If 2012 was cannabis legalization’s breakthrough election, 2016 may prove to be the movement’s tipping point. When Colorado and Washington state voted to allow the adult use of cannabis in 2012, 12 million Americans gained the freedom to purchase and consume. If all five adult-use ballot measures pass in 2016, a total of 76 million people — nearly one-quarter of the U.S. population — will live in states with legal, regulated adult-use cannabis. On the medical side, Florida, Arkansas, and North Dakota would add 24 million residents to the roughly 160 million Americans already living in 25 states with legal medical cannabis.

Leafly’s political staff will continually update this page with the latest poll numbers, financial contributions, and election data. Follow our campaign features and expanded coverage at Leafly Politics.

States in Play: November 2016

Adult Use Cannabis Legalization

State	Ballot Measure	Current Status
Arizona	Adult Use: Proposition 205	Oct. 20 Arizona Republic poll has 50% favoring, 42% opposing, 8% undecided.
California	Adult Use: Proposition 64	SurveyUSA poll: 52-41% in favor. USC/LA Times poll: 58-34% in favor.
Maine	Adult Use: Question 1	Gov. LePage is against it, but polls say 55% of Mainers want it.
Massachusetts	Adult Use: Question 4	Oct 19 WBUR poll has Q4 passing, 55 to 40%. Oct 27 Suffolk U/Boston Globe poll has it passing 49 to 42%.
Nevada	Adult Use: Question 2	Latest: 57% for, 33% against legalization. But $2 mil in attack ads are about to drop.

Medical Use Cannabis Legalization

State	Ballot Measure	Current Status
Arkansas	Medical: Issue 6 and Issue 7	Sept. 17 poll has Issue 7 passing, Issue 6 failing.
Florida	Medical: Amendment 2	Late-Sept. polls have support at 69 to 73%.
Montana	Medical: Initiative 182	Court-ordered dispensary closures boost MMJ support.
North Dakota	Medical: Measure 5	Lack of pre-election polling makes this one tough to call.

National Polling on Legalizing Cannabis

The Pew Research Center’s poll on legalization continues to be the best source of data on America’s rapidly changing views on cannabis. Rule of thumb: The younger the voter, the more likely they are to support adult-use legalization.

Source: Pew Research Center

State-by-State Polling

Legalization campaigns are a lot like presidential campaigns: People tend to watch the national polling figures, but what really matters are the state-by-state polls. Good piece on this recently by Nate Silver at FiveThirtyEight, by the way — well worth reading. The Pew national poll is great for taking the nation’s overall temperature, but the legalization movement marches forward one state at a time. (Polls on state-level cannabis support aren’t taken at regular intervals, so the time-axes are a little funky.)

California: Latest Polling Results 

Poll Date	Polling Organization	Yes on Prop. 64	No on Prop. 64	Undecided
10/14/2016 - 10/23/2016	Public Policy Institute of California	55	38	6
10/13/2016 - 10/15/2016	SurveyUSA	51	40	9
10/7/2016 - 10/13/2016	Hoover Institution/YouGov	56	34	10
9/9/2016 - 9/18/2016	CALSPEAKS	60	30	10

 

Florida: Latest Polling Results

Date	Poll	Support %	Oppose %	Undecided %
10/22/16 - 10/26/16	St. Leo University	71.3	21.6	7.1
10/17/2016 - 10/20/2016	People United for Medical Marijuana	74	22	4
9/27/2016 - 10/4/2016	Public Opinion Research Lab	77	18	4
9/15/16 - 9/20/16	Florida Chamber of Commerce/Cherry Communications	73	22	5
9/10/16 - 9/16/16	St. Leo University	68.8	32.2	0

 

Massachusetts: Latest Polling Results

Poll Date	Polling Organization	Yes on Question 4	No on Question 4	Undecided
Oct. 27	Suffolk U. / Boston Globe	49	42	8
Oct. 19	WBUR	55	40	5
Late Sept.	WBZ/U. Mass	53	40	7
Mid-Sept.	WBUR	50	45	5
July 12-13	Gravis Marketing	41	51	9

State of the Leaf: This Week in Politics

Every Thursday, Leafly associate editor Lisa Rough compiles the State of the Leaf, a state-by-state update on cannabis legalization matters around the nation. This week: Alaska harvests its first legal crop with nowhere to sell it; one of two Arkansas ballot measures survives its day in court, an Illinois judge adds one more MMJ qualifying condition, and the ballot battle ends in Michigan and Oklahoma.

