Local 10′s “Amendments 101” series explains each Florida constitutional ballot question, to ultimately help you make an informed decision.
In this edition, we look at a ballot question that asks you to make it even harder to get amendments — just like this one — into the state constitution.
This and all constitutional amendments need a supermajority 60% support to pass.
Amendment 4: Click here for the full text.
Amendment 4 proposes to make it more difficult to get future amendments into the Florida Constitution.
The process would add a required second supermajority vote before an amendment would successfully pass.
By requiring two votes, the same ballot question would require two separate elections, two sets of votes, and two voter approvals exceeding 60% thresholds.
Opponents argue that the process to get a constitutional amendment on the Florida ballot is already difficult enough — expensive, technical, and time-consuming. The citizens' initiative process remains the only way for people or groups to affect the changes that elected lawmakers don’t, or won’t, do. Amendment 4 would therefore make it more difficult for Floridians to get what they want from their government.
The Political Action Committee behind Amendment 4 has spent about $9 million in untraceable funding — what is known as dark money — to get A4 on the ballot. Election finance records indicate some connections to that money to major state businesses and utilities - entities that have affected legal change themselves using money and lobbying.
A “Yes” vote = Making it harder for citizens to amend Florida’s constitution.
A “No” vote = Keeping it as is, if you think it’s already tough enough.