MJBizMag October 2022 - 34

RACE FOR REFORM
FINELINES
By Omar Sacirbey
Marijuana reform advocates face off as redistricting adds
Congressional seats in some states and eliminates them in others
Marijuana business owners
could face dramatically
different political and
regulatory landscapes after
the November midterm
elections. Some of the key
issues and races to watch
include:
* Recreational cannabis
legalization might be on
the ballot in as many
as five states: Arkansas,
Maryland, Missouri, North
Dakota and Oklahoma.
A
s cannabis executives watch
the 2022 midterm elections,
one factor that could affect
races for seats in the U.S. House of
Representatives-and the likelihood
of federal marijuana reform-is
congressional redistricting.
Every 10 years, after the U.S. census,
states are required to update their
boundaries for voting districts.
Federal law requires that districts
have roughly equal populations and
that they don't discriminate based on
race and ethnicity. Who is in charge of
redistricting varies by state, but in most
states, the responsibility belongs to the
political party that controls its legislative
chambers and governorships.
Unsurprisingly, the political parties
that control redistricting efforts often try
to gerrymander voting districts in their
favor, but there are some checks against
that happening, such as the courts.
34 October 2022 | MJBizMagazine
WINNERS AND LOSERS
After the 2020 census, states drew up
their newest voter-district maps, taking
into account population changes,
which in some regions resulted in a
gain or loss of congressional seats.
There are 435 seats in the House.
California, Illinois, Michigan, New
York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West
Virginia each lost congressional
seats. By contrast, Colorado, Florida,
Montana, North Carolina and Oregon
each gained one seat, while Texas
added two.
The new maps are being used for
the first time in this election cycle and
have already had an impact in some
key primaries involving marijuana
reform supporters. The new maps are
also expected to have an impact in
November, when friends and foes of
marijuana compete for seats in
the House.
* While legalization
advocates are hopeful
for a sweep on election
day, they are also on
guard against courts
and politicians trying to
block successful ballot
measures, as they recently
did in Mississippi and
South Dakota.
* The newest congressional
districts that were created
during the once-in-adecade
process known
as redistricting will be
used for the first time in
November. The results
could mean less support
in the new Congress for
cannabis reform than
there is now.
* The odds of federal
marijuana reform could
suffer if Republicans take
control of one or both
congressional chambers.
* Observers believe the
divide over cannabis
legalization is becoming
less partisan and more
generational.

MJBizMag October 2022

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