2018 Voter Guide

On November 6, 2018,Floridians will vote on 12 proposed amendments to the Florida Constitution. This Florida TaxWatch Voter Guide is designed to provide voters with information about each of the amendments to help them cast well-informed votes.

Proposed constitutional amendments No. 1, No. 2, and No. 5, which deal with homestead property tax exemptions; limitations on property tax assessments; and requirements for imposing, authorizing, or raising state taxes and fees, respectively, have been placed on the November ballot by joint resolutions of the Florida Legislature. Proposed constitutional amendments No. 3, and No. 4, which deal with voter control of gambling and the restoration of voting rights, respectively, have been placed on the November ballot by citizens’ initiatives.

Proposed constitutional amendments No. 6, No. 7, No. 9, No. 10, No. 11, and No. 12, have been placed on the November ballot by the Constitution Revision Commission. These six proposed amendments reflect the “bundling” of 17 separate issues. The Constitution Revision Commission bundled these issues to make the ballot shorter and more efficient. Instead of having 17 separate amendments to vote on, voters will have six.

Proposed constitutional amendment No. 13, which deals with wagering on dog racing, has been placed on the November ballot by the Constitution Revision Commission.

Proposed constitutional amendment No. 8, which bundles three public education-related issues, was challenged in court by the League of Women Voters. The lower court ruled that amendment No. 8 failed to inform voters of the chief purpose and effect of the proposal and must be removed from the ballot. The Florida Supreme Court upheld the lower court’s ruling and ordered proposed amendment No. 8 to be removed from the ballot.