State investigators probe marijuana petition circulators at Broward Elections Office
Key Points(3)
- Ron DeSantis arrived at the elections office on Monday and remained there through Tuesday.
- Our office remains committed to serving the people of Broward County with the transparency they expect from us,” he said.</p> <p data-start="1796" data-end="1975">The proposed marijuana referendum seeks to amend Florida’s Constitution to legalize recreational marijuana for adults 21 and older.
- DeSantis has publicly opposed the measure.</p> <p data-start="1977" data-end="2085">State officials have not announced whether any charges have been filed in connection with the investigation.</p>
State election crimes investigators were sent this week to the Broward County Supervisor of Elections headquarters in Fort Lauderdale as part of a probe into marijuana-referendum petitions processed by the office, officials confirmed.
According to the South Florida Sun Sentinel, investigators dispatched by the administration of Gov. Ron DeSantis arrived at the elections office on Monday and remained there through Tuesday. The Broward Supervisor of Elections Office said that investigators were expected to return on Wednesday.
In a statement, the elections office said there is “no indication” that the office itself or Broward County Supervisor of Elections Joe Scott is under investigation.
Scott said the inquiry is focused on petition circulators who were terminated by Smart & Safe Florida, the group backing the proposed marijuana referendum, over allegations of petition fraud.
“A letter dated January 24, 2026, from the Secretary of State referenced issues related to petitions collected for the marijuana initiative,” Scott said. “That correspondence was subsequently clarified by a letter sent the following day from the Office of the Statewide Prosecutor, which makes clear that the targets of the investigation are circulators who were terminated for petition fraud by Smart & Safe Florida.”
Scott said his office is cooperating fully with state authorities.
“My team and I are doing our part by providing information requested by the authorities. Our office remains committed to serving the people of Broward County with the transparency they expect from us,” he said.
The proposed marijuana referendum seeks to amend Florida’s Constitution to legalize recreational marijuana for adults 21 and older. Gov. DeSantis has publicly opposed the measure.
State officials have not announced whether any charges have been filed in connection with the investigation.
