Although both states went to President Bush on Nov. 2, voters in Florida and Nevada approved state initiatives significantly raising the minimum wage by one whole dollar.

In Florida, 72 percent of voters supported raising the state minimum wage by one dollar an hour, bringing wage levels to $6.15 per hour. Perhaps even more importantly for workers, this amount will be indexed for inflation every year, which makes it more progressive than wage policies in many other states. The Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), along with a coalition of unions and other liberal groups, sponsored and promoted the measure.

For more information on how the wage hike will positively impact Floridians, especially those with lower incomes, see a new report by the Center for American Progress.

Nevada voters also passed an initiative to raise the minimum wage by one dollar an hour, and to increase the level annually with increases in the cost of living. The measure passed with 68 percent approval.

Florida and Nevada join twelve other states that mandate a minimum wage above the level set by the federal government ($5.15). These victories will help millions of workers achieve a greater quality of life by giving them greater resources with which to face the rising costs of living. They also serve to bolster the economies of these two states and serve as a model to inspire other states to take similar action.