Florida amendments on hunting and fishing rights approved, partisan school races rejected
TALLAHASSEE — Florida voters Tuesday approved two of four ballot measures proposed by the Legislature, putting hunting and fishing rights in the state Constitution and making a property-tax change.
But proposals backed by Republican lawmakers to hold partisan school board elections and end public financing of political campaigns fell short.
About 67 percent of voters supported what appeared on the ballot as Amendment 2 and was titled "Right to Fish and Hunt." Constitutional amendments need support from 60 percent of voters to pass.
Luke Hilgemann, executive director of the International Order of T. Roosevelt and T. Roosevelt Action, which supported Amendment 2, said in a statement that "Florida voters sent a message that they won't stand for attacks against our sporting heritage."
"States across the nation can now look to Florida's success as a blueprint for advocacy and action, uniting sportsmen and women to push back against restrictive regulations and safeguard our outdoor way of life," Hilgemann said.
Charles O'Neal, chairman of the opposition group NoTo2.Org, raised concerns that the proposal would override protections for fish stocks, open state waters to foreign commercial fishing and possibly allow hunters to trespass on private property.
Opponents also included the Sierra Club-Florida and Save the Manatee Club.
The Vote Yes on Amendment 2 political committee, which led the effort to pass the measure, raised $1.228 million.
The other successful measure, Amendment 5, received 66 percent of the vote, according to unofficial results as of about 10 p.m.
The measure, titled "Annual Adjustments to the Value of Certain Homestead Exemption," is expected to give many homeowners slightly larger property-tax breaks.
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 amendment will require adjusting for inflation the exempt portion currently between $50,000 and $75,000.
Meanwhile, what appeared as Amendment 1 on the ballot would have reversed a voter-approved change from 1998 that required school board candidates to run without party affiliations. Amendment 1 received support from 55 percent of voters, short of the required 60 percent.
Supporters of Amendment 1 contended that holding partisan school-board elections would increase transparency about candidates and that the elections often are already battlegrounds for Republicans and Democrats.
But critics argued the proposal was an effort to consolidate power by Republicans, who hold voter-registration edges in 57 of the state's 67 counties.
The proposed amendment came after controversies have roiled many school boards in recent years about issues such as mask mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic and removing or restricting school library books. Also, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has taken a high-profile role in trying to help elect conservatives to school boards in some parts of the state.
Also failing Tuesday was what appeared on the ballot as Amendment 6, which would have repealed public financing for statewide candidates.
Under the public finance program, candidates for governor and Cabinet seats can receive matches for individual contributions of $250 or less. In exchange, candidates agree to abide by certain campaign spending limits. Matching funds are not available for contributions to political committees or outside of statewide races.
Republican supporters of Amendment 6 pointed to a need to limit government spending. But opponents of the amendment contended that public funding helps level the playing field for candidates with limited financial support.
Candidates have tapped the program for more than $33 million over the four most recent gubernatorial election cycles.
Public campaign financing was approved by voters in 1998.
A 2010 proposal by the Legislature to repeal the program fell short, getting 52.49 percent support from voters. Tuesday's proposal received slightly over 50 percent.
In addition to the four proposals placed on the ballot by the Legislature, voters also considered proposed constitutional amendments on recreational use of marijuana and abortion rights. Both of those amendments did not reach the 60 percent threshold.
