Special Report

Election 2024

Abortion and Marijuana on the Ballot Nationwide

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November 6, 2024

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Special Report: Election 2024

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(TAMPA, Fla.) — Florida voters cast their votes in more than just a tight presidential race this year. Abortion and marijuana are also on the ballot in the state, and it’s not the only one.

Today, ten states are looking to voters to decide if abortion rights should be part of their state’s law. Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, and South Dakota all considered ballot measures that would reverse many recently enacted laws banning abortion. Residents of South Dakota, for example, are under a total abortion ban, while many of the others are under a restricted or partial ban.

In a weird twist, Nebraska has two conflicting measures on abortion: one for and one against. Voters can technically vote yes to pass both measures, vote no to fail them both, or split their vote. If both measures pass, the one with the highest number of votes becomes the law.

Four states Florida, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota are voting on whether to legalize marijuana to some extent.  The Dakotas and Florida are to expand possession to include personal usage.

Massachusetts has already legalized recreational usage, so this proposal is looking to expand personal usage to include psychedelics and more regulatory measures.

Nebraska again has two measures, both are about medical marijuana, which is currently illegal. Both are varying proposals about possession, distribution, and regulation.

In Florida, ads for and against these amendments bombarded television and streaming services for the last month. Several times, the opposing ads would be run back to back, touting their doom-and-gloom message if people chose not to opt for their side.

Florida voters received the majority of the votes for both issues but failed to get the 60% necessary to pass. Amendment 3 (marijuana) got 55.89% and Amendment 4 (abortion) got 57.14% of the vote. Florida is the first state to fail to pass a ballot measure expanding abortion access.

Residents of Arizona (62%), Colorado (61%), Maryland (74%), Missouri (51%), Montana (57%), Nevada (63%), and New York (57%) voted to pass their amendments for abortion rights. Colorado needed 55% to pass and met that threshold, and Missouri barely eked into law by less than 100,000 votes. South Dakota failed to pass its legislation with 59% voting “no” on their amendment. Nebraska’s two measures ended up with a split vote, passing with 55% of the vote.

Meanwhile, only Nebraska passed both their measures on marijuana access. North Dakota and South Dakota joined Florida in failing to pass its marijuana initiatives.

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