Florida weighed in on six key amendments on election night. Voters made their decisions amid intense statewide campaigns on a variety of topics, from abortion to recreational marijuana access. Each amendment required a 60% supermajority to pass and be added to the state constitution.
Amendment 1 has failed, with the measure failing to achieve the 60% of yes votes needed to pass. School board elections in Florida will remain nonpartisan, which is how the races have been held in recent years.
With more than 60% of the vote going to yes, Amendment 2 has passed, enshrining the right to hunting and fishing in the state constitution. A second provision in the amendment has declared hunting and fishing the “preferred method for responsibly managing and controlling fish and wildlife.” Florida joins 23 other states in enshrining hunting and fishing in its constitution.
Amendment 3 has failed to garner the support necessary to pass, with the measure falling short of the 60% of votes needed to be enacted. Marijuana laws in Florida will remain as they currently are. Its use will continue to be limited to only those with medical marijuana certificates.
With opposition from major Florida Republicans like Gov. Ron DeSantis, Amendment 4 has failed to get the 60% of votes needed to pass. Florida will continue to have some of the strictest abortion laws in the country, with access banned outside the first six weeks of a pregnancy.
Janice Garry, president of the League of Women Voters of Alachua County, said she was disappointed in the state government for how it handled Amendment 4. Critics voiced frustration leading up to the election, airing concerns about the financial statement added to the ballot and police questioning voters who signed a petition in support of including the measure on the ballot.
Florida has voted yes on Amendment 5. The homestead exemption will now increase based on inflation, saving homeowners on property taxes each year. The state’s Revenue Estimating Conference said the measure would decrease non-school property taxes statewide by $22.8 million in the 2025-2026 fiscal year and $111.8 million in the 2028-2029 fiscal years. Those with the exemption will see a reduction in their homeowner’s taxes each year; however, local governments will see less in tax revenue.
Amendment 6 has failed, with the measure falling short of the 60% of votes needed to pass. Florida’s public campaign financing requirement will not change. Candidates who agree to certain spending limits will continue to receive some public funds to support their campaigns for office.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
