2014 Election Results. 11/5/2014.
Besides the right to marry, one of the biggest controversies today focuses on the use of a plant called Marijuana. There are many people that agree with the usage of Marijuana and there are also many people that disagree. With the elections happening last night, some marijuana advocates were hoping that it would be a sweep win in the three states and Washington DC.
Washington DC focused on their Initiative 71 which was focused on possession of marijuana and they were able to grab a nearly 70 percent win (69.4%). The interesting thing about this legalization process in Washington DC is that it doesn’t allow any commercial activity. They are promoting a system called “grow and give.” That means individuals in Washington DC are allowed to grow their own marijuana and give away what they aren’t going to smoke themselves. Washington DC’s strategy is not going to generate any tax revenue or offer the convenience of purchasing it in a commercial system.
Oregon’s Measure 91 was a focus also on legalizing Marijuana and it was passed by a 9.4% margin but that is with only 842/1000 precincts reporting. They had voted down a similar measure two years ago and this was the second time around at the ballot. With this in place, a household can grow up to four plants. They also have limited the possession of up to only one ounce away from home but up to eight in the house. The difference between DC and Oregon is that Oregon is also allowing commercial marketing of Marijuana however they have also established specifics of where the tax money will go to and ironically tax money is going towards schools, drug treatment and police agencies.
Alaska had been pending at 9 AM with very few precincts left for reporting on their Ballot Measure 2. At the end of the day with 52.1% in favor of legalizing Marijuana, the ballot has been passed. This ballot will be legalizing recreational usage of marijuana with similar laws to the ones in effect in Colorado and Washington. This law would limit adults aged 21 and up to an ounce and six plants. This could also pave the way for taxation system an regulation of sales.
The last state is Florida and their ballot was the most targeted ballot focusing only on medical marijuana. They had to have a 60 percent win in order to pass the amendment and with only 57.6% the state of Florida failed. Competitors spent millions on marketing and pushing for and against the legalization. People that are for legalizing of medical use of marijuana in the state of Florida have already promised they would be back in 2016.
