27 October 2016
As it gets closer to voting time politics appears to be in play around the country
MJ Biz report from Arkansas first…
Arkansas’ Supreme Court disqualified one of two medical cannabis legalization ballot initiatives, leaving a lone measure for voters to decide on and perhaps improving its chances of success.
The high court ruled 5-2 on Thursday that roughly 12,000 signatures submitted by Arkansans for Compassionate Care were invalid, meaning its measure, designated as Issue 7, doesn’t have enough signatures and won’t appear on the ballot next month, the Associated Press reported.
The ruling was made after almost 142,000 people had participated in early voting, which began Monday for Arkansas’ general election, according to the AP.
Read on for full report http://mjbizdaily.com/arkansas-high-court-crops-nixes-one-of-two-medical-marijuana-initiatives/
Then in Florida
Florida NORML sues, saying MMJ legalization left off some ballots
The Florida chapter of NORML said it is suing a county elections commissioner after Amendment 2, a state ballot initiative to broaden Florida’s medical marijuana program, was found to be missing from some ballots.
The scope of the problem is unknown, but the suspect ballots were distributed in Broward County – one of Florida’s largest counties – the Sun Sentinel reported.
NORML wants a judge to order the county to stop distributing any additional ballots until the problem is resolved. The group also wants an “emergency plan” implemented to issue new ballots to replace those without Amendment 2, according to CNN.
Broward County elections officials told the Sun Sentinel that even though they are investigating, they haven’t found any evidence of a problem or any ballots that lacked Amendment 2.
Read full story at http://mjbizdaily.com/florida-norml-sues-saying-mmj-legalization-left-off-some-ballots/
Also see the Florida story at the Seyfarth Blog – The Blunt Truth
http://www.blunttruthlaw.com/2016/10/up-in-smoke-norml-sues-after-reports-that-fl-medical-marijuana-measure-disappeared-from-ballot/?utm_source=Seyfarth+Shaw+-+The+Blunt+Truth&utm_campaign=31eb45afc9-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_b58220fdbe-31eb45afc9-72758269
The Blunt Truth has also published an article analyzing each marijuana ballot around the USA
Here’s the introduction
RE[e]FERENDUMS: 2016 Marijuana State Ballot Initiatives
By Meredith Bailey on October 11th, 2016
With only a month to Election Day, The Blunt Truth turns its attention to the ballot measures in nine states that would expand legal access to marijuana. This week we look at two of the five states— Arizona, California, Maine, Massachusetts and Nevada —with ballot measures proposing to legalize recreational marijuana use for anyone 21 and over:
ARIZONA: Proposition 205 would allow adults to buy and possess up to an ounce of marijuana and grow up to six plants at home. The initiative would establish a Department of Marijuana Licenses and Control, which would be tasked with regulating the cultivation, manufacturing, testing, transportation, and sale of marijuana; and impose a 15 percent tax on marijuana sales that would benefit municipalities, schools and the state health department.
Legalization opponents filed a lawsuit challenging Proposition 205 in mid-July. On Aug. 31, the Arizona Supreme Court affirmed the lower court’s decision that had comprehensively rejected all of the reasons presented by opponents for keeping the initiative off the ballot, marking an end to any legal challenge.
Read Rest of Part 1
Read Part 2
