DeSantis agency’s order to election supervisors could damage Florida marijuana referendum effort

OG article by Anthony Man and Martin E. Comas

January 19, 2026

Florida's Division of Elections, under Gov. Ron DeSantis' Secretary of State, issued a January 8 directive requiring county supervisors to notify petition signers on the same day their signatures are verified for a 2026 recreational marijuana legalization referendum. This timing—absent from new laws or prior rulings—could complicate signature validation ahead of the 880,062 verified signatures deadline. Smart & Safe Florida reports over 1 million collected, though invalid ones (e.g., 42,000 inactive voters, 29,000 out-of-state) are being culled. DeSantis opposed the failed 2024 effort (55.9% yes, short of 60% threshold) and remains against legalization. The order mandates fraud reporting forms to the Office of Election Crimes and Security, copying the Attorney General (James Uthmeier, a DeSantis ally who fought the prior measure and now seeks to block this one via the Florida Supreme Court). Supervisors report confusion: Seminole County's Amy Pennock noted minimal fraud (22 reports from 44,396 processed), while others like Lake County's Alan Hays and Palm Beach County's Wendy Sartory Link question the "same day" feasibility without legal mandate. New 2025 laws require notices to verified signers. Critics see the directive as potentially obstructive, amid claims of over 1,700 fraud complaints in recent months. The push highlights ongoing political tensions over direct democracy on cannabis policy.