What you need to know about the six constitutional amendments on ballot
This year, Florida voters aren’t just deciding who they want to be president. They’re also choosing whether to amend the state constitution to protect their own property tax bills from inflation, stop candidates from receiving public money for political campaigns and legalize marijuana.
In all, six ballot initiatives will be presented to voters, each needing 60% support to pass.
Here’s a closer look at all of the amendments:
SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS
Amendment 1 proposes that the state bring back partisan school board elections on or after November 2026.
Florida school board races have been nonpartisan since voters passed an amendment in 1998 that required candidates to run without party labels. But lately, schools have been a political battleground in Florida, and lawmakers decided this winter to ask voters to once again identify school board candidates by their party affiliation.
Those who oppose the amendment fear that bringing back party labels to local school board elections will further politicize education. Amid his push to ban books and lessons related to critical race theory and other “woke” ideas in classrooms, Gov. Ron DeSantis has had a heavy hand in local school board races, backing more than 30 winning candidates in 2022.
Those in favor say it will create more transparency for voters.
HUNTING AND FISHING
Amendment 2 would establish hunting and