Voters just changed the Florida Constitution. Here’s what they did:

Florida voters ushered in two changes to the state Constitution on Tuesday but failed to pass some of the most high-profile issues like recreational marijuana and abortion protection.

The pot and abortion efforts, Amendments 3 and 4 respectively, were the two most expensive ballot initiative campaigns in the country, as proponents and opponents spent tens of millions of dollars to sway voters. Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis made it a top priority to defeat both amendments, which ended up on the ballot through the citizen initiative process.

But those two aren’t the only amendments Florida voters weighed in on this season. Four other amendments, each suggested by the Florida Legislature, were also on ballots.

In Florida, constitutional amendments need at least 60% voter support to pass, a higher bar than in nearly any other state.

Here’s how each amendment turned out.

Amendment 1: Partisan Election of Members of District School Boards

Florida’s school board races will remain nonpartisan after Florida voters failed to approve Amendment 1. The amendment got about 55% of support, short of the necessary 60% to pass.

Though school board races have become increasingly contentious and politically charged in Florida, candidates who run for a seat do not list their political party next to their name on ballots. Amendment 1 would have changed that.

Supporters of the amendment said it would allow voters to better vet their candidates, while opponents wanted party politics to stay out of school board elections.

Amendment 2: Right to Fish and Hunt

Voters Tuesday approved an amendment saying that hunting and fishing shall be “preserved forever” in Florida.

Amendment 2 passed with about 67% of the vote. It enshrines hunting and fishing as a public right and says they are the “preferred means of responsibly managing and controlling fish and wildlife.”

The Legislature put the issue on the ballot with a near unanimous vote. Opponents of the amendment said it was not necessary and could threaten Florida’s wildlife.

Amendment 3: Adult Personal Use of Marijuana

A multimillion-dollar push for recreational marijuana in Florida failed. The amendment got about 56% of the vote.

Amendment 3 would have allowed adults 21 and older to buy and use up to three ounces of marijuana without facing any criminal or civil penalty. While it got bipartisan backing, including from former President Donald Trump, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis made defeating the amendment a top priority.

In the weeks before the election, DeSantis and First Lady Casey DeSantis held multiple official state news conferences across Florida to denounce the marijuana amendment.

The amendment’s failure means that in Florida, only people with medical marijuana cards will be able to purchase pot legally.

Amendment 4: Amendment to Limit Government Interference with Abortion

Florida’s ban on most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy will continue after an amendment that would have protected abortion access failed to pass.

About 57% voted yes for Amendment 4, short of Florida’s high 60% bar for passage. Ballot measures protecting abortion have been widely successful around the country since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, but all of those states where abortion has been on the ballot prior to 2024 have lower bars for ratification.

The amendment would have protected abortions until viability — generally estimated to be around 24 weeks of pregnancy — or “when necessary to protect the patient’s health.”

Gov. Ron DeSantis, who last year signed Florida’s six-week abortion law, marshaled the forces of state government to oppose the amendment, hosting news conferences with doctors opposed to the amendment and running state-sponsored advertisements countering arguments from Amendment 4 supporters.

Amendment 5: Annual Adjustments to the Value of Certain Homestead Exemptions

Florida homeowners could see slightly larger tax breaks after Amendment 5 passed with about 66% of the vote.

The amendment proposes annually requiring an inflation adjustment on a $25,000 value homestead tax exemption starting in 2025. The exemption does not affect taxes paid to school districts.

Supporters hoped the change would help homeowners with their cost of living. Opponents feared that the larger tax break would hurt money for government emergency services like police and firefighters.

Amendment 6: Repeal of Public Campaign Financing Requirement

Statewide candidates for office will still be able to tap into a well of public funding to finance their campaigns after voters rejected Amendment 6. The amendment got about 50% support.

The amendment would have repealed the state public financing program, which allows certain statewide candidates to access public money as they run for office. To get the money, candidates must agree to certain spending conditions and a financial audit.

Last election cycle, candidates used about $13 million from the program. Supporters of the amendment said the money could be better used elsewhere, while opponents said the program offered more balance by allowing candidates with less funding to compete.

This story was originally published November 5, 2024 at 10:22 PM with the headline "Voters just changed the Florida Constitution. Here’s what they did:."