Follow the Money

Money doesn’t always change everything, but in politics it matters an awful lot. Here’s the latest data on contributions for and against legalization campaigns. Keep in mind that there’s often a lag of anywhere between several weeks and several months in the public disclosure of contributions due to each state’s campaign financing rules.

Arizona

PACs for Cannabis Legalization (Initiative 205)

PAC	Amount Raised
Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol	$5,237,084
Total:	$5,237,084

PACs Against Cannabis Legalization (Initiative 205)

PAC	Amount Raised
Arizonans for Responsible Drug Policy	$5,605,735
Just Vote No Arizona	$854
Marijuana Consumers Against Fake Marijuana Legalization	$3,038
No on Prop 205	$0
Total:	$5,609,627

Donors for Cannabis Legalization (Initiative 205)

Donor	Amount
Marijuana Policy Project	$778,950
Marijuana Policy Project Foundation	$236,572
Arizona Grassroots Dispensary	$135,000
High Mountain Health	$130,000
Monarch	$110,000

Donors Against Cannabis Legalization (Initiative 205)

Donor	Amount
Discount Tire	$1,000,000
Sheldon Adelson	$500,000
INSYS Therapeutics	$500,000
JoAnne & Ernie Garcia	$250,000
Randy Kendrick	$100,000
Denny T. Sanford	$100,000

Arkansas

PACs for Medical Marijuana Legalization 

Committee / PAC	Cumulative Totals
Arkansans for Compassionate Care	$162,800.43
Arkansans United For Medical Marijuana	$885,155.38
Total:	$1,047,955.81

PACs Against Medical Marijuana Legalization 

Committee / PAC	Cumulative Totals
Family Council Action Committee BQC	$11,745.78
Arkansans Against Legalized Marijuana	$48,200
Coalition for Safer Arkansas Communities	$5,774.26
Total:	$65,720.04

California

PACs for Cannabis Legalization (Prop. 64)

PAC	Amount Raised
Californians for Responsible Marijuana Reform, Yes on Prop. 64	$191,202
Californians for Sensible Reform	$850,000
Drug Policy Action, Yes on 64	$530,000
Fund for Policy Reform	$6,140,000
Marijuana Policy Project of California	$788,992
New Approach PAC	$7,376,000
The Adult Use Campaign for Proposition 64	$14,032
Yes on 64	$6,879,122
Total:	$22,769,348

PACs Against Cannabis Legalization (Prop. 64)

PAC	Amount Raised
Smart Approaches to Marijuana Action (Sam Action) Against Prop. 64	$1,364,000
No on Prop. 64 (CA Public Safety Institute)	$1,124,001.16
Moms Strong Against Prop 64	$4,185.00
Total:	$2,492,186.16

Top Donors for Cannabis Legalization (Prop. 64)

Donor	Amount
Sean Parker	$8,562,451.21
Drug Policy Action	$4,150,000
Fund for Policy Reform	$3,970,000
Henry Van Ameringen	$1,250,000
Californians for Sensible Reform	$750,000

Top Donors Against Cannabis Legalization (Prop. 64)

Donor	Amount
Julie Schauer	$1,364,000
Smart Approaches to Marijuana Action (SAM Action)	$489,150
California Teamsters Public Affairs Council	$25,000
Peace Officers Research Association of California	$25,000
CA Association of Highway Patrolmen	$12,500

Florida

PACS for Cannabis Legalization in Florida

PAC	Amount
People United for Medical Marijuana	$6,236,461.92

PACS Against Cannabis Legalization in Florida

PAC	Amount
Drug Free Florida Committee	$3,474,685.76

Top Donors For Medical Marijuana Legalization (Amendment 2)

