Florida Ballot To Decide on Legal Marijuana, Abortion Rights Protections

Floridians are casting their votes to decide on two major ballot measures that could have far-reaching implications: one that would protect abortion rights and another that seeks to legalize recreational marijuana.

The issues could represent potential landmark victories for Democrats in a state that has increasingly leaned toward Republicans in recent elections.

The abortion rights measure aims to enshrine protections for abortion access in Florida's state constitution.

If approved, it would prevent state lawmakers from passing laws that penalize, prohibit, delay, or restrict access to abortion until fetal viability—typically considered by medical professionals to occur around 21 weeks of pregnancy.

What is Florida's existing law?

Should voters reject the proposal, Florida's existing restrictive six-week abortion ban would remain in effect.

This would make Florida one of the first states to vote down abortion rights following the Supreme Court's 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade.

The marijuana legalization initiative is also drawing considerable attention in the state, which has a large agricultural sector and a thriving medical marijuana market.

The proposed amendment would allow adults aged 21 and older to legally possess up to three ounces of marijuana.

Florida Marijuana Laws

It would also permit businesses that already cultivate and sell medical marijuana to expand their operations to include recreational sales.

The measure comes at a time when federal officials are discussing the possibility of reclassifying marijuana as a less harmful drug, which could further shift the legal landscape across the country.

For both issues, a supermajority of more than 60 percent of voters is required for approval.

In previous elections, abortion rights have proved to be a key motivator for voter turnout, particularly in 2022, when abortion access was a central issue in helping Democrats retain several Senate seats.

Republican Governor Ron DeSantis and other GOP leaders have mounted a vigorous campaign against both measures.

They argue that legalizing recreational marijuana could have negative consequences, for example harming the state's tourism industry by creating a pervasive marijuana smell in popular areas.

Will the Republicans Hold on to Florida?

However, some prominent Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, who resides in Florida, and former GOP Chairman State Senator Joe Gruters, have expressed support for marijuana legalization.

In the case of the abortion measure, Trump initially vacillated on how he would vote but ultimately stated that he would oppose the initiative, aligning with his party's stance against expanding abortion rights in the state.

Democratic campaigns, meanwhile, have strongly advocated for both issues, hoping to rally their base and drive voter turnout in a state where Republicans hold a significant voter registration advantage—nearly one million more registered Republicans than Democrats.

The outcome of these ballot measures could signal broader shifts in Florida's political landscape, especially on issues that have played a central role in national debates about reproductive rights and drug policy.

This article contains additional reporting from The Associated Press