Florida Amendment 3 ranks as the most expensive recreational marijuana legalization measure nationally since 2010
There is a new record-holder for the most expensive marijuana legalization ballot measure: Florida Amendment 3.
Marijuana has been a recurring trend for ballot measures since 2010, though there were a few before then. From 2010 to 2023, there were 24 ballot measures to legalize the recreational or personal use of marijuana. Campaigns cumulatively raised more than $174.83 million supporting ($146.98 million) and opposing ($27.85 million) those ballot measures.
The most expensive marijuana legalization ballot measure before 2024 was California’s Proposition 64, which voters approved in 2016. Campaigns raised $27.14 million supporting ($25.07 million) and opposing ($2.08 million) Proposition 64.
With supporters and opponents raising a combined $105.08 million, Amendment 3 has already surpassed California Proposition 64 by $77.94 million—with seven weeks remaining until the election on Nov. 5.
Supporters of Amendment 3, led by the Smart & Safe Florida PAC, raised $90.44 million through Aug. 30. Opponents, led by the Keep Florida Clean PAC, raised $14.64 million.
- In Florida, citizen-initiated constitutional amendments must receive a vote of 60% of those voting on the question. Just one legalization ballot initiative—Arizona Proposition 207—received more than 60% of the vote, with 60.03%. Two legislative constitutional amendments, in Maryland and New Jersey, also received more than 60%.
- The largest donor to the support campaign, Trulieve, is a marijuana business based in Florida with dispensaries in several states. Trulieve has donated $82.89 million.
- While the support campaign has outraised the opposition 6-to-1, the opposition campaign is also the most expensive legalization opposition campaign on record, with $14.64 million. Ken Griffin, CEO of Citadel LLC and a resident of Florida, contributed $12.00 million to the opposition.
- Florida has a Republican trifecta, meaning Republicans control the legislature and governor’s office. In Republican trifectas, voters approved 50% of legalization measures. In Democratic trifectas or divided governments, voters approved 90%.
Supporters outraised opponents in the 16 legalization measures voters approved between 2010 and 2023. However, voters defeated several measures where supporters raised more than opponents. While no measures were approved when opponents raised more money, with six of eight defeated measures, supporters raised more than opponents. The average difference between supporters and opponents was similar for approved and defeated measures. For approved measures, support campaigns raised an average of $5.03 million more than opponents. For defeated measures, they raised an average of $4.84 million.
Florida Amendment 3 is not only the most expensive marijuana legalization measure on record but also ranks as the most expensive ballot measure of the year—a position typically held by California ballot measures. The second most expensive measure of the year is also in Florida, Amendment 4, which would provide for a state constitutional right to abortion. Supporters and opponents of Amendment 4 have raised a combined $56.79 million. As of Sept. 17, a California measure, Proposition 33, ranks third, with supporters and opponents raising a combined $49.74 million.
H/T: news.ballotpedia.org
