The Florida Supreme Court signed off on two ballot referendums last week which could expand abortion rights and legalize recreational marijuana use if approved by at least 60% voters on November’s ballot.
The abortion ballot measure comes after Florida’s Supreme Court ruled that a 15-week abortion ban signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis last year is permissible under the state’s right-to-privacy clause, which prohibits the use or disclosure of Floridians’ health information.
This ruling also clears the way for a 6-week abortion ban, which was signed by DeSantis this year, to go into effect next month.
Seven states have voted in support of ballot measures endorsing abortion access since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022 and gave states authority to impose fresh restrictions.
If approved by Florida voters, abortion access would be assured in the state until fetal viability, usually considered 24 weeks.
Justices rejected arguments by Attorney General Ashley Moody, who opposed the referendum. She claimed that the abortion rights amendment is too vague to be put in the hands of voters.
Voters approved an amendment in 2016 that allowed the sale and use of medical marijuana, but this year they will decide on the drug’s recreational use. The amendment will allow people 21 and older to “possess, purchase or use marijuana products and marijuana accessories for non-medical personal consumption.”
Safe & Smart Florida, backed by the medical marijuana company Trulieve, led the force to put this measure on the ballot. Trulieve spent around $40 million to advocate for the amendment.
Students have reported feeling a disconnect between the public and the state government on hot-topic issues like abortion rights and the use of marijuana. Although many consider the Supreme Court’s decision to include the amendments on the November ballot, some Floridians feel these measures are too little, too late.
“I think having both of these issues on the ballot is a massive success and absolutely necessary in achieving accurate reflections of our population’s opinions and beliefs,” said sophomore Jaylene Molina, the Women’s Student Union membership coordinator.
“With that being said, I have often felt a lot of dissatisfaction on both sides of the political spectrum with new pieces of legislation and inaccurate representations of the wants and needs of the general public.”
DeSantis said both proposed amendments are too radical to pass.
“Once voters figure out how radical both of those [amendments] are, they’re going to fail. They are very, very extreme,” the governor said in an appearance last week.
State Democrats are optimistic that these initiatives will bring more progressive voters to the polls in November. Brad Coker, CEO of Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy, an independent firm conducting voter surveys, said the amendments will help voter turnout.
“It’ll bring out younger voters of all kinds and more white, female voters, both groups which lean heavy Democratic,” Coker said. “It’ll definitely help turn out voters in what for many was looking like a lackluster choice in the presidential race between Biden and Trump.”
“If people, especially younger generations, don’t push political agendas past social media and show up to voting polls, we will see no change. If there are misalignments between legislative policies and public opinion, I believe it stems this inactive participation,” said freshman Natalie Mastali.
Students and young voters remain optimistic that their voices will be heard in November.
“I think the more things on the ballot the better, especially because representatives are supposed to represent our beliefs, and opinions of the people when it actually comes from the people, and you can see an accurate vote. I think it is powerful and it makes legislation and the government’s action much more clear,” said Florida State freshman Emma Claire Brown.
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