Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court allows proposed marijuana legalization ballot question to move ahead

The following article was published on http://www.masslive.com on July 06, 2016 at 11:36 AM; updated July 07, 2016 at 9:11 AM.

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court said in an opinion Wednesday that a proposed ballot question legalizing marijuana can proceed to the November 2016 ballot.

A group of 57 voters, including Westborough’s Josephine Hensley as the lead plaintiff, argued in a lawsuit that the court should knock down the question.

They said the ballot question was improperly certified by Attorney General Maura Healey because it contains two unrelated subjects: the legalization of marijuana for adult use and a potential change to the state’s medical marijuana treatment centers.

The group also argued the ballot question summary, crafted by Healey’s office and used by proponents to gather voter signatures, was unfair because it did not fully explain the ballot question would legalize “hashish” and food products containing THC, also known as marijuana edibles.

But the court allowed ballot question to go ahead and said that all marijuana includes THC. The court added that the title should be changed as well as a statement that voters will see when they receive the ballot. The statement should include the term “edibles,” the court said.

The Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, which is behind the ballot question legalizing marijuana, claimed victory in a statement issued after the court ruling, saying the voters of Massachusetts will have “the opportunity to make their voices heard about legalizing, regulating and taxing marijuana, an approach that is working in Colorado and other states and will work in Massachusetts.”

The pro-marijuana campaign also noted that the SJC called on the attorney general and Massachusetts elections chief Bill Galvin to tweak the title of the ballot question, which is currently “Marijuana Legalization.”

The court ordered that the title of the measure should be changed to “Legalization, Regulation, and Taxation of Marijuana,” which the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol said “accurately reflects the intent of our initiative.” The campaign had asked the court to okay the change.

The attorney for Hensley’s anti-marijuana legalization group did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.

The Safe and Healthy Massachusetts Campaign, which opposes the ballot question, also claimed victory, citing the court’s mention of marijuana edibles in its decision.

“We are pleased the SJC has recognized that this ballot question would usher in an entirely new marijuana edibles market and that voters must be informed of that fact,” said Corey Welford, a spokesman for the effort. “Under this proposal, the Marijuana Industry would be allowed to promote and sell these highly potent products, in the form of gummy bears and other candies, that are a particular risk for accidental use by kids.”

On Tuesday, the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol said they had gathered enough voter signatures to make it onto the 2016 ballot. Galvin’s office must validate the signatures, which the campaign said number at over 25,000.

“We received a clear message from voters who signed the initiative: It is time to regulate and tax marijuana in Massachusetts,” Kim Napoli, a campaign outreach coordinator, said in a statement.

DC Primary – Last One

Democratic Primary

Clinton has won District of Columbia, according to A.P.

CANDIDATES VOTE PCT. DELEGATES

 Hillary Clinton

75,223 78.7% 16

 Bernie Sanders

20,137 21.1 4
Rocky De La Fuente 205 0.2

 

Republican Convention

Rubio won District of Columbia, according to A.P. The Republican convention was on March 12.

CANDIDATES VOTE PCT. DELEGATES

 Marco Rubio

1,059 37.3% 10

 John Kasich

1,009 35.5 9

 Donald J. Trump

391 13.8

 Ted Cruz

351 12.4

 Jeb Bush

14 0.5

 Rand Paul

12 0.4
Others 3 0.1

2,839 votes, 100% reporting (1 of 1 precinct)

 

Super Tuesday – Part 2

Republicans Calif.172 del. Mont.27 N.J.51 N.M.24 S.D.29 June 7 Total

Trump

 75.3  73.7  80.4  70.7  67.1      303             1,447

Cruz

9.2 9.4 6.2 13.3 17.0      — 551

Kasich

11.3 6.9 13.4 7.6 15.9       — 161
Reporting 100% 100% 99% 100% 100 1,237 to win
Democrats CA.475 del. MT.21 N.J.126 N.M.34 N.D.23 S.D.20 June 7 Total

Clinton

 55.8 44.6  63.2  51.5 25.6  51.0 391       2,203

Sanders

43.2  51.1 36.8 48.5  64.2 49.0 303       1,827
Reporting 100% 100% 99% 100% 100% 100% 2,383 to win

Washington Primary Results

Republicans Washington  44 delegates Delegates  May 24 Total

Donald J. Trump

      76.2% 27      1,131

Ted Cruz

     10.1%           — 551

John Kasich

      9.9%           — 161
Reporting      73%        1,237 to win

Democratic Caucuses

Sanders won Washington.

