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California Voter Turnout Was 72 Percent In November Election

SACRAMENTO (CBS / AP) -- California's Secretary of State said more than half the voters who cast ballots in the November election voted by mail—the highest rate yet for a general election.

Secretary of State Debra Bowen certified the results on Friday. She said 13.2 million California voters cast ballots, about 6.8 million of them by mail. Voter turnout was 72 percent.

For the first time, voters were able to register online, and about 590,000 people did so.

The results showed Gov. Jerry Brown's initiative to raise sales and income taxes, Proposition 30, passed by a wide margin -- 55.4 percent to 44.6 percent.

Bowen also certified the results of Assembly District 36, where Democrat Steve Fox edged Republican Rom Smith by just 145 votes.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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