FL Abortion, Marijuana Measures Fail + Other Amendment Results

FLORIDA — Voters on Tuesday opted not to enshrine abortion rights into the Florida constitution, keeping in place Gov. Ron DeSantis' six-week ban on the procedure, according to an Associated Press projection.

Voters rejected Amendment 4 after the initiative failed to reach the 60 percent supermajority. The measure faced an uphill battle in the deeply red state where Trump, a Florida resident, said during the campaign that he would vote against it.

According to the Florida Division of Elections website, 57 percent of voters voted in favor of Amendment 4, just 3 percent shy of the 60 percent required to pass.

Voters also rejected legalizing recreational marijuana while also deciding the fate of four other Florida constitutional amendments focused on issues ranging from abortion access to hunting rights, according to an NBC News projection.

Despite public backing from former Trump, only 55.8 percent of voters voted for Amendment 3, which would have legalized the use of recreational marijuana in Florida. A 60 percent supermajority was required for the amendment to pass.

Check the Florida Division of Elections website for live results on how the state cast its ballots.

Patch will update this story throughout the night with the latest. Results in the election remain unofficial until certified.

Here are Amendments 3 and 4 explained:

Amendment 3: Recreational Marijuana - FAILED

Amendment 3 would have legalized the use of recreational marijuana in Florida. If the measure passed, adults 21 years and older could have possessed up to three ounces of marijuana, as well as purchased and used marijuana products and accessories for non-medical reasons.

The measure would have also allowed treatment centers and other state-licensed facilities to grow, manufacture, sell and distribute marijuana products and accessories.

Twenty-four states and Washington, D.C., have legalized the possession and personal use of marijuana for recreational purposes, according to Ballotpedia.

Amendment 4: Abortion Access - FAILED

If passed, Amendment 4 would have prohibited state lawmakers from creating any law that would prohibit, penalize or restrict a person's right to an abortion before viability — considered somewhere over 20 weeks into pregnancy — or when necessary to protect the patient’s health.

The amendment would have undone a law that took effect this year banning abortion in most cases after the first six weeks of pregnancy — before many women know they're pregnant.

The law, signed by DeSantis, changed the national abortion landscape. As a result, many Florida women are going out of state for abortions. Those from other places in the South with bans are also traveling farther rather than seeking services in Florida.

Florida was one of nine states with an abortion measure on the Nov. 5 ballot.

Four additional amendments will give voters a say on issues including school board elections, the right to hunt and fish, and campaign financing. Here are those ballot measures explained:

Amendment 1: Partisan School Board Races - FAILED

This measure proposed to amend the state constitution to require Florida school board candidates to be elected in a partisan election rather than through the nonpartisan elections currently in place.

Currently, only four states — Alabama, Connecticut, Louisiana, and Pennsylvania — have laws providing for partisan school board elections, according to Ballotpedia. Five states — Rhode Island, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia — provide for partisan or nonpartisan school board elections depending on the district.

A "yes" vote supported making school board elections partisan beginning with the November 2026 general election. A "no" vote opposed making school board elections partisan and would maintain the current status of elections.

As of 10:15 p.m. Tuesday, only 55 percent of voters voted in favor of the amendment with a majority of precincts reporting.

Amendment 2: Fishing, Hunting Rights - PASSED

This measure proposes to amend the state constitution to "preserve forever fishing and hunting" as a public right and a preferred way of managing Florida's fish and wildlife populations.

A "yes" vote supported establishing a constitutional right to hunt and fish in Florida, while a "no" vote opposed it.

As of 10:15 p.m. Tuesday, more than 67 percent of voters voted in favor of the amendment, meaning the measure will pass.

Amendment 5: Adjusted Homestead Exemptions - PASSED

This measure proposed to amend the state constitution to require an annual adjustment for inflation for the value of current or future homestead exemptions. The measure will create an inflation adjustment for the second half of a property owner’s $50,000 reduction from the taxable value of their home.

A "yes" vote supported an annual inflation adjustment to the amount of assessed value that is exempt from property taxation and does not affect taxes that pay for schools, while a "no" vote opposed it.

As of 10:15 p.m. Tuesday, more than 66 percent of voters voted in favor of the amendment, meaning the measure will pass.

Amendment 6: Public Campaign Financing - FAILED

This measure proposed to amend the state constitution to repeal public campaign financing, a subsidy currently available for statewide candidates like the governor, attorney general and commissioner of agriculture who agree to spending limits.

A "yes" vote supported repealing the state constitutional provision that provides public funds to those running for state office. A "no" vote opposed repealing the provision.

As of 10:15 p.m. Tuesday, only 50.4 percent of voters voted in favor of the amendment with a majority of precincts reporting.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.