Florida elections authorities have imposed a fine of $121,850 on the Smart & Safe Florida campaign for alleged violations of state election laws, including serious offenses like forgery. The campaign is advocating for the legalization of adult-use marijuana and has responded strongly to these allegations, claiming they are part of a “targeted effort” to undermine voter intentions, according to the Florida Voice.
The Smart & Safe Florida campaign initiated a signature-gathering effort in January 2025 to qualify a measure for the 2026 ballot after their proposal for recreational cannabis was defeated in November 2024. This campaign has reportedly spent nearly $150 million on Amendment 3, with most funding coming from Trulieve Cannabis Corp, a multistate operator based in Tallahassee.
In letters addressed to the campaign last week, the Office of Election Crimes and Security (OECS) detailed multiple violations, accusing Smart & Safe Florida of breaching various state election laws since the beginning of the year. Among the infractions cited were failing to provide voters with the full text of the proposed amendment before collecting signatures and submitting numerous forged petitions, including one signed by a deceased voter.
The OECS also noted that Smart & Safe Florida delivered 2,437 petition forms after the designated deadline, which contributed to the hefty fine. Additionally, the campaign allegedly sent out two different forms to voters—one blank and another pre-filled with voter information—creating opportunities for fraud and resulting in multiple submissions by several voters.
