Florida cannabis legalization sponsor accused of elections offenses

Florida elections authorities have fined an adult-use marijuana legalization campaign $121,850 for “multiple” alleged violations of state law, including forgery.But the Smart & Safe Florida campaign has hit back at the state Office of Election Crimes and Security (OECS), calling the accusations “a targeted effort” meant “to thwart” the will of the voters, the Florida Voice reported.

ADVERTISEMENT “We stand by the process and had legal counsel vet all forms and communications prior to mailing and look forward to challenging the validity of these claims,” said in a statement to the Florida Voice.After the Election Day defeat of recreational cannabis in November, Smart & Safe Florida in January launched a signature-gathering campaign to qualify an adult-use measure for the state’s 2026 ballot.

The campaign committee spent nearly $150 million on Amendment 3, nearly all of it contributed by Tallahassee-based multistate operator Trulieve Cannabis Corp.But in two letters sent to the campaign last week, the Florida Voice reported, the OECS said it was fining Smart & Safe $121,850 while alleging several breaches of state elections law since January.

The OECS issued Smart & Safe a cease-and-desist order instructing the campaign to stop using a petition form not approved by the Florida secretary of state.According to a March 26 letter sent to Smart & Safe’s campaign chair, David Bellamy, these include: Not providing the full text of the proposed amendment to voters before obtaining their signatures.

Submitting “numerous forged or fraudulent petitions,” including a signature collected in February 2025 from a voter who died in November 2024.Submitting petitions to state elections officials more than 30 days after collecting the signatures.

ADVERTISEMENT The $121,850 fine was for delivering 2,437 petition forms after the deadline, accord...