November 30, 2023

• A Florida university poll shows widespread support for two constitutional amendments on abortion rights and marijuana legalization, suggesting they could pass the 60% supermajority needed in the 2024 ballot, despite facing legal challenges.

• The initiatives display a rare bipartisan appeal, with significant backing from voters across political lines, including a substantial number of Republicans supporting both the abortion rights and marijuana legalization proposals.

• While the marijuana legalization initiative has already garnered enough signatures for ballot inclusion, the abortion rights amendment is still in the signature collection phase. Both face scrutiny in the judicial review process, with their fate partly dependent on the state Supreme Court's decisions.

A recent survey conducted by a prominent Florida university reveals strong support among Florida's electorate for two constitutional amendments, one safeguarding abortion rights and the other legalizing recreational marijuana use. These citizen-led proposals face significant obstacles before potentially being included in the 2024 ballot. The study, involving 716 registered voters, suggests that both initiatives might exceed the required 60% supermajority for passage. The survey also assessed the popularity of several 2024 political candidates.

The initiative for marijuana legalization has already surpassed the necessary number of valid signatures for ballot inclusion, while the abortion rights proposal is still gathering signatures. Despite the typical partisan divide over such issues, the survey indicates substantial bipartisan support, including a notable percentage of Republican voters favoring both amendments.

The marijuana legalization proposal enjoys 67% overall backing, with notable support from Republicans and independents. Similarly, the amendment for abortion rights is supported by a majority of voters across party lines, including over half of the Republican participants.

The university's political science expert highlights the specificity of the questions in this survey compared to previous ones, indicating a strong possibility of these measures passing if they survive the legal challenges. Both amendments are currently undergoing judicial review by the state's Supreme Court, which is crucial for their advancement to the ballot.

Concerns are being raised about the potential impact of the court's conservative composition on these citizen initiatives. The state's Attorney General has been actively opposing these measures, arguing that their ballot summaries are misleading and violate the single-subject rule. However, during recent court hearings, some justices have questioned these arguments and sought further clarifications.

The group advocating for the abortion rights amendment is also seeking an opportunity to present oral arguments in front of the Supreme Court.

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