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Fact Check Team: What's on your ballot besides the candidates?

J.Wright24 min ago

There are less than three weeks until Election Day, but there are more than just candidates on the ballot. There are also some controversial ballot measures that have voters across the country divided.

Florida is one of many states with contentious amendments up for a vote, one of which is . It's been more than a decade since recreational marijuana was legalized in Washington and Colorado, and if Amendment 3 passes Florida could finally follow suit.

, the Amendment 3 ballot measure would make it legal for people 21 and older to have up to three ounces of marijuana and up to five grams of cannabis concentrate. Apoll found 56% of all voters support this amendment.

Another contentious , one of the most controversial issues driving the election nationally as well. The Amendment 4 ballot measure that would require "no law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient's health, as determined by the patient's healthcare provider." According to that of voters support this. As far as political party support goes, 80% of Democrats support the measure compared to only 35% of Republicans.

New York is another state with a ballot measure stirring up controversy.is similar to Florida's abortion measure. If passed, the right to an abortion, as well as freedom from discrimination based on disability, gender, sexuality and ethnicity will become part of NY's state constitution. For the most part, Republicans have come out against this ballot measure and many Democrats, including Governor Kathy Hochul, support it.

Other states, like Arizona, Nevada, and Colorado have ballot measures that would change how primaries work in their states, which could have a major impact on the balance of power in Congress. All three states have ballot measures that would put all of the candidates, Democrats, Republicans, and Independents, on a single ballot and the top vote-getters would move on to the general election.

Arizona has Prop 140 on the ballot, which would eliminate partisan primaries entirely. if passed this ballot measure will:

  • replace partisan primaries with primaries where all candidates, regardless of party affiliation, appear on a single ballot and a certain number advance to the general election;
  • requires candidates to receive a majority of votes in general elections;
  • prohibits using public funds to administer partisan primaries at the federal, state, and local levels, except for presidential preference primaries that allow independents to participate.
  • , which would create a top-four primary system and use ranked choice voting in general elections.

    In would implement a top-five primary system with ranked choice voting.

    Those in favor of these reforms say they could lead to a more moderate and less partisan Congress, but opponents say they could also make it harder for one party to establish a strong, cohesive majority.

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