Georgia voters have sent a marijuana message to state lawmakers, approving a ballot measure on Tuesday that expresses their support for adult-use cannabis legalization. State Democratic party leadership placed nine non-binding advisory questions on the primary election ballot to help inform the legislature on where Georgians stand on various issues, including legalization. The marijuana measure was leading by a strong margin of 80 percent to 20 percent on Wednesday morning, with 95 percent of counties having completely reported their votes—accounting for a total of 649,487 ballots counted so far. Here’s the language of the ballot question voters were asked: “Should marijuana be legalized, taxed and regulated in the same manner as alcohol for adults 21 years of age or older, with proceeds going towards education, infrastructure and health care programs?” The results of the vote don’t immediately change state law, but it stands to reason that the strong showing in favor of legalization underscores to elected officials that there is support for the reform, at least among those who vote in the Democratic primary. Georgia has open primaries, meaning that any voter was able to fill out the Democratic ballot on Election Day regardless of their party affiliation.
Kyle Jaeger, Marijuana Moment, 05/25/2022 07:54:00