The votes have been cast, the election is over and the people have spoken. But what does it all mean?

What do the outcomes say about our future as a state and a nation? Are changing demographics being reflected in a changing electorate? And did the historic midterm elections put an end to Arizona's voter crisis?

Election Day is finally here. In that spirit, the Tucson Weekly offered its readers "13 reasons to vote" as a way to combat "Arizona's Voter Crisis," in reference to a recent presentation in Tucson by Morrison Institute's Joseph Garcia regarding a report by the same name:

The Arizona Republic reported that before the harsh reality of the Great Recession soaked in, bold visions of a 40-story skyscraper rivaling downtown Phoenix's Chase Tower was envisioned in Glendale, and in the southwest Valley, Avondale set aside nearly 400 acres of farmland for a dense, walkable development with tall buildings, restaurants, hotels and high-end housing.

Arizona Capitol Times reported that Gov. Doug Ducey has committed to completing a drought-contingency plan to leave more water in the Colorado River in order to conserve water levels on Lake Mead. The drought planning comes as the federal Bureau of Reclamation predicts a shortage could happen on the lake as soon as 2020.

Arizona Capitol Times reported that candidates for the Central Arizona Water Conservation District board aren’t likely to be the subject of many headlines. They are, however, going to be responsible for ensuring 1.5 million acre-feet of water from the Colorado River gets to central Arizona.

Arizona Capitol Times reported that if Lake Mead’s levels dip too low, Arizona could lose about a seventh of its annual water allotment to the Central Arizona Project, which supplies much of the state’s water. Water experts said that could lead to farmers and homeowners paying higher water rates and prioritize Arizona behind neighboring states in CAP water availability.

The Arizona Daily Star reported that while Arizona had a record-breaking voter turnout at the primary election in August, the highest in the state’s history, it would be a mistake to assume that this will transfer to increased voter turnout at the upcoming general election.

Arizona Public Media reported that representatives from the Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission and Arizona State University's Morrison Institute have studied the state's lack of voter turnout and presented their findings in a forum held in Tucson.

The Arizona Republic reported that with a deadline approaching for Arizona to finish a deal that would divvy up Colorado River water deliveries, negotiations are proving difficult with points of disagreement over how the cuts should be spread around.