Some Florida voters were confused when they heard that some Florida constitutional amendments failed after getting more than 50% voter approval.
However, Florida is now one of the toughest states in the nation to get a law enshrined in the state constitution.
After the votes were counted 57% of Floridians supported Amendment 4. 56% voted to legalize pot by supporting Amendment 3.
Voters were asked how the amendments failed when they got the most votes.
The answer: They needed 60% approval.
Lee County Voter Regina Buttner supports the high bar, saying she believes an amendment is a significant change to the state’s laws and the state constitution, and she believes the 60% threshold is adequate.
Voters like her passed an amendment back in 2006 that required 60% approval.
Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis noted the irony of the change, noting that in 2006, the amendment requiring the 60% threshold passed with only 56% of the vote, less than the abortion amendment.
Lawmakers then argued that 50% was too easy to change the constitution.
“It should be a little bit harder to change the structure in which we make the votes and pass that legislation,” said Republican State Senator Jonathan Martin.
Some lawmakers want to increase the requirement to 65%. However, Patronis wasn’t sure the threshold was necessary.
“Is 60% reasonable? Florida is the only state that way. 65% that's a little extreme,” he noted.
Regina Buttner agreed and urged lawmakers to stop playing the numbers game and leave the threshold at 60%.