Arizona’s legal marijuana vote could bring more young people to polls

PHOENIX — A vote to legalize marijuana in Arizona could bring more young voters to the polls in November, a political strategist said.

“It (the vote) will draw heavy support from younger voters,” Valley political strategist Chris Herstam said, adding that one of the groups that could see an uptick in voter turnout could be those between ages 18 and 29.

Herstam also said the issue will transcend both class and political lines.

“It really doesn’t matter when you’re Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, independent – it’s one of those issues that transcends the normal political world,” he said.

Legalized marijuana will appear on Arizona’s November ballot as Proposition 205.

Secretary of State Michele Reagan notified Gov. Doug Ducey that the Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act met the signature requirements for placement on the ballot on Thursday.

If the marijuana act passes, it would legalize marijuana for anyone over 21 years old. Arizonans would be allowed to have six marijuana plants per house, and marijuana sales would be subject to a 15 percent tax with the revenue from that going to education and health care.

The measure may face an uphill battle to win in November. A July poll conducted by O.H. Predictive Insights said slightly more than half of Arizona would vote against legalization.

“Thirty-nine percent of Arizonans would approve the measure while about 52.5 percent said they would vote ‘no,’ and then you’re sitting with about 8.5 percent undecided,” Mike Noble, managing partner and chief pollster of O.H. Predictive Insights, said.

Noble said that the measure appears to be losing because older Arizonans are more likely to vote.

“They tend to be more conservative, and I don’t think they are nearly as warmed up to the idea (of legalized marijuana) as millennials or the younger generation,” said Noble.

KTAR’s Tyler Klaus and Bob McClay contributed to this report.

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