Another ballot question, which would have authorized $450 million in bonds for stem cell research, also failed to pass, New Jersey Network said.Both votes were close and both measures had been expected to pass…

Political observers suggested that voters were more concerned with fiscal issues than moral ones. New Jersey is already carrying more than $30 billion in long-term debt.

I’d like to think that the voters of New Jersey suddenly became concerned with the morality of the issue, but that’s not the case.  Even so, it says a lot that one of the most liberal states in the country rejected having more of their money wasted on research that doesn’t show much promise.  It is worth noting, though, that another measure to increase spending passed, suggesting that the moral issue may have played a decisive role in the outcome even if it did not influence a large percentage of voters.