Florida recreational marijuana measure falls short

By Ryland Barton

Published November 5, 2024 at 9:33 PM EST

Christopher Reid, 54, a U.S. Army veteran, relaxes in a hammock alongside homemade signs supporting Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris and Florida's Amendments 3 and 4, which would legalize recreational marijuana and enshrine abortion rights in the state, respectively, across from a polling place at the Coliseum in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida on Tuesday.

This story originally appeared as part of NPR's live coverage of the 2024 election. For more election coverage from the NPR Network head to our live updates page.

A ballot question that would have legalized recreational use of marijuana in Florida failed to clear a 60% threshold necessary to pass, according to a call from The Associated Press.

The policy, opposed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and supported by former President Trump, would have authorized the state’s medical marijuana growers and retailers to sell to consumers.

Florida voters approved a medical marijuana ballot measure in 2016. This year supporters of the policy funneled more than $100 million campaigning for the issue, the most spent on a ballot question in U.S. history. The vast majority of that money came from Trulieve, the state’s largest medical marijuana operator.

More: Florida election results

Democratic state officials largely supported it, Republicans opposed it.

Before this year’s elections, 24 states and the District of Columbia had legalized marijuana for recreational use. Thirteen of those policies were approved through ballot measures. Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota are also asking voters to weigh in on recreational marijuana this year. In Massachusetts, voters will consider legalizing plant-based psychedelic drugs.