2020 Montana Initiative 190

Last updated

Initiative 190
Montana Marijuana Legalization and Tax Initiative
Results
Choice
Votes %
Check-71-128-204-brightblue.svgYes341,03756.90%
Light brown x.svgNo258,33743.10%
Valid votes599,37497.92%
Invalid or blank votes12,7012.08%
Total votes612,075100.00%
Registered voters/turnout752,53881.33%

2020 Montana Initiative 190 results map by county.svg
Results by county
Source: Montana Secretary of State

    Montana I-190, the Montana Marijuana Legalization and Tax Initiative was a cannabis legalization initiative that appeared on the November 3, 2020 Montana general election ballot. Passing with 57% approval, the initiative legalized recreational marijuana in the state effective January 1, 2021. Along with Arizona, New Jersey and South Dakota, Montana was one of four states that legalized cannabis via ballot measures in the November 2020 election.

    Contents

    The sponsor of the initiative was New Approach Montana, in partnership with the Marijuana Policy Project. [1]

    History

    Initiative I-190 (legislation) and matching constitutional amendment initiative were submitted by New Approach Montana to the Montana Secretary of State in January, [2] [3] and approved for signature gathering as of May 1, 2020. [4] Following a lawsuit and a declaration from the Montana Supreme Court, the Montana Secretary of State determined that mail-in voter signatures would be allowed for all initiatives without requiring notary seal, [5] [1] and starting May 9, the sponsors made a downloadable mail-in form available. [6] On June 19, groups collecting voter signatures for the legalization initiative said they had submitted almost twice the minimum to the Secretary of State by the deadline. [7] The sponsors announced in July that they had reached the threshold for ballot inclusion, based on county-level voter certification. [8]

    On August 13, the Montana Secretary of State announced it had qualified for the November ballot. [9]

    The initiative was approved by voters on November 3, 2020. [10]

    Polling

    Initiative 190

    Poll sourceDate(s)
    administered
    Sample
    size [a]
    Margin
    of error
    ForAgainstUndecided / Other
    MSU Billings [11] Oct. 19–24, 2020546 (LV)± 4.2%54%38%7%
    MSU Bozeman [12] Sept. 14 – Oct. 2, 20201,607 (LV)± 3.9%49%39%10%2% [b]

    Legalization of recreational marijuana

    Poll sourceDate(s)
    administered
    Sample
    size [a]
    Margin
    of error
    YesNoUndecided
    University of Montana [13] Feb. 21 – Mar. 1, 2019293 (RV)± 5.7%51%37%12%
    University of Montana [14] Feb. 12–22, 2020498 (LV)± 4.39%54%37%9%

    Results

    Legalize Recreational Marijuana
    ChoiceVotes %
    Check-71-128-204-brightblue.svg Yes341,03756.90
    No258,33743.10
    Total votes612,075100.00
    Registered voters/turnout752,53881.33
    Source: [15]

    Notes

    1. 1 2 Key:
      A – all adults
      RV – registered voters
      LV – likely voters
      V – unclear
    2. Would not vote with 2%

    See also

    References

    1. 1 2 Montana I-190, Marijuana Legalization and Tax Initiative (2020), Ballotpedia, accessed June 3, 2020
    2. Seaborn Larson (January 15, 2020). "Cannabis campaign submits legalization drafts for 2020 ballot". Missoulian . Missoula, Montana.
    3. "Campaign to legalize marijuana in Montana offers ballot initiatives". Associated Press. January 14, 2020 via Boston Globe.
    4. PROPOSED 2020 BALLOT ISSUES, Montana Secretary of State, accessed June 3, 2020
    5. Hunter Pauli (May 8, 2020). "Montana OKs mail-in ballot initiative signatures". Montana Free Press.
    6. Melissa Schiller (May 11, 2020), Montana's Cannabis Legalization Campaign Launches Signature Drive Despite COVID-19 Setbacks: Legalization Watch, Cannabis Business Times, After losing a court battle to collect signatures electronically, New Approach Montana kicked off a statewide signature drive to get two complementary adult-use cannabis legalization measures on the state's 2020 ballot.
    7. Jonathon Ambarian (June 19, 2020). "Initiative signature deadline arrives; marijuana legalization advocates report 130K for two measures". Helena: KTVH-DT.
    8. Seaborn Larson (July 17, 2020). "Marijuana group 'certain' legalization will be on Montana general election ballot". Missoulian.
    9. "Marijuana Legalization Measure to Appear on November Ballot". Associated Press. August 13, 2020 via U.S. News & World Report.
    10. Melissa Loveridge (November 4, 2020). "Recreational marijuana initiatives pass in Montana". Bozeman Daily Chronicle.
    11. Montana State University Billings
    12. Montana State University Bozeman Archived 2020-10-19 at the Wayback Machine
    13. http://www.umt.edu/bigskypoll/Methodology/BSP%203.0%20Aggregate%20Report%20with%20Xtabs_Final.pdf University of Montana
    14. University of Montana
    15. Montana Secretary of State