“It could have major, major impacts. Point No. 1 is, marijuana definitely increases [voter] participation of young people,” said Celinda Lake, a Democratic consultant and pollster. “The other nice thing about marijuana is that there’s no backlash. It doesn’t motivate [opponents] to vote — so it’s a unilaterally net positive effect.”
In Colorado’s 2012 elections, Lake found, voters were less concerned with the specifics surrounding pot policies and more interested with how tax dollars would be spent. Suburban mothers, typically a more conservative demographic, were won over by pot measures that promised $40 million per year would go toward schools in the state.
States are pursuing a variety of measures on pot. California would legalize recreational use. Nevada would legalize possession of up to an ounce of marijuana for people over age 21.
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