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Project Overview

The Town Council for Bridgewater, MA recently took up measures to overturn the state’s passage of a ballot referendum in November 2016 that legalized marijuana for possession, recreational use, cultivation and distribution for people over 21. Theory Wellness, Inc, a medical marijuana dispensary, came to Five Corners Strategies to help push back the ban to preserve their ability to cultivate cannabis in their existing location in Bridgewater.

The Goals

In order to overturn the state law, the Town Council would need 6 of the 9 Councilmembers to vote in favor of the ban. Theory Wellness needed to target and sway the votes of at least four of the Council members to vote against the ban or in favor of an amendment that would allow cultivation to continue, even if recreational sales were banned.

The Strategy

Five Corners Strategies had eight days to plan the campaign and identify, persuade and motivate supporters who would take an action to tell the Council members not to support the full ban. Our plan was to show how diverse and widespread opposition to the ban was, and give Councilmembers who wanted to vote against the ban support from their constituents.

The Highlights

In an interview with the local media, Council President Peter Colombotos said, “There are local businesses who pay a not-insignificant amount of taxes and provide good jobs,” he said, pointing to Theory Wellness, a medical marijuana operation which opened this year. “They provide a medical product that helps a lot of people, and we don’t want to be viewed as anti-business, as a town.”

Testimonial

We got into this for the patients and our priority was making sure we can continue to serve them.

Brandon Pollock CEO, Theory Wellness
Medical marijuana facility.

The Outcome

During the 6 days of the actual campaigning, Five Corners Strategies identified 155 Bridgewater residents who would vocally oppose the ban. Those advocates sent a combined 1,386 emails to the Town Councilmembers and 75 of them showed up on the night of the vote. The Town Council voted 6-2 in favor of a ban but with the amendment to protect cultivation, preserving Theory Wellness’ business.