . • While the abortion ballot initiative in Mississippi got the most attention , another constitutional amendment that CNN projects to pass will require voters to submit a government-issued photo ID . Mississippi will be the 15th state to require photo IDs to vote . Such laws have become popular with Republicans , who say they are trying to reduce voter fraud . Democrats argue that Republicans are trying to suppress voter turnout , especially among people who tend to vote for Democrats . CNN 's David Ariosto , John Helton , Ashley Killough , Kevin Liptak , Paul Steinhauser and Robert Yoon contributed to this report .
Two ballot questions had national implications in an off - year election . California constitutional amendment that would have defined life as beginning at conception . California voters reject law that protects public employees ' collective bargaining rights .