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Idaho · November 3, 2026 general election · Statewide ballot measure

House Joint Resolution 4: what your vote means

Who may legalize marijuana, narcotics, and other psychoactive substances. On every Idaho ballot. Official sources checked October 22, 2026.

House Joint Resolution 4 · Legislatively referred constitutional amendment

Who may legalize marijuana, narcotics, and other psychoactive substances

Heads up: voting YES on this measure removes voters’ ability to legalize marijuana, narcotics, or other psychoactive substances through a ballot initiative.

Official ballot title (quoted exactly)

“Shall Section 26, Article III of the Constitution of the State of Idaho be amended to provide that only the Idaho Legislature shall have power and authority to legalize the growing, producing, manufacturing, transporting, selling, delivering, dispensing, administering, prescribing, distributing, possessing, or using of marijuana, narcotics, or other psychoactive substances?”

Ballot question as printed in the 2026 Idaho Voter Pamphlet, Secretary of State.

A YES vote means:

Only the Idaho Legislature could legalize marijuana, narcotics, or other psychoactive substances.

A NO vote means:

The constitution would not change, and Idaho’s controlled substances laws could still be changed through the citizen initiative process.

What it would change

  • Who is affected: voters who use the initiative process, and the Legislature.
  • What it removes: the ability to legalize these substances through a citizen initiative.
  • Effective: immediately upon adoption.
  • Fiscal impact: No official fiscal impact statement is published in the Idaho Voter Pamphlet for this legislative amendment.

Official arguments, summarized

Short neutral summaries of the arguments printed in the official voters’ pamphlet. The committees that wrote them are responsible for their content. Read the full text at the link below.

Argument for

Supporters say legalization decisions should go through public legislative hearings with accountable legislators.

Argument against

Opponents say it would take power from the people, and that the Legislature can already amend or repeal any initiative it disagrees with.

Legislative Council statements for and against HJR 4, 2026 Idaho Voter Pamphlet (PDF, p. 4)

Who supports it and who opposes it

These lists come from official campaign filings (registered committees) and public endorsements, each linked to its source. They are not complete, and SaveYourState does not endorse anyone listed.

Who supports it

Not yet compiled

Who opposes it

Not yet compiled

Official sources

SaveYourState is independent and nonpartisan, not a government site, and does not take positions on ballot measures. This explainer describes effects only, using the official ballot title, explanatory statement, full text, and fiscal impact statement. If anything here differs from those documents, the official documents control.