CLAY COUNTY – Early voting is approaching from Oct. 22-Nov. 2, and the General Election is Nov. 5, which means registered voters have a month to study the issues before casting their ballots.

In addition to voting for candidates, from the president to community development district representatives, residents will have other important issues that will affect their lives to consider.

The ballot has one county bond referendum and six statewide amendments. Because they are often written confusingly, here are all the amendments with simplified explanations to help voters make more informed decisions.

State amendments must pass by at least 60% of the vote, while the county amendment needs 50% plus 1.

County Charter Bond Referendum

CLAY COUNTY LAND CONSERVATION REFERENDUM TO PROTECT WATER QUALITY, WILDLIFE HABITAT, FORESTS AND FARMS

To acquire and manage lands that protect water quality in rivers, lakes, creeks, and drinking water sources; conserve wildlife habitat, natural areas, and working forests and farms; reduce flooding; and provide outdoor recreation, shall Clay County issue general obligation bonds up to $45 million, maturing within 20 years, bearing interest not exceeding legal maximum rates, payable from ad valorem tax up to 0.2 mills, with annual audits, citizen oversight, and full public disclosure of spending?

The skinny: It's pretty much what it says. Are you willing to spend 20 cents for every $1,000 of the assessed value of your home to pay up to $45 million in the next 20 years to protect the waterways and natural areas in the county?

Florida Constitutional Amendments

AMENDMENT 1: Establishing School Board Elections as Partisan Ballot Language

Proposing amendments to the State Constitution to require district school board members to be elected in a partisan rather than a nonpartisan election and to specify that the amendment only applies to elections held on or after the November 2026 general election. However, partisan primary elections may occur before the 2026 general election to nominate political party candidates to that office for placement on the 2026 general election ballot.

The skinny: proposed by the Florida State Legislature, for years, parents believed it was more important for school board members to be more focused on children, not politics. However, decisions made during the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent book ban debates exposed many board members’ political biases, prompting the legislature to ask voters if they want to know about their school representatives.

AMENDMENT 2: Establishing a State Constitutional Right to Hunt and Fish Ballot Language

Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution to preserve fishing and hunting forever, including using traditional methods, as a public right and preferred means of responsibly managing and controlling fish and wildlife. Specifies that the amendment does not limit the authority granted to the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission under Section 9 of Article IV of the State Constitution.

The skinny: as proposed by the Florida Legislature, hunting and fishing would be enshrined as the preferred methods of managing wildlife in Florida, not science.

AMENDMENT 3: Recreational Marijuana Legalization Ballot Language

Allows adults 21 years or older to possess, purchase, or use marijuana products and marijuana accessories for non-medical personal consumption by smoking, ingestion, or otherwise; allows Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers and other state-licensed entities to acquire, cultivate, process, manufacture, sell, and distribute such products and accessories.

The skinny: the citizen-initiated amendment would allow anyone 21 or older to possess up to three ounces of leafy marijuana or five ounces of THC concentrate. The state will issue licenses to businesses where marijuana and THC concentrate can be purchased. Buying from a non-licensed seller is illegal. The bill also failed to define use limitations, such as time, place, or manner, like alcohol or cigarettes.

AMENDMENT 4: Right to Abortion Ballot Language

No law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider. This amendment does not change the Legislature’s constitutional authority to require notification to a parent or guardian before a minor has an abortion.

The skinny: the citizen-initiated amendment has featured a lot of misinformation in television commercials. If passed, abortions would be allowed to the point where the fetus/baby could survive outside the womb, generally considered 24 weeks. It would also allow an abortion to protect the mother or baby’s life, as determined by the health care provider. If the mother is a minor, parents would be notified.

AMENDMENT 5: Homestead Exemption Inflation Adjustment Ballot Language

Proposing an amendment to the State Constitution to require an annual adjustment for inflation to the value of current or future homestead exemptions that apply solely to levies other than school district levies and for which every person who has legal or equitable title to real estate and maintains thereon the permanent residence of the owner, or another person legally or naturally dependent upon the owner is eligible. This amendment takes effect January 1, 2025.

The skinny: The Florida State Legislature's proposed amendment would reduce non-school government property taxes by adjusting for inflation.

AMENDMENT 6: Repeal of Public Campaign Financing Ballot Language

Proposing the repeal of the provision in the State Constitution, which requires public financing for campaigns of candidates for elective statewide office who agree to campaign spending limits.

The skinny: the Florida State Legislature proposed amendment would eliminate public funding for campaigns for governor and lieutenant governor, attorney general, chief financial officer and agricultural commissioner.