Ballot measures in five states on whether to legalize the medical or adult recreational use of cannabis (marijuana) could have a big impact on federal, state and local elections now underway by boosting turnout of young voters who tend to lean Democratic.
Voters in Arizona, Mississippi, Montana, New Jersey and South Dakota are casting ballots on cannabis legalization measures. Arizona (with 11 Electoral College votes) and Montana (with 3 Electoral College votes) are considered swing states that could go either way in the presidential election.
In recent years the Democratic Party has been appealing to proponents of cannabis legalization, especially young voters. One in 10 eligible voters this year is a part of Generation Z (people born after 1997), and this group is anticipated to use cannabis twice as much as the average American.
POLL SHOWS ARIZONANS SUPPORT LEGALIZING MARIJUANA
According to a recent survey by the Pew Research…