Florida Amendments on Marijuana and Abortion Rights Fail to Reach 60% Threshold

Nov 6, 2024, 02:07 AM

In a significant electoral outcome on November 6, 2024, Florida voters rejected two high-profile ballot initiatives, Amendment 3 and Amendment 4, both of which required a 60% supermajority to pass. Amendment 3, which sought to legalize recreational marijuana for adults aged 21 and older, failed to reach the necessary threshold despite gaining majority support, with preliminary results showing approximately 57% in favor. Similarly, Amendment 4, aiming to enshrine abortion rights into the state's constitution and overturn the existing six-week abortion ban signed by Governor Ron DeSantis, also fell short, securing around 57% support. This marks the first time since the overturn of Roe v. Wade that a state-level abortion rights measure has failed at the ballot box. The failure of these amendments means that recreational marijuana remains illegal in Florida, and the state's restrictive abortion laws remain in place.