Ohio marijuana legalization initiative qualifies for November 2015 ballot

[KingNothing]

If this kind of thing can happen in the rust belt, it can happen anywhere. In 10 years, weed will finally be legal across most of these united states!!!

 

[jct74]

Nick Gillespie from Reason weighs in...

Why I'm Voting For Pot Legalization (Issue 3) in Ohio
It's not a perfect law by any stretch, but it would mean the end of the war on pot

Nick Gillespie
Nov. 2, 2015 8:50 am

Although Election Day is tomorrow, I've already mailed in my absentee ballot in Ohio, which could become the fifth state—and by far the most populous—to legalize marijuana.

Issue 3 is a proposed constitutional amendment that woud allow residents to grow their own weed and create up to 10 “Marijuana Growth, Cultivation and Extraction” (MGCE) facilities or growing zones that would hold exclusive rights on commercial cultivation. It would authorize up to 1,100 retail outlets as well.

Legal pot! In OHIO—a state as middle of the road as it gets—no less! And yet, Issue 3 is repugnant to many pro-legalizers because of those MGCEs. As Jacob Sullum notes, two of the biggest pro-pot groups, Marijuana Policy Project and the Drug Policy Alliance, have remained "neutral" on Issue 3 (other reform groups, including NORML and Law Enforcement Against Prohibition [LEAP] actively support it). Buckeye State media, which has almost universally weighed in against Issue 3, is fulled with comments from hippie types disparaging corporate and "monopoly" weed.

...

I for one hope Issue 3 passes. Legalizing pot, even under less than ideal circumstances, is not a small thing. It would represent a major step forward, especially in a place such as Ohio, a state that as much as or more than any other represents heartland America and "normalcy." Ohio could be the hill upon which pot prohibition dies.

Indeed, if marijuana can be legalized in Ohio, it can—and will be—legalized everywhere and the war on pot is effectively over.

...

read more:
https://reason.com/blog/2015/11/02/why-im-voting-for-issue-3-pot-legalizati

 

[jct74]

Here's all the polling conducted in this race that I know of. I added a new poll from Baldwin Wallace university that was conducted from 10/7 to 10/19.


[TABLE="width: 800"]
[TR][TD]Pollster[/TD][TD]Subject Polled[/TD][TD]

Support​

[/TD][TD]

Oppose​

[/TD][TD]

Lead​

[/TD][TD]

Date​

[/TD][/TR]

[TR][TD]Zobgy / BGSU[/TD][TD]Issue 3[/TD][TD]

44​

[/TD][TD]

43​

[/TD][TD]

+1​

[/TD][TD]

10/16 - 10/17​

[/TD][/TR]

[TR][TD]Baldwin Wallace[/TD][TD]Issue 3[/TD][TD]

43​

[/TD][TD]

38​

[/TD][TD]

+5​

[/TD][TD]

10/7 - 10/19​

[/TD][/TR]

[TR][TD]WKYC / Kent State[/TD][TD]Issue 3[/TD][TD]

56​

[/TD][TD]

34​

[/TD][TD]

+22​

[/TD][TD]

10/6 - 10/8​

[/TD][/TR]

[TR][TD]Quinnipiac[/TD][TD]marijuana legalization[/TD][TD]

53​

[/TD][TD]

44​

[/TD][TD]

+9​

[/TD][TD]

9/25 - 10/5​

[/TD][/TR]

[TR][TD]University of Akron[/TD][TD]Issue 3[/TD][TD]

46​

[/TD][TD]

46​

[/TD][TD]

0​

[/TD][TD]

9/1 - 10/1​

[/TD][/TR]

[TR][TD]Quinnipiac[/TD][TD]marijuana legalization[/TD][TD]

52​

[/TD][TD]

44​

[/TD][TD]

+8​

[/TD][TD]

3/17 - 3/28​

[/TD][/TR]
[TR][TD]Quinnipiac[/TD][TD]marijuana legalization[/TD][TD]

51​

[/TD][TD]

44​

[/TD][TD]

+7​

[/TD][TD]

February 2014​

[/TD][/TR]
[/TABLE]


[TABLE="width: 800"]
[TR][TD]Pollster[/TD][TD]Subject Polled[/TD][TD]

Support​

[/TD][TD]

Oppose​

[/TD][TD]

Lead​

[/TD][TD]

Date​

[/TD][/TR]

[TR][TD]Zobgy / BGSU[/TD][TD]Issue 2[/TD][TD]

56​

[/TD][TD]

30​

[/TD][TD]

+26​

[/TD][TD]

10/16 - 10/17​

[/TD][/TR]

[TR][TD]WKYC / Kent State[/TD][TD]Issue 2[/TD][TD]

54​

[/TD][TD]

20​

[/TD][TD]

+34​

[/TD][TD]

10/6 - 10/8​

[/TD][/TR]

[TR][TD]University of Akron[/TD][TD]Issue 2[/TD][TD]

40​

[/TD][TD]

27​

[/TD][TD]

+13​

[/TD][TD]

9/1 - 10/1​

[/TD][/TR]
[/TABLE]


If I had to guess I don't think Issue 3 is going to pass, but it could surprise the hell out of me like Alaska did in 2014 when the legalization initiative there was steadily declining in the polls throughout and the last poll taken had it losing by 10. It ended up passing by 4.

