Proposal granting Idaho Legislature full control over drug legalization fails

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) — Idaho voters have rejected a proposed constitutional amendment that would have given the Idaho Legislature sole authority to legalize marijuana and other substances, according to unofficial election results.

As of publication, House Joint Resolution 4 (HJR 4) failed after more than 66% of voters opted against the measure, with 36 of Idaho's 44 counties reporting.

House Joint Resolution 4 would have given state legislators exclusive power to legalize marijuana and other substances, stripping that power away from voter-led ballot initiatives.

Reclaim Idaho formally opposed the constitutional amendment and released a statement following the vote. Luke Mayville, executive director of Reclaim Idaho, emphasized that voters were focused on preserving their legislative rights.

“Idaho voters clearly understood that HJR four was never about drugs; it was always about the right of Idaho voters to make their voices heard through the ballot-initiative process,” Mayville said.

Mayville noted that opposition to the resolution crossed party lines across the state. “We found Republicans, Democrats and Independents united in their view that this resolution was nothing more than a power grab by the Idaho Legislature,” Mayville said. “The defeat of HJR four is a big win for Idahoans and a big win for ballot-initiative rights.”

All election results remain unofficial until officially certified by the Idaho State Board of Canvassers.