Marijuana legalization fails in Florida as numerous states pass voting changes for citizens

(AP) – A costly campaign to legalize recreational marijuana in Florida failed Tuesday and California voters took a step toward tough crime laws as voters in dozens of states weighed more than 140 measures that appeared on the ballot, in addition to races for presidents and top state offices.

Florida was one of many states that decided on high-profile marijuana measures and was among the ten states considering it amendments regarding abortion or reproductive rights. Voters in several states overwhelmingly approved amendments specifically banning non-residents from voting, and Arizona passed a measure authorizing local police to enforce immigration laws.

Other state measures affected wages, taxes and education, including school choice measures that were defeated in Kentucky and Nebraska.

Many of the ballot measures were initiated by citizen petitions bypassing the state legislature, although others were submitted to voters by lawmakers.

Legalization of marijuana

The Marijuana amendment in Florida fell short of the 60% supermajority needed to approve constitutional amendments. It would have allowed recreational sales of marijuana to people over 21 from existing medical marijuana dispensaries, with the potential for the Legislature to license additional retailers.

The campaign was funded primarily by Trulieve, Florida’s largest medical marijuana operator, which had provided nearly $145 million of the $153 million campaign through the end of October. The measure was opposed by the Republican Party of Florida and Governor Ron DeSantis, who said it would reduce the quality of life by leaving a marijuana stench in the air.

Action to legalize recreational marijuana also lagged in North Dakota and South Dakota. The election marks the third vote on the issue in both states.

In Nebraska, voters approved a few measures to legalize medical marijuana and regulate the industry.

Heading into the election, 24 states and the District of Columbia – representing 53% of the national population – had already legalized marijuana for adults. In total, 38 states and the District of Columbia had laws allowing the medical use of marijuana. Possessing or selling marijuana remains a crime under federal law, punishable by jail time and fines.

In Massachusetts, voters considered a ballot measure that would legalize the possession and controlled use of natural psychedelics, including psilocybin mushrooms. It would be the third state to do this, Oregon to follow And Colorado.

Citizens’ votes

Constitutional amendments that explain that only citizens can vote received approval in all eight states where it went before voters – Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Wisconsin. All measures were referred to a vote by Republican-led lawmakers.

A 1996 U.S. law bans noncitizens from voting in federal elections, and many states already have similar laws. But Republicans have emphasized this the potential of non-citizens voting after an influx of immigrants at the U.S.-Mexico border. Although voting by non-citizens has historically been rare, voter rolls are reviewed before elections marked potential non-citizens registered in several states.

Some municipalities in California, Maryland, Vermont, and Washington, D.C. allow non-residents to vote in certain local elections.

Immigration

Arizona voters have approved a measure that would make it a state crime of entering from abroad except through official ports of entry. The measure authorizes state and local law enforcement to arrest offenders and state judges to order their deportations. It also makes it a state crime for someone already in the U.S. illegally to apply for public benefits using false documents.

Over the past year, Republican lawmakers have come in Texas, Iowa And Oklahoma have also passed immigration laws. In both cases, federal courts have halted states’ attempts to enforce these laws. The Arizona measure will not take effect immediately because it stipulates that violators cannot be prosecuted until a similar law in Texas or another state has been in effect for 60 consecutive days.

Crime

California voters took names a step towards tougher crime lawsten years after they were relaxed. A measure approved Tuesday makes shoplifting a crime again for repeat offenders and increases penalties for some drug charges, including those involving the synthetic opioid fentanyl. It also gives judges the power to order people with multiple drug offenses to seek treatment.

The measure partially reverses a law passed by voters in 2014 that downgraded several non-violent crimes to misdemeanors, including theft under $950 and some drug offenses.

Climate

Voters in Washington State passed a climate change law trying to reduce carbon pollution. Tuesday’s vote rejected an effort to repeal a 2021 state law that limits carbon emissions and requires major polluters to pay for the right to do so by purchasing “emission allowances.” Washington was the second state after California to launch such a program.

School choice

Voters in both Kentucky and Nebraska opposed school choice. Kentucky voters defeated one amending the state constitution that would have allowed lawmakers to use state funds for private schools. In Nebraskavoters have repealed a new state law that funds private school education with state dollars.

Sports betting

In Colorado, where sports betting launched in 2020, voters approved a measure allowing the state to keep more than the original $29 million limit in sports betting tax revenue.

Meanwhile, Missouri voters are deciding whether they will be last legalize sports betting. A total of 38 states and Washington DC allow sports bettingwhich has expanded rapidly since the U.S. Supreme Court paved the way for that in 2018.

Redistribution

In Ohio, voters defeated one initiative that would have created a 15-member citizen committee to handle reapportionment of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and state legislatures and required that the share of districts favoring each political party reflect the share of votes won in previous statewide elections.

Ohio’s districts were created by a Republican-led committee of elected state officials after the 2020 census and were repeatedly found by courts to be unconstitutionally gerrymandered to favor Republicans.

Supporters of the rejected constitutional amendment claimed it would ban “partisan gerrymandering.” But the ballot measure presented to voters — approved by a Republican-led board — stated it would have done the opposite through a commission “required to redistrict” to favor political parties.

Taxes

North Dakota voters defeated a proposal that would have done so eliminated most property taxes. A legislative panel estimated this could have cost the state more than $3 billion biennially — about half of the state’s two-year general budget approved last year.

In Oregon, voters rejected a measure that would have raised the minimum tax on large corporations to finance a tax credit for residents.

South Dakota voters rejected a proposed repeal of the sales tax on groceries.

In Colorado, voters are weighing a proposal that would make it the second-largest state after California to impose a sales tax on firearms and ammunition, with the revenue going primarily to crime victim services. The federal government already taxes the sale of guns and ammunition.

Voting methods

Connecticut voters have passed a measure allowing no-excuse absentee votingand joins most states that already allow it.

Ranked choice voting received mixed results from voters. A measure allowing ranked choice voting passed in Washington, DC. But in Oregon, voters rejected a measure that would have required ranked-choice voting in both the primary and general elections. And Missouri passed a measure banning ranked-choice voting.

Ranked choice voting is currently used in Alaska and Maine. But Alaska voters are also considering it whether it should be withdrawn provisions of a 2020 initiative that established open primaries and ranked-choice general elections.

Voters in Idaho and Nevada rejected proposals to use open primaries with candidates from all parties, with a certain number advancing to a general election using ranked choice voting. A similar measure was being considered in Colorado.

In South Dakota, voters rejected a measure to create open primaries in which candidates from all parties appear on the same ballot, with a certain number advancing to the general election. A similar measure is on the ballot in Montana.

Arizona voters also rejected a measure that would have required open primaries with candidates from all parties on the same ballot.

Minimum wage

Missouri voters approved a measure to gradually increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour, while also requiring paid sick leave. A similar measure is on the ballot in Alaska. A measure from California would gradually increase the minimum wage for all employers to $18 per hour.

Arizona voters rejected a measure that would have allowed tipped workers to be paid 25% less than the minimum wage, as long as tipped workers raised their total wages above the minimum wage threshold. In Massachusetts, voters were defeated a measure that would have been gradually increased the minimum wage for tipped employees until it matches the rate for other employees.

Nebraska voters approved a measure that would require many employers to offer sick leave, but it would not change wages.