The Florida campaign seeking to legalize adult-use cannabis in the state is suing Gov. Ron DeSantis’ (R) administration in the state’s Supreme Court, claiming state election officials are trying to block the proposal from appearing on 2026 ballots, the Associated Press reports. In the petition filed last week, Smart & Safe Florida alleges that officials “failed to perform an indisputable legal duty” and called on the court to order state election officials to confirm the campaign has gathered enough signatures to qualify for ballots.
“As reflected by Respondents’ own publicly reported data, the initiative petition at issue here has secured three times the number of verified valid petitions required statewide. Ignoring the indisputable facts and their clear legal obligation, Respondents refuse to exercise their mandatory ministerial duty.” — Smart & Safe Florida, in the filing, via the AP
April 1, 2026, is the deadline for the state Supreme Court to sign off on the proposed amendment, which is required before the issue is put to voters. Smart & Safe contends that it has collected more than three times as many petition signatures as the law requires, but that state elections officials have, for months, failed to formally confirm those petitions.
In the writ of mandamus on behalf of the campaign, attorney Glenn Burhans, Jr. called it “nonsensical, and contrary to the express constitutional and statutory mandates, to allow the Secretary and Director to indefinitely refuse to issue the…Letter and frustrate the constitutional order.”
State officials have not commented on the litigation.
