Degree Name
MA (Master of Arts)
Program
Criminal Justice and Criminology
Date of Award
12-2025
Committee Chair or Co-Chairs
Bradley Edwards
Committee Members
Dustin Osborne, Logan Ledford, Jennifer Pealer
Abstract
Cannabis research has often emphasized usage rates among certain groups of citizens, focusing mostly on demographic factors. A less studied topic within the cannabis literature pertains to the predictors of voting patterns of legalization referendums. Past research on this topic has examined states with similar characteristics, which calls into question the generalizability of results. The current study attempts to broaden the scope of knowledge in this area by partially replicating a previous study that explored county-level voting patterns, while also exploring the potential influence of the declining agricultural industry in predicting support for cannabis legalization. This was accomplished by analyzing county-level voting data from the 11 states that have voted on a cannabis legalization referendum from 2020-2025. Results from this study found that sociopolitical factors were among the most predictive of support, followed by demographic measures. A relationship between agricultural decline and support for cannabis legalization was identified.
Document Type
Thesis - unrestricted
Recommended Citation
Jennings, Amelia G., "Bud on the Ballot: A County-Level Analysis of Citizen Support for Cannabis Legalization" (2025). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 4619. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/4619
Copyright
Copyright by the authors.
Included in
Criminology and Criminal Justice Commons, Politics and Social Change Commons, Social Policy Commons
