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 III.27 - to allow Westchester county to establish its own real estate assessments to change VII.7 - to allow the legislature to provide for using forest preserves for recreation, in the provision that forest preserves be kept forever wild to change I.7 - to address New York City's takings of private land for just compensation to change V.6 - to address civil service preference for veterans to add VII.7-a - to allow the construction of a particular highway in the forest preserve, in the provision that forest preserves be kept forever wild to change VII.8 - to allow the state to sell barge terminal canal lands in New York City as an exception to the prohibition against sale of the state's canals, and use the money to maintain the remaining canal system to change III.26, X.1, X.2 - to address the organization and officials of counties, cities, towns, and villages to change I.2 - to allow the legislature to permit civil jury verdicts with five-sixths vote to change VIII.7 - to repeal personal liability for banks' stockholders "Shall there be a convention to revise the Constitution and amend the same?" to change IV.1 - to increase the terms of the governor and lieutenant governor, and to clarify election years to change III.2 - to increase the terms of legislators, and to clarify election years to change I.2 - to allow criminal defendants to waive the right to trial by jury, except in cases punishable by death to change X.1 - to allow sherrifs to be eligible to serve again after their current terms to change VI.15 - to address the City Court of New York to change VI.18 - to address the Municipal Court of New York to change the whole NYS constitution, except for certain provisions with separate ballot questions - as proposed by the 1938 NY constitutional convention to change III.2, III.3, III.4, III.4.continued, III.5 to change VII.14 to add XVIII.1, XVIII.2, XVIII.3, XVIII.4, XVIII.5, XVIII.6, XVIII.7, XVIII.8, XVIII.9, XVIII.10 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 add I.17 to add II.9 to change VII.8Want to filter or search NY's ballot questions? Click here!
Want to filter or search NY's ballot questions? Click here!