Florida had three constitutional amendments on its ballot this year which we detailed in our last edition. In order to pass, the amendment needed 60% voter approval. This is how the voters cast their ballots on each of the initiatives.
Amendment 1, Water & Land Conservation PASSED with 74.93%
This citizens’ initiative was led by Florida’s Water & Land Legacy, a coalition of conservation and civic organizations, businesses and citizens. The amendment requires 33% of the net revenue collected from the documentary stamp tax to go toward the Land Acquisition Trust Fund.
Amendment 2, Medical Marijuana FAILED 57.58%
This was another citizens’ initiative initiated by People United for Medical Marijuana. The amendment would have legalized the use of marijuana for certain medically debilitating conditions such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease “or other conditions for which a physician believes that the medical use of marijuana would likely outweigh the potential health risks for a patient.”
Amendment 3, Judicial Appointments FAILED 47.9%
This amendment was proposed by the Florida Legislature. The proposal would have allowed the Governor to “prospectively” fill a vacancy, meaning that the Governor would not need to wait until a judge completes his or her term to pick a successor in situations where a judge (1) reaches the mandatory retirement age of 70; (2) fails to qualify for a retention election; or (3) fails to be retained through election.