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:
-
- 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
to change IV.1, IV.2, IV.4, IV.8, IV.9 - to refine the roles of governor and lieutenant governor, and clarify the governor's role in the lawmaking process to change VII.3, VII.6, VII.13, VII.14 - to address funds and claims re repaying state debts, especially for developing canals to change VIII.4, VIII.11 - to refine how the legislature deals with banks, and local governments from giving money to private causes except to help the poor to add VIII.10 - to prohibit state money going to private causes, except for certain instances of social welfare to add X.9 - to fix officials' compensation at the amount outlined in the constitution or other law, with no additional fees to change XII.1 - to add to officials' oath of office a statement that they have not participated in bribery or unduly influencing votes to change V.3 - to establish a Superintendent of Public Works and the powers and terms of that office, and to abolish the offices of Canal Commissioners to change V.4 - to establish a Superintendent of State Prisons and the powers and terms of that office, and to abolish the offices of Inspectors of State Prisons to change VI.6 - to add 1 justice to the supreme court's second judicial district to change VI.12, VI.13 - to allow legislature to specify how the judges in Brooklyn's supreme court can be arranged, and to address terms and compensation of all judges to change VII.3, VII.5, VII.6 - to address repayment of debts re canal development to change VI.28 (misnumbered) - to rearrange supreme court terms to change VIII.11 - to address finances of cities and of counties containing big cities For a convention to revise the Constitution and amend the same. to change VI.6 - to allow supreme court justices to serve on court of appeals to expedite cases to change III.10 - to address the powers of state senate and assembly to change VI - to address electing more supreme court justices to change VII.7 - to address the Onondaga Salt Springs to change the whole NYS constitution, except for certain provisions with separate ballot questions - as proposed by the 1894 NY constitutional convention to change III.2, III.3, III.4, III.5 - to change how legislative districts are drawn to change VII.9, VII.10 - to address financing of canals to change VI.14 - to add 2 judges to Brooklyn's county court, and to abolish courts of sessions in all counties but New York county to change VI.1 - to add 12 justices among supreme court districts to change VII.7 - to allow for exceptions to the prohibition of sale, lease, and other uses of forest preserves, which are to be kept forever wild to change III.26 - to allow cities, where counties are wholly within them, to establish their own types of legislatures to change VI.2 - to allow the governor to appoint supreme court justices to the appellate division, if the presiding justice says it is necessary to speed up its business to change VI.7 - to allow the governor to appoint supreme court justices to the appellate division, to speed up case backlog to change VIII.10 - to address limitations on debts of cities, towns, and counties to change III.18 - to prohibit the state legislature from making a private or local law to give private individuals or companies either the right to lay down railroad tracks or an exemption from taxation on real or personal property. “Shall chapter one hundred and forty-seven of the laws of nineteen hundred and three entitled ‘An act making provision for issuing bonds to the amount of not to exceed one hundred and one million dollars for the improvement of the Erie canal, the Oswego canal and the Champlain canal, and providing for a submission of the some to the people to be voted upon at the general election to be held in the year nineteen hundred and three,’ be approved?”Want to filter or search NY's ballot questions? Click here!
Want to filter or search NY's ballot questions? Click here!