Florida elections offices audited over marijuana amendment petitions
TALLAHASSEE — As Florida’s recreational marijuana campaign again tries to get in front of voters, the state has levied pressure on local elections supervisors — putting them, one official said, “in the middle of a political war.”
That scrutiny intensified this week, when the state Office of Election Crimes and Security told elections supervisors in Orange, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties that it would be conducting audits of certain verified petitions. It’s unclear if other counties will also be audited.
Gov. Ron DeSantis fiercely opposes recreational marijuana. In 2024, his administration used state power and millions of taxpayer dollars to fight a legalization proposal sponsored by the group Smart & Safe Florida.
That committee is again trying to get a recreational initiative through and in lawsuits has accused the DeSantis administration of delays and issuing directives aimed at stopping them.
https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/elections/2026/01/15/recreational-marijuana-elections-supervisors-ballot-petitions-signatures/