Donor	Amount
The Morgan Firm (John Morgan)	$2,619,021
Drug Policy Action	$1,110,000
Barbara Stiefel	$775,000
Florida Democratic Party	$240,000
John Curtin	$50,000

Top Donors Against Medical Marijuana Legalization (Question 2)

Top Donors	Amount
Sheldon Adelson	$1,500,000
Mel Sembler	$1,000,000
Carol Jenkins Barnett Family Trust	$800,000
Levin Papantonio Law Firm	$60,000

Maine

PACs for Cannabis Legalization (Question 1)

PAC	Amount
Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol	$1,285,776.63

PACs Against Cannabis Legalization (Question 1)

PAC	Amount
Mainers Protecting Our Youth and Communities	$50,861
Maine Matters Vote No	$8,189
Total:	$59,050

Top Donors for Cannabis Legalization (Question 1) 

Donor	Amount
New Approach PAC	$825,000
Rick Steves	$50,000
Liberty For All	$10,000

Top Donors Against Cannabis Legalization (Question 1) 

Donor	Amount
Alliance for Healthy Marijuana Policy	$50,000
Phil Allen	$1,200

Massachusetts

PACS for Cannabis Legalization (Question 4) 

PAC	Amount Raised
Yes on 4	$6,140,429.52

PACs Against Cannabis Legalization (Question 4) 

PAC	Amount Raised
Campaign for a Safe and Health Massachusetts	$363,202
Smart Approaches to Marijuana Action (SAM Action)	$25,000
Safe Cannabis Massachusets	$300
Total:	$388,502

Nevada

PACs for Cannabis Legalization (Question 2)

PAC	Amount
Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol	$1,592,700.00
Regulate Marijuana like Alcohol	$426,000.00
Total:	$2,018,700

PACs Against Cannabis Legalization (Question 2)

PAC	Amount
Protecting Nevada's Children	$2,088,500.00
SAM Action Inc.	$30,000
Total:	$2,118,500

Top Donors for Cannabis Legalization (Question 2)

Donor	Amount
Marijuana Policy Project	$250,000
AOW REO LLC Capitol Account	$75,000
Ghost Management Group	$50,000
Highland Medical Packaging, LLC	$25,000
Rene Ruiz	$25,000
Gary Primm	$25,000

Notable Donors: Some Will Surprise You

Donor	State	Donation	Legalization Position
U-Haul	Arizona	$25,000	Oppose
Denny Sanford, CEO of United National Corp.	Arizona	$100,000	Oppose
Arizona Wine & Spirits Wholesale Assocation	Arizona	$10,000	Oppose
Jonathan Bush, cousin of Jeb & George W.	Massachusetts	$10,000	Support
Bobby Orr, NHL Hall of Famer	Massachusetts	$1,000	Oppose
Wine & Spirit Wholesalers of Mass.	Massachusetts	$50,000	Oppose
Beer Distributors of Massachusetts	Massachusetts	$25,000	Oppose
Sheldon Adelson, casino magnate	Florida	$1,000,000	Oppose
Gary Primm, casino developer	Nevada	$25,000	Support
Roger Primm, son of Gary	Nevada	$25,000	Support
Sean Parker, Napster founder & early Facebook executive	California	$8,562,451.21	Support
Rick Steves, Writer/TV host	Massachusetts	$100,000	Support
Rick Steves, Writer/TV host	Maine	$100,000	Support

Voter Registration Deadlines

Most election coverage focuses on the sprint to November 8. But there’s a hidden campaign going on right now: the race to register voters. In Nevada, more than half a million eligible voters remain unregistered. In Florida, there are 2.75 million. Most states allow voters to register until early to mid October. Remember: You can’t win it if you ain’t in it.

Links to Voter Registration Sites

• Arizona: Service Arizona / ADOT
• Arkansas: Secretary of State
• California: Secretary of State
• Florida: Division of Elections
• Maine: Dept. of the Secretary of State
• Massachusetts: Secretary of the Commonwealth
• Montana: Secretary of State
• Nevada: Secretary of State
• North Dakota: DMV