CANDIDATES VOTE PCT. DELEGATES

 Bernie Sanders

19,159 72.7% 74

 Hillary Clinton

7,140 27.1 27
Other 46 0.2

100% reporting (72 of 72 precincts)

*Vote totals are not actual votes cast, but are legislative district convention delegates won. The May 24 Washington State Democratic presidential primary is not reported because its results are non-binding. National delegates are elected through a series of conventions in April, May and June.

Oregon Primary Results

Republican Primary

Trump has won Oregon, according to A.P.

CANDIDATES VOTE PCT. DELEGATES

 Donald Trump

179,502 66.7% 17

 John Kasich

45,633 17.0 3

 Ted Cruz

43,858 16.3 3

268,993 votes, 62% reporting

Winner called by A.P.

Because Oregon does not have voting precincts, the percentage reporting is an A.P. estimate based on the number of early votes.

Democratic Primary

Sanders has won Oregon, according to A.P.

CANDIDATES VOTE PCT. DELEGATES

 Bernie Sanders

226,807 53.2% 28

 Hillary Clinton

199,414 46.8 24

426,221 votes, 62% reporting

Winner called by A.P.

Because Oregon does not have voting precincts, the percentage reporting is an A.P. estimate based on the number of early votes.

Kentucky Results

Republican Caucuses

Trump won Kentucky.

CANDIDATES VOTE PCT. DELEGATES

 Donald J. Trump

82,493 35.9% 17

 Ted Cruz

72,503 31.6 15

 Marco Rubio

37,579 16.4 7

 John Kasich

33,134 14.4 7

 Ben Carson

1,951 0.8

 Rand Paul

872 0.4
Others 1,135 0.5

229,667 votes, 100% reporting (134 of 134 precincts)

 

Democratic Primary

Clinton leads by less than 1 point, or 1,923 votes, with 99% reporting.

CANDIDATES VOTE PCT. DELEGATES

 Hillary Clinton

212,549 46.8% 27

 Bernie Sanders

210,626 46.3 27

 Martin O’Malley

5,720 1.3
Rocky De La Fuente 1,592 0.4
Other 24,122 5.3

454,609 votes, 99% reporting (3,692 of 3,696 precincts)

 

Nebraska Primary Results

Republican Primary

Trump has won Nebraska, according to A.P.

CANDIDATES VOTE PCT. DELEGATES

 Donald J. Trump

121,287 61.4% 36

 Ted Cruz

36,418 18.4

 John Kasich

22,526 11.4

 Ben Carson

10,029 5.1

 Marco Rubio

7,170 3.6

197,430 votes, 100% reporting (1,853 of 1,853 precincts)

Winner called by A.P.

Democratic Caucuses

Sanders won Nebraska, according to A.P.

CANDIDATES VOTE PCT. DELEGATES

 Bernie Sanders

19,120 57.1% 14

 Hillary Clinton

14,340 42.9 10
Other 0 0.0

33,460 votes, 99% reporting (153 of 154 precincts)

Winner called by A.P.

The Nebraska Democratic presidential primary is not reported because its results are non-binding. Bernie Sanders won the Nebraska Democratic caucuses on March 5.

 

West Virginia Primary Results

Republican Primary

Trump has won West Virginia, according to A.P.

CANDIDATES VOTE PCT. DELEGATES

 Donald J. Trump

156,245 77.0% 31

 Ted Cruz

18,208 9.0

 John Kasich

13,685 6.7

 Ben Carson

4,397 2.2

 Marco Rubio

2,895 1.4

 Jeb Bush

2,298 1.1
Others 5,152 2.5

202,880 votes, 100% reporting (1,761 of 1,761 precincts)

Winner called by A.P.

Democratic Primary

Sanders has won West Virginia, according to A.P.

CANDIDATES VOTE PCT. DELEGATES

 Bernie Sanders

123,860 51.4% 18

 Hillary Clinton

86,354 35.8 11
Other 30,802 12.8

241,016 votes, 100% reporting (1,761 of 1,761 precincts)

Winner called by A.P.