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
to change VIII.10 - to address limitations on debts of cities, towns, and counties to add VII.11 - to allow the legislature to pay off debts from the state treasury to change VI.1 - to allow the legislature to increase the number of justices in supreme court judicial districts to change XII.1 - to allow state government to set wages, hours, and protections for those working as employees, contractors, or subcontractors of the state or local governments within the state to add VII.12 - to allow the state to take on debt for highway improvements to change VII.4 - to address legislature's debt limitations to change VI.2 - to allow justices of the appellate division to serve on the supreme court when not performing appellate duties to change VIII.10 - to address limitations on debts of cities, towns, and counties to change XII.2 - to change classification of cities to reflect population growth to change VI.12 - to address compensation of judges and justices to change VII.4 - to allow the state to adjust interest rates on its debts to change III.27 - to allow the legislature to delegate to counties the audits of their own finances to change VIII.10 - to address limitations on debts of cities, towns, and counties "Shall chapter three hundred and ninety-one of the laws of nineteen hundred and nine, entitled 'An act making provision for issuing bonds to the amount not to exceed seven million dollars for the improvement of the Cayuga and Seneca canals, and providing for a submission of the same to the people to be voted upon at the general election to be held in the year nineteen hundred and nine,' at a general election held in the said State, on the 2d day of November, in the year 1909, wherein the several counties in which the said votes were given are distinguished." to change VI.7 - to add 2 elected associate judges to the court of appeals, and provide for the salaries of court of appeals judges "Shall chapter three hundred sixty-three of the laws of nineteen hundred and ten, entitled 'An act making provision for issuing bonds to an amount not exceeding two million five hundred thousand dollars, for the use of the commissioners of the Palisades Interstate park in the extension and improvement of the park under their jurisdiction as from time to time such park may exist, and providing for a submission of the same to the people, to be voted upon at the general election to be held in the year nineteen hundred and ten, be approved,' at a general election held in the said State, on the 8th day of November, in the year 1910, wherein the several counties in which the said votes were given are distinguished." to change III.6 - to increase legislators' salaries to change VI.2 - to repeal the appellate division's powers to organize special terms to change VI.14 - to add 2 judges to Brooklyn's county court to change I.6 - to allow municipalities to take private lands for public use to change IV.4 - to double the governor's salary to change VII.8 - to clarify mandate of state's ownership of canals to change I.7 - to allow the supreme court to determine just compensation for the state taking private land, as an alternative to a jury of landowners or court-appointed commissioners Re "Chapter 746 of the Laws of 1911, providing for the issuing of bonds by the Comptroller to an amount not exceeding nineteen million eight hundred thousand dollars, at the rate of interest not exceeding four percentum per annum, for the purpose of furnishing proper terminals and facilities for barge canal traffic, including the acquisition and interchange of property therefor with a view to improving and fostering the commerce of the State, at a general election held in the said State, on the 7th day of November, 1911..." "Shall chapter two hundred and ninety-eight of the laws of nineteen hundred and twelve, entitled 'An act making provision for issuing bonds to the amount not to exceed fifty million dollars for the purpose of constructing and improving state and county highways, and providing for a submission of the same to the people to be voted upon at the next general election held to be held in the year nineteen hundred and twelve,' be approved?" to change I.7 - to allow cities to take more private lands than may be needed for public use for just compensation and to sell the remainder, and to allow the supreme court to determine just compensation for the state taking private land, as an alternative to a jury of landowners or court-appointed commissioners to add I.19 - to establish workmen's compensation to change VI.14 - to address county courts and increase county judges to change VII.7 - to allow for the legislature to address reservoirs and water resources in forest preserves, as an exception to the provision that forest preserves be kept forever wild For a convention to revise the Constitution and amend the same.Want to filter or search NY's ballot questions? Click here!
Want to filter or search NY's ballot questions? Click here!