If Issue 3 passes, that is not the end of the story though. Issue 2 was put on the ballot by the Ohio legislature to kill Issue 3, which its passage will almost certainly accomplish unless Issue 3 receives more votes than Issue 2, in which case Issue 3 has a very good chance of winning the court battle that would ensue. If they both pass and Issue 3 receives less votes, Issue 3 is probably dead.


I'll keep this thread updated with the results that come in.


.

 

[wcpastures]

I would go with Libertarian Party of Ohio recomendations over this Nick guy

I will go with the Libertarian Party of Ohio recomendations and vote NO on both Issue 2 AND Issue 3

"Issue 3 is much more about who can provide cannabis than it is about granting permission to use it. If it passes, access to cannabis, apart from strictly limited home growing, will be completely controlled by a deep-pockets oligopoly who will decide what products will be available and how much consumers must pay for it. Going outside of approved channels would still be punishable by law. The huge profits from this arrangement concentrated in just a few hands also assures that any future reforms will face extremely well-funded opposition."

From the Libertarian Party of Ohio: https://www.lpo.org/elections/state-ballot-issues/703-lpo-recommends-no- (link is external)... (link is external)

Goes on to say: "It would allow retail sales subject to regulation and a heavy licensing fee, and limited home growth of cannabis, also subject to an annual licensing fee. It would also actually raise the penalties on certain violations."

https://www.lpo.org/elections/state-ballot-issues (link is external)

BTW who exactly is "Responsible Ohio"? Sounds like a Cartel to me.

https://www.lpo.org/elections/state-ballot-issues/703-lpo-recommends-no-vote-on-ballot-issue-3

 

[Koz]

I had to vote no on 2 and 3, they are both terrible laws. I wish I could have voted yes.

 

[jct74]

no results until 9 pm ET

Ohio election results delayed until 9 p.m. because of Hamilton County lawsuit

By Jackie Borchardt, cleveland.com
on November 03, 2015 at 7:45 PM

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Results from Tuesday's general election won't be available until after 9 p.m. after polls in Hamilton County were ordered to stay open until then.

County boards of election are supposed to count ballots as planned, according to the direction from Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted. But they may not publicly release results until 9 p.m.

Statewide, polls closed at 7:30 p.m. except in Hamilton County. ResponsibleOhio, the political action committee backing Issue 3, filed an injunction there to keep polling places open after voters reported several problems with the new online check in system and with provisional ballots being available for voters.

Judge Robert P. Ruehlman granted the extension Tuesday night, and Husted issued his directive soon after.

...

http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2015/11/ohio_election_results_delayed.html

 

[CaptUSA]

I voted no on 2 and yes on 3.

Bad laws, but I don't follow them anyway.

Ironically, the language in 2 is probably better than in 3. I'm expecting them both to pass, but 2 to pass with more votes, thereby invalidating 3. So nothing changes.

Anyway, I voted for 3 because, while it's far from perfect, it does open some doors. It decriminalizes a normal carry amount, it allows home growth, and it creates another state in defiance of federal laws. All good things. But the down side is that it sets up cronyism. From my experience, though, cronyism exists in every other friggin' industry, anyway. You're not going to get away from it.

Ideally, we'd have a free market, but it isn't happening anywhere else; I'm not sure why we'd expect it to happen with marijuana.

Issue 2 talks about preventing a ballot measure from being passed if it creates a monopoly or if certain parties stand to gain financially. That sounds OK, I guess, but ballot measures are a way to circumvent the legislature. A legislature that has absolutely ZERO problem crafting legislation that benefits certain parties financially.

Anyway, we'll see how this goes tonight. I'm not optimistic, nor do I care much. I'm not a smoker, but I hate the fact that if I wanted to, I wouldn't be "permitted" by some arbitrary whim of some moral superior.

 

[brandon]

Probably better to be legal with a monopoly than illegal. My state's alcohol is currently sold by a monopoly. While that sucks, I definitely would not prefer that it just be outright illegal.

I haven't read much about the Ohio situation. Is it possible to legalize it with the monopoly and then have later legislation or referendum kill the monopoly?

 

[jct74]

Issue 3 is getting slaughtered 2 to 1, and Issue 2 is winning 53 to 47.

38% reporting so far.

http://www.dispatch.com/content/sections/news/government-politics/elections/index.html

 

[willwash]

Issue 3 is getting slaughtered 2 to 1, and Issue 2 is winning 53 to 47. 38% reporting so far.

http://www.dispatch.com/content/sections/news/government-politics/elections/index.html

Yup, greedy fucks of responsibleohio ruined the movement. Tomorrow the neocons and drug warriors will say the legalization movement is dead. It's a disaster in Colorado and Ohio overwhelmingly rejected it, blah blah blah.

