Analyzing how Alaska made 2014 a clean sweep for marijuana legalization initiatives
After years of debate — and decades of semi-legal status — Alaskans will finally be able to light up legally. On Tuesday, voters approved Ballot Measure 2, an initiative legalizing recreational marijuana in Alaska, by about 52 percent in favor to 48 percent opposed, with 100 percent of the state’s precincts reporting.
With the vote, Alaska joins Washington, Colorado and Oregon — the latter of which also approved a similar initiative Tuesday — as the first states in the country to legalize pot. Washington and Colorado approved their own initiatives in 2012.
The initiative will not become law until 90 days after the election is certified, which is expected to be in late November. Per the law, the state can then create a marijuana control board — expected to be housed under the Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development. That group will then have nine months to craft regulations dealing with how marijuana businesses will operate.
The initiative was years in the making. Alaska voters considered similar measures in 2000 and 2004. Both failed, though each indicated a measure of support for legalization. Measure 5 in 2000 took 40.9 percent of the vote; Ballot Measure 2 in 2004 gained a few more points, with 44 percent of the electorate voting in favor of it….
“Now that the campaign is over, it’s time to establish a robust regulatory system that sets an example for other states,” Bickford said in a prepared statement. “A regulated marijuana market will generate millions of dollars in tax revenue and create good jobs for Alaskans. Law enforcement will be able to spend their time addressing serious crimes instead of enforcing failed marijuana prohibition laws.”
What had seemed like an easy win earlier in the year appeared to slip in the weeks leading up to the election. Polls showed support for the measure at over 50 percent earlier in the year, but that appeared to decline over the summer and into fall. Dueling polls commissioned by both sides of the campaign showed striking differences between the two, making it anyone’s guess which side would ultimately come out ahead in the vote….
The No campaign expressed frustration with the results Tuesday night. “We’re disappointed in the numbers right now,” said No campaign deputy treasurer Deborah Williams, but added, “We’re very proud of the campaign we ran.”
“The campaign pointed out a lot of needed areas for amendments and improvements … the people in this campaign are committed to doing what is best for Alaska,” she said…. [T]he pro-legalization side [aided by outside moneies was able] to outspend their opponents nearly 9-1…. What they lacked in spending they made up in notable public support. As the opposition rallied supporters — from Alaska Native organizations, public safety officials, Alaska mayors, local communities and political leaders on both sides of the aisle — supporters of legalization struggled against what they perceived as a long-standing stigma against marijuana.
That stigma didn’t play out as much behind the voting curtain, with many Alaskans coming out in favor of the measure. Results showed supporters ahead from the start, with a lead they never relinquished as returns continued to stream in….
Earlier in the day, one thing was clear: When it came to voting on Ballot Measure 2, party affiliation meant zilch. In other states, marijuana legalization generally falls along party lines. Democrats tend to favor it, with Republicans opposed. But in Alaska, affiliation didn’t seem to matter. Politicians on both sides of the aisle publicly opposed the measure, while supporters actively targeted conservative voters leading up to the election.
That targeting may have worked. Husband and wife Larry and Lauren Larsen of Fairview both described themselves as conservative voters and both voted in favor of legalizing marijuana. Lauren Larsen thought police did a good job of dealing with violent crime, but didn’t do so well when it came to property crimes. She attributes that to being overworked, and thought if marijuana was legalized it would at least free up some police resources. Larry Larsen said the couple, who do not use marijuana, know people in Barrow who use pot.
“It’s everywhere, it’s no problem for people to get it,” he said outside of his polling place at Anchorage’s Central Lutheran Church. “If (marijuana enforcement) isn’t working, then the hell with it.”…
Fairview resident Davy Mousseaux voted for conservative candidates straight down the ticket, but voted yes to legalize marijuana. He said while he doesn’t use it now, he has used it in the past and thought that legalization could help communities. “Maybe if they legalize it there won’t be so many problems,” he said. “It’s not like heroin or cocaine.”
It is obviously significant and notable that the Alaskan legalization initiative this time around seemed to have resonated with a number of conservative voters. But, perhaps even more important as these stories inevitable get processed inside the Beltway, the Alaska outcome should allow and enable even more GOP members of Congress to feel politically comfortable voting to let states structure local marijuana policy without significant federal interference. Especially when it comes to Senate consideration of federal drug policies and possible reform, I think it will be quite important and significant that the two GOP members of the Senate from Alaska will have especially strong local reasons to limit federal interference in local control of marijuana policy.