TALLAHASSEE — Florida’s efforts to place a recreational marijuana initiative on the November ballot are falling short, with the state Division of Elections updating the number of valid signatures submitted by the political committee, Smart & Safe Florida. As of Thursday, the committee reported 714,888 valid signatures, an increase of approximately 40,000 from two months ago, but still significantly below the 880,062 signatures required.
The state’s reported total does not represent the final count of verified signatures, according to a notice on the Division of Elections website, which referenced Secretary of State Cord Byrd. The committee must also meet specific thresholds in congressional districts to qualify the measure for voter consideration.
Legal Challenges and Signature Verification Issues
The update comes after Smart & Safe Florida filed a lawsuit against the state elections office, demanding an accurate reflection of the valid signatures. The lawsuit claimed that Byrd’s office had violated state law by failing to post the number of verified signatures weekly from December 1 to February 1.
Earlier this week, the Division of Elections reported a static total of 675,307 valid signatures, unchanged since November 23. Yet, county supervisors had confirmed additional petitions that were verified during the intervening months. This disagreement has intensified scrutiny of the petition process.
On January 15, Judge Jonathan Sjostrom ruled that the state improperly directed the invalidation of approximately 42,000 petitions signed by inactive voters. However, he upheld the decision to invalidate nearly 29,000 signatures collected by out-of-state petition gatherers. Both parties have appealed aspects of this ruling to the 1st District Court of Appeal, which has temporarily halted the ruling regarding inactive voters.
Fraud Investigations and Political Pushback
The legal landscape surrounding the proposed amendment has become increasingly contentious. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced a heightened investigation into election fraud linked to the signature-gathering efforts. Recently, authorities arrested Teagen Marie Targhuhanuchi on charges related to allegedly fraudulent voter registrations, which Uthmeier claimed were connected to Smart & Safe Florida.
“There is no excuse for a mega marijuana corporation and its affiliates to fraudulently hijack Florida’s Constitution,” Uthmeier stated. “This behavior is a direct attack on election integrity, and we will hold anyone who commits or participates in these crimes fully accountable.”
Uthmeier’s office has initiated 46 criminal investigations and issued four subpoenas to Smart & Safe Florida, seeking records related to potentially fraudulent petitions. He is also urging the Florida Supreme Court to prevent the proposal from appearing on the ballot, describing it as misleading and “fatally flawed.” The court is expected to decide soon whether the proposal meets the legal standards for a ballot initiative.
With a deadline looming on February 1, 2024, the outcome of these legal challenges will significantly impact the future of recreational marijuana use in Florida. The ongoing disputes highlight not only the complexities of the petition process but also the broader implications for voter engagement and election integrity in the state.