Marijuana: Amendment 64 given 68 percent chance of passing by Intrade | The Latest Word | Denver | Denver Westword | The Leading Independent News Source in Denver, Colorado
Navigation

Marijuana: Amendment 64 given 68 percent chance of passing by Intrade

As we've reported, Amendment 64, the Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Act, had a 53 percent to 43 percent lead in a recent Public Policy Polling survey. But by another measure -- predictions from the online trading exchange Intrade -- the measure is doing even better. At this writing, it's being...
Share this:
As we've reported, Amendment 64, the Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Act, had a 53 percent to 43 percent lead in a recent Public Policy Polling survey. But by another measure -- predictions from the online trading exchange Intrade -- the measure is doing even better. At this writing, it's being given a 68 percent chance of passage.

How does Intrade work? "The website's members bet on the outcomes of non-sports-related future events," note our friends at Wikipedia -- a concept that blends the stock exchange with a sports book.

Here's the latest Amendment 64 entry:

These numbers have been on the rise of late. Here's a chart showing Amendment 64's Intrade performance over time: The shift has been especially dramatic of late. Yesterday, for instance, Amendment 64 was given a 62 percent chance of victory -- meaning there's been an approximate 6 percent leap in 24 hours. And the marijuana proposal in Washington state is on a similar trajectory. Yesterday, it registered a 73 percent ranking. Today, it's at 75 percent.

Are these numbers anything more than curiosities? Perhaps, as witnessed by the Intrade numbers for Proposition 19, a 2010 marijuana proposal in California. Ballotpedia features a chart showing declining support for the measure over the month before the election:

In the end, Proposition 19 lost handily.

By the way, the presidential race appears to be a dead heat right now -- but Intrade currently gives Barack Obama a 67.3 percent chance of reelection, as compared to Mitt Romney's 33.1 percent. Will any of these predictions prove accurate? We only have a few days until we'll find out.

More from our Marijuana archive: "Marijuana: Amendment 64 opponents lying, intimidating supporters, says Mason Tvert."

KEEP WESTWORD FREE... Since we started Westword, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Denver, and we'd like to keep it that way. Your membership allows us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls. You can support us by joining as a member for as little as $1.