Ballot Questions
NYS has limited referendum – only certain kinds of questions can be sent to all of the state’s voters on the ballot. These 3 categories are:
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- Proposed amendments to the state constitution (which we’re tracking here)
- Bond acts – the state constitution requires that if the state wants to take on debt passed a certain $ amount, it has explain the purpose of the debt and get voter approval
- Constitutional Conventions – the state constitution also requires that every 20 years, voters are asked if they want to bring together a convention to propose revisions (that was on the ballot in 2017, and will be back on in 2037!)
We’re tracking every time the voters weighed in on any ballot question.
Check out the lists below – click on a ballot question to see how we voted on it – where we could get the data, we mapped how counties voted!
And come back soon for even more NY Constitution fresh-squeezed! We’re in the process of breaking down each ballot question by policy issue and getting data to help understand what have been the big issues in state constitutional history.
Every Ballot Question Ever Sent to NYS Voters
For a convention to consider and alter the Constitution to change the whole NYS constitution - as proposed by the 1821 NY constitutional convention to change IV.7 - to elect justices of the peace to staggered terms in office to change II.1 - to extend the vote to all white male citizens over 21, regardless of whether they own property, serve in the militia, or have particular jobs - and eliminating a poll tax to change VII.10 - to let the legislature reduce salt duties (aka taxes), to no less than 6 cents per bushel to change IV.10 - to allow the eligible male voters of NYC to vote for mayor along with NYC council members, while maintaining that other cities' mayors would be appointed each year by the respective city councils to change VII.10 - to direct money from duties on salt and goods sold at auction to the state's general fund, after enough money has been collected to pay debts borrowed to construct the Erie and Champlaign canals and other previously earmarked funds to change IV.10 - to allow the eligible male voters of all cities in the state to vote for their cities' mayors, along with voting for city council members to change I.2, III.2 - to allow white males who do not own property to serve in the legislature or as governor to change I.13 - to require the legislature, when voting to remove a judicial officer, to give the officer notice and publish the reason for removal in either the Senate or Assembly journal For a convention to consider and alter the Constitution to change the whole NYS constitution - as proposed by the 1846 NY constitutional convention to change II.1 - to extend the vote to all black male citizens over 21, regardless of whether they own property to change VII.3 - to allow the legislature to use $2.25 million for canal improvements over the next 4 years, and require that contractors selected for canal work or materials gives the lowest bid and security for their work For a convention to revise the Constitution to change II.1 - to allow voters in active military service to vote by absentee ballot For a convention to revise the Constitution to change the whole NYS constitution, except for certain provisions with separate ballot questions - as proposed by the 1867 NY constitutional convention to change VI.1, VI.2, VI.3, VI.4, VI.5, VI.6, VI.7, VI.8, VI.9, VI.10, VI.11, VI.12, VI.13, VI.14, VI.15, VI.16, VI.17, VI.18, VI.19, VI.20, VI.21, VI.22, VI.23, VI.24, VI.25, VI.26, VI.27 - to reorganize the judiciary to add VIII.15 - to establish a uniform rule of assessment and taxation for personal and real property to re-up II.1 - to require that black men must own property in order to vote to add VI.28 - to transfer 500 cases from the Court of Appeals to the Commission of Appeals, and extend the terms of commissioners to change VI.2, VI.9, VI.13 - to address appointment of judges to the Court of Appeals to change VI.12, VI.15 - to address appointment of judges to county courts and certain city courts to change II.1, II.2 - to extend the right to vote to men of color, and strip right to vote from those violating voting ethics to add XV.1, XV.2, XV.3, XV.4 - to criminalize bribery by or of an official, and address district attorneys who fail to adequately prosecute such crimes to add XVI.1 - to establish effective date for constitutional amendments as the first day of the January/following year after it was voted in by the people to change III.5, III.6, III.7, III.8 - to change assembly districts, and legislators' compensation and eligibility to change III.17, III.18, III.19, III.20, III.21, III.22, III.23, III.24, III.25 - to refine the lawmaking process and prohibit the legislature from making certain kinds of lawsWant to filter or search NY's ballot questions? Click here!
Want to filter or search NY's ballot questions? Click here!