The right answer was to vote yes on both questions. Then it's still legal for individual possession and home growth, but the monopoly is invalidated

 

[Natural Citizen]

Ohio voters reject marijuana legalization...

Ohio voters rejected a ballot measure that would have legalized the recreational and medical use of marijuana in the state, the Associated Press reported.

https://www.rt.com/usa/320698-ohio-rejects-marijuana-legalization/

 

[CaptUSA]

Yeah, I'm calling bullshit here. I don't know how they did it, but there is simply no way.

Issue 2 passed 52 to 48. That makes sense. A little closer than I would have expected, but still makes sense.

But issue 3 goes down 36 to 64?! Impossible, given the vote tally on issue 2. And it seems it lost in every county. Bullshit. Some seriously shady shit happening here in Ohio.

 

[Dary]

Yeah, I'm calling bullshit here. I don't know how they did it, but there is simply no way.

Issue 2 passed 52 to 48. That makes sense. A little closer than I would have expected, but still makes sense.

But issue 3 goes down 36 to 64?! Impossible, given the vote tally on issue 2. And it seems it lost in every county. Bullshit. Some seriously shady shit happening here in Ohio.

So much for polls "always" being right.

(+1 if i could)

 

[CaptUSA]

So much for polls "always" being right.

(+1 if i could)

Yeah, the polls were way off on this one, but I think there's more to it. Something just doesn't smell right here. I can accept that the polls were wrong and 3 failed, but then I would have expected issue 2 to pass with a MUCH larger margin. It would seem like there had to be a lot of people who voted NO on 3 that also voted NO on 2. Really??

I'm just trying to figure out how that mindset works - I don't want marijuana legalized, but I DO want the ability for ballot initiatives to create monopolies? Who is this voter? And how are there this many of them? It doesn't seem possible.

 

[1000-points-of-fright]

Yeah, the polls were way off on this one, but I think there's more to it. Something just doesn't smell right here. I can accept that the polls were wrong and 3 failed, but then I would have expected issue 2 to pass with a MUCH larger margin. It would seem like there had to be a lot of people who voted NO on 3 that also voted NO on 2. Really??

I'm just trying to figure out how that mindset works - I don't want marijuana legalized, but I DO want the ability for ballot initiatives to create monopolies? Who is this voter? And how are there this many of them? It doesn't seem possible.

I'm that voter. Issue #3 tried to use the Ohio constitution to set up a cartel for the commercial production of marijuana with licensing and inspections of home growers. So... bad cuz more crony capitalism and more police powers.

Issue #2 doesn't prevent monopolies. All it does is give the Ohio Ballot Board the power determine whether or not the proposed citizen initiative would set up a monopoly/oligopoly/cartel. Then on the ballot, in addition to the actual proposition, there would be a 2nd question along the lines of "This initiative sets up a monopoly/oligopoly/cartel, are you sure you're ok with that?" Both questions would have to be answered yes. Notice that only citizen ballot initiatives and referendums would get this treatment, but not amendments proposed by the legislature. They sure as hell don't want anyone overseeing their power to hand out political favors.

We don't need the ballot board micromanaging reading comprehension and if voters don't understand what they're voting for they shouldn't be voting. The fewer things cluttering up the constitution, the better.

Issue #2 is essentially useless. If the voters want to grant someone a monopoly they can still do it by tapping the screen twice instead of just once. Oh, the inconvenience!

 

[RonPaulFanInGA]

Marijuana supporters are trying to spin this, but a 64% to 36% spread is way too much to simply explain away with "oh, it was because of a monopoly, there were hundreds of thousands of pro-weed voters who'll switch next year." Please, voters aren't that astute, the majority of the electorate in Ohio is opposed to marijuana right now, which meshes with polls of other red and purple states.

Educate the people and try again, but don't spin it. Accept that in 2015, Ohioans aren't ready.

 

[wizardwatson]

Were the polls of eligible voters or registered voters?

I used to run a political research call center. The most accurate polling comes from registered voters who have voted in at least a couple of the last 4 elections.

If you're just polling eligible voters you're age demographic will be way lower than it should be. Younger people would be more likely to support this but less likely than older people who actually go to the polls.

EDIT:

So if the media-aligned interests were aligned against it, it's in their interests to make it look like it'll pass easy and further increase the bystander effect and discourage supporters from feeling they need to vote. All these things are standard operating procedure.

 

[Koz]

Did the polls ask specifically about issue 3? Or, did they ask about marijuana legalization. Most of the folks, if not all of them, that I know that are pro legalization were against issue 3 because it was such a bad amendment to the Ohio Constitution.

 

[Brian4Liberty]

Some on the right were trying to call this Ohio defeat a "victory" for Trump and social conservative values. When asked about that today, Trump said "it didn't pass because it created a monopoly and was a terrible law" (paraphrased).

 

[squarepusher]

I think Ohio made a mistake, even if an oligarchy is bad, its better than being fully illegal (which was the other option they picked as somehow better?),