New survey shows simpler Amendment 3 language boosted Florida support

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WINK)— A new survey shows that the rewritten ballot language for Amendment 3 may have actually helped the measure gain support, despite efforts to weaken it.

Amendment 3 would increase Florida's homestead exemption for non-school property taxes, eventually up to $250,000. The measure needs 60% of the vote to pass.

Sachs Media surveyed 800 Florida voters and split them into two groups. One group saw the old ballot language, while the other saw the new version.

The old version started with "Save Our Homes From Excessive Property Taxes" and used more language about protecting small businesses and fairness. The new version is more straightforward, simply explaining what the amendment would do.

When voters saw the old wording, exactly 60% said yes. When they saw the new, plainer wording, 65% said yes.

Support among nonpartisan voters went from 63% to 71%. Among Democrats, support increased from 36% to 42%.

Republicans were already very supportive and actually dropped slightly, from 89% to 86%. The plainer language appeared to do better with voters who were less sold on the amendment to begin with.

The difference between 60% and 65% is within the survey's margin of error. However, the results do show a different response depending on which version voters read.

When combining everyone in the new survey, 63% say they would vote yes. That's almost identical to Sachs Media's two earlier polls this summer, which both found 64% support.

Overall support for Amendment 3 hasn't really changed.