Florida’s Costliest Ballot Initiatives: Abortion Access and Marijuana Legalization
This election season, the two most expensive ballot initiatives in the country are in Florida, with supporters and opponents of expanding abortion access and legalizing recreational marijuana having raised a combined total of over $203 million since summer 2022. According to campaign finance research nonprofit OpenSecrets, this is the most money spent on ballot measures in the state in at least two decades.
The Campaigns
The two ballot measures, Amendments 3 and 4, are related to social and moral policy issues that are highly salient among voters, said Binghamton University public administration professor Matthew Uttermark. Amendment 3 seeks to legalize marijuana for people 21 and older, while Amendment 4 aims to protect abortion access until viability.
Who’s Behind the Funding
Supporters of both amendments have contributed more than $178 million, while opponents have raised over $25 million. According to Reilly, an executive at cannabis firm Insa, the average pro-legal marijuana donation was $131,566, compared to $986 from the typical pro-abortion rights donor. Notable individual donors include conservative billionaire and DeSantis megadonor Kenneth Griffin, Trish Duggan, a Scientologist who has given hundreds of millions to the church and owns a home in Belleair Shore, and top supporters such as Democratic activist Marsha Laufer and philanthropist Lynn Schustermann.
Does Funding Matter?
Reilly believes that the main goal of amendment fundraisers is to spread awareness. He thinks people may be slightly more persuadable on the marijuana measure than they are on abortion. "A lot of people come to Amendment 3 with some perceptions of whether or not they support it already, but there is still a group that’s undecided, and I think it’s gonna be a close vote at the end of the day, and small movements will make a big difference in terms of being passed or not," he said.
Conclusion
It remains to be seen whether the significant funding disparity between supporters and opponents will impact the outcome of these ballot measures. While there is limited evidence that spending on advertising affects voter turnout or the chances a voter completes their ballot, it can persuade some to vote one way or another.
FAQs
- What do the ballot measures relate to?
- Amendment 3: Legalizing marijuana for people 21 and older
- Amendment 4: Protecting abortion access until viability
- How much money has been raised to support and oppose the ballot measures?
- Supporters: Over $178 million
- Opponents: Over $25 million
- What is the average donation in support of the marijuana amendment?
- $131,566
- What is the average donation in support of the abortion access amendment?
- $986
- What is the significance of former President Donald Trump’s endorsement of the marijuana amendment?
- It likely increases support among Republicans, a demographic that has been more difficult to persuade.
