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Arizona voters took a machete to the dense jungle of ballot propositions and cut a path to broader restrictions on undocumented immigrants.

Tuesday's ballot was jammed with complex, confusing and often contentious, almost examlike propositions. We hope that voters never again are slammed with such a confounding and overwhelming task.

However, the voters have spoken and it's time to travel the course they made.

While Congressional District 8 rejected the hard-line immigration views of Randy Graf, the state's passage of the four propositions targeting illegal immigration sends a message to the nation that Arizona welcomes a tough stand against illegal entrants, especially in the courts.

Passage of Prop. 100 prohibits bail for illegal entrants charged with a serious felony, and Prop. 102 prohibits an undocumented person who wins a civil lawsuit from receiving punitive damages. Likewise, the passage of Prop. 103 hammers home the message that all official business be conducted in English. Prop. 300, which restricts access to public services to illegal immigrants and their children, makes it clear that the majority of voters have no tolerance for the undocumented.

Prop. 107, the constitutional amendment that defines marriage as a union between one man and one woman, was failing by the slimmest of margins early this morning. Marriage already is defined by state statute, making this amendment unnecessary. But the intense campaign and the close vote casts a socially conservative tone for the state.

The passage of Prop. 202, which hikes Arizona's minimum wage, will benefit senior citizens who must supplement their limited incomes. Our state was one of six that had a minimum-wage increase on the ballot.

Passage of Prop. 201 means Arizona will have strong smoking restrictions that will protect the health of those who work in bars and restaurants.

A flurry of ballot measures, including Arizona's Prop. 207, were sparked by the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case of Kelo v. City of New London, Conn., which allowed the use of eminent domain to transfer privately owned land for the economic benefit of the community. Fear of losing one's property seemed to prevail Tuesday, with this proposition's passage, which we fear will bring land-use and transportation planning to a halt.

Some measures were so densely written that they were easily misunderstood and will undoubtedly be subject to legal challenges.

It's been an exhausting, argumentative campaign season. Whether or not you agree with the outcomes, and pending any lawsuits, the path Arizona voters have chosen is clear. ● Election results / Page A18