Recreational pot support still just shy of 60% threshold, according to Florida Chamber poll

Bills to cap pot potency were stamped out. Image via AP.

A ballot measure to legalize recreational pot in Florida is just short of the 60% support needed to pass. That’s according to a Florida Chamber of Commerce poll.

The latest survey by Cherry Communications finds a majority of Floridians ready to decriminalize marijuana, but not enough to meet Florida’s high threshold to amend the Florida Constitution. About 59% of voters support Amendment 3, according to the latest survey results.

That puts the 60% mark within the poll’s 4-percentage-point margin of error. But for the fourth consecutive time since the Chamber started polling on the issue, the amendment remained just shy of passage.

“The lack of movement in support from Floridians over the past year comes despite more than $75 million being raised to promote this amendment, over $70 million of which has come from Florida’s largest medicinal marijuana provider,” a polling memo states.

It noted that Gov. Ron DeSantis has taken a stance against the measure and already traveled the state raising objections. He has frequently discussed the smell of stores and concerns from law enforcement on wider use of the narcotic.

“This failure to build momentum for the amendment displays that the concerns about Amendment 3 raised by Governor DeSantis and others are resonating with many Floridians,” the polling memo states.

Pollsters surveyed 600 voters between Aug. 15 and 26, a time period that spanned Florida’s statewide Primary when more voters were politically engaged. The polling breakdown included 254 Republicans, 217 Democrats and 129 other voters.

Pollsters also noted that Florida Republicans have continued to expand an edge in voter registration in the state. The party now enjoys a 1 million-voter advantage statewide.

The same poll found DeSantis popular overall, with 55% of Floridians holding a positive view of the Governor.

“The Florida Chamber Political Operations team constantly analyzes ChamberHub, the Florida Chamber’s exclusive voter file, to recognize trends in Florida’s changing electorate,” said Florida Chamber President and CEO Mark Wilson.

“This new poll shows likely Florida voters are much more confident in Florida than in the nation as we begin the 2024 General Election, which is not surprising considering Florida created 1 in every 11 new jobs nationally over the last year and 1 in 6 new jobs nationally in the month of July alone. This job growth is not accidental — we must continue electing pro-jobs candidates to make sure the right things keep happening in Florida as we grow from the 16th to the 10th largest global economy by 2030.”