Maryland

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Maryland voters backed President Obama and another incumbent Democrat, Senator Ben Cardin, in this safely blue state.

In a year in which ballot initiatives stole the spotlight, Maryland voters narrowly passed a measure to legalize same-sex marriage. The measure passed with a four-point margin with 98 percent of the precincts reporting.

The shift came as more black voters, who are one-third of the electorate in the state, have expressed support for same-sex marriage. Historically, blacks across the nation have been swayed on the issue by strong opposition by black religious leaders.

Voters have rejected same-sex marriage in 32 states where the issue was put on the ballot.

Maryland was one of four states voting on same-sex marriage this year. The others were Maine, which passed its referendum; Minnesota and Washington. As Election Day approached, voters were inundated with ads about the marriage measure and a ballot initiative that would expand gambling to raise tax dollars for schools. The gambling measure also narrowly passed. Voters also approved a measure to allow illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition at public colleges.

In House contests, John Delaney, a Democrat, beat Representative Roscoe G. Bartlett, a Republican, for the seat Mr. Bartlett held for 20 years in the Sixth District, reshaped by the Democrat-led General Assembly last year.

Mr. Delaney’s victory gives Maryland Democrats a 7-to-1 advantage in the state’s Congressional delegation.

Senator Ben Cardin easily won re-election to a second term, defeating a Republican opponent, Daniel Bongino, a former Secret Service agent who is now a Web design consultant, and two other candidates.