As we’ve noted in the past, cannabis reform isn’t always enacted by ballot questions; it can happen through elected officials.
With four states voting on Tuesday for legalization – Michigan and North Dakota – and Missouri and Utah for medical marijuana, there are still many other states where marijuana legalization and social justice reform comes in various packages, so before you go to the polls, take a look at NORML’s Election Central and you’ll see what we mean.
Let’s look at a couple of key states. Probably the most important challenge at hand is in Texas where a House of Representatives race could affect all of us: Pete Sessions (R) vs. Colin Allred (D).
Pete Sessions is chairman of the powerful House Rules Committee and has practically single-handedly prevented up to three dozen cannabis amendments from reaching a vote on the House floor. Sessions is running a tight race against Allred in Texas’s 32nd congressional district, which includes northern Dallas and the surrounding suburbs.
A New York Times poll from Oct. 31 has Allred ahead of Sessions by nearly 5 points, but notes that there are lots of other polls out there to be considered.
Keep an eye on Florida where voters in the 26th Congressional District will be choosing between a 2-term Republican incumbent, Carlos Curbelo and his challenger, Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D). They are running neck and neck.
NORML has endorsed Curbelo, as “a leader in the reform efforts on Capitol Hill.”
So, before you go to the polls on Tuesday, check out NORML’s Voter Central for their endorsed candidates, ballot initiatives, voters tools and voter guides.
A message from NORML’s Executive Director Erik Altieri on midterm election eve: “This Election Day, the failed status quo of criminalization and incarceration is on the ballot against the sensible policies of regulation and legalization. Four states will be voting on legalizing adult or medical use of marijuana and, despite facing big monied misinformation campaigns from our opposition, Americans are more ready than ever to reject our failed prohibition on marijuana.”
