"What's on the Ballot?" Guide to 2025 Ballot Initiatives
Did you know that there will be more than ten ballot initiatives on the 2024 General Election ballot in Pinellas County? This includes six state amendments, one school referendum and seven county ballot questions. Before you head to the polls on November 5th, walk in to early voting or send in your ballot - be sure to brush up on these important issues.
Florida Amendment 1 – School Board Elections
With supporters seeking to do away with a requirement that candidates run without party labels, voters will decide whether to hold partisan school-board elections. Florida historically had partisan school-board elections, but voters passed a constitutional amendment in 1998 to make the races non-partisan. Lawmakers, however, placed a measure on this year’s ballot that would return to partisan races starting in 2026.
Florida Amendment 2 – Fishing and Hunting
Voters in November will decide whether to enshrine a right to fish and hunt in the state Constitution. With the backing of outdoors groups, lawmakers voted almost unanimously last year to place the measure on the ballot. In part, the proposal says hunting and fishing “shall be preserved forever as a public right and preferred means of responsibly managing and controlling fish and wildlife.”
Florida Amendment 3 – Recreational Marijuana
Eight years after voters approved a constitutional amendment that broadly allowed medical marijuana, they will decide this year whether to give the go-ahead to recreational use of marijuana. It would allow people ages 21 and older to “possess, purchase, or use marijuana products and marijuana accessories for non-medical personal consumption.”
Florida Amendment 4 - Abortion
In November, voters will decide whether to enshrine abortion rights in the state Constitution. The proposed constitutional amendment, in part, says: “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.”
Florida Amendment 5 – Homestead Exemption
Homeowners could receive slightly larger property-tax breaks if voters approve this constitutional amendment. The proposal would lead to adjusting part of the homestead property-tax exemption for inflation. Homeowners receive tax exemptions on the assessed values of their property up to $25,000 and on the values between $50,000 and $75,000. The proposal would require adjusting for inflation the exempt portion currently between $50,000 and $75,000.
Florida Amendment 6 – Campaign Finance
Lawmakers approved placing a measure on the ballot to again try to repeal a program that offers state matching funds to gubernatorial and state Cabinet candidates. Voters approved the matching-funds program in 1998, and a repeal attempt failed in 2010. When the program was created, supporters said it could help reduce the influence of big-money contributors in statewide elections, but critics have long derided the program as welfare for politicians.
Pinellas County Charter Amendment Questions 1-7
The 2023-2024 Charter Review Commission has chosen to place seven (7) referenda items on the ballot for consideration by Pinellas County voters. This decision was reached after holding thirteen (13) commission meetings and after receiving input from County officials, staff, outside speakers, members of the public and other interested parties. Click here for more details on this process and on the issues including setting County Commissioner term limits.
Pinellas County Referendum – Public School Property Tax
Voters will be asked to renew a special property tax at double the rate they’ve been paying for the last 20 years. School board members unanimously voted to approve this measure which would extend added pay beyond teachers to include support employees like classroom aides, cafeteria workers and bus drivers. The proposal would raise the special tax rate to $1 per $1,000 of taxable value — up from the past rate of 50 cents per $1,000. The money would expand technology, arts and literacy programs for students, while providing extra annual pay of close to $3,000 for support employees and just over $11,000 for teachers.
The Chamber Board of Governors has voted to SUPPORT the Pinellas County Schools Referendum.
References:
• https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/elections/2024/04/03/constitutional-amendments-fishing-abortion-marijuana-school-boards-partisan-campaign-money/
• https://www.tampabay.com/news/education/2024/05/14/pinellas-school-board-approves-november-tax-referendum/
