A campus event where students were given ice cream, pizza, and other food items in exchange for pledging to vote ‘yes’ on Florida's upcoming Amendment 4 election was held on Florida International University’s (FIU) Modesto A. Maidique Campus (MMC) during Monday, October 29th.
The event was held during class hours and next to FIU’s Green library and Graham Center, popular spots on campus.
Students who pledged to vote in favor of Amendment 4 were given tickets they could use to purchase food in adjacent stands giving Ben and Jerry’s ice cream and Papa John’s pizza.
Students who requested food without having pledged to vote yes on Amendment 4 were denied food and told to make a pledge to vote yes on Amendment 4 if they desired food.
The exchange introduces concerns regarding Florida election statutes, which prohibit “directly or indirectly give or promise anything of value to another intending thereby to buy that person’s or another’s vote or to corruptly influence that person or another in casting his or her vote.”
Abortion has become a contentious issue in the upcoming general elections as Floridians will be requested to vote on Amendment 4, which would constitutionalize Florida resident’s ability to have an abortion until at least viability.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) has staunchly opposed and campaigned against Amendment 4, claiming it would mandate “taxpayer-funded” abortions.
According to The Floridian’s Liv Caputo, DeSantis made the statements based on a new 30-second ad bankrolled by the Republican Party of Florida advocating against Amendment 4—pointing out that two years after Michigan approved a similar amendment, pro-abortion advocates filed a lawsuit to overturn the state's ban on taxpayer-funded abortions.
Because the ACLU, an activist group, helped draft both Amendments, the ad claims the "same thing will happen in Florida."
"The ACLU wrote and bankrolled a sweeping abortion amendment in Michigan. Now, the same lawyers are suing to force taxpayers to fund abortions," DeSantis posted on X. "Amendment 4 is a Trojan horse that mandates abortion until birth for virtually any reason—if it passes, taxpayers may be forced to fund it."
