Provisions
NY’s first state Constitutional Convention in 1777 adopted a founding document to establish the state, declare its sovereignty, and develop its laws.
Since then, a proposal to amend part or completely rewrite the constitution had to be sent to the voters for their approval by ballot question in order to join the constitution.
We’re tracking every time the voters weighed in on a proposed amendment.
Check out the lists below – click on a provision to get its full text and even more info, or click on the ballot question link to see how we voted on it!
And come back soon for even more NY Constitution fresh-squeezed! We’re in the process of breaking down each provision by policy issue and getting data to help understand what have been the big issues in state constitutional history.
This way we can ask ourselves: does the constitution reflect what *we* believe is important in New York’s basic law, or do we need to change it?
Every Proposed State Constitutional Provision Ever Sent to NYS Voters
Want to filter or search the constitutional provisions? Click here!
- IX.2 proposed for 1870 • Section 2: Free education. ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 1 of 1869
- X.1 proposed for 1870 • Section 1: Corporations, how formed. ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 1 of 1869
- X.2 proposed for 1870 • Section 2: Dues from corporations, how secured. ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 1 of 1869
- X.3 proposed for 1870 • Section 3: Corporation defined. ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 1 of 1869
- X.4 proposed for 1870 • Section 4: Registry of bills and notes; Specie payments; Banking corporations. ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 1 of 1869
- X.5 proposed for 1870 • Section 5: Liability of stockholders. ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 1 of 1869
- XI.1 proposed for 1870 • Section 1: Board of managers of prisons. ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 1 of 1869
- XI.2 proposed for 1870 • Section 2: Prison manager board appointments. ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 1 of 1869
- XI.3 proposed for 1870 • Section 3: Governor may remove prison managers. ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 1 of 1869
- XII.1 proposed for 1870 • Section 1: Militia enrollment. ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 1 of 1869
- XII.2 proposed for 1870 • Section 2: Militia forces. ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 1 of 1869
- XII.3 proposed for 1870 • Section 3: Selection of certain militia officers. ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 1 of 1869
- XII.4 proposed for 1870 • Section 4: Commissioned officers; removal. ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 1 of 1869
- XII.5 proposed for 1870 • Section 5: Militia officers, how chosen. ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 1 of 1869
- XII.6 proposed for 1870 ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 1 of 1869
- XIII.1 proposed for 1870 • Section 1: Officials inflenced by bribery. ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 1 of 1869
- XIII.2 proposed for 1870 • Section 2: Offering bribes. ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 1 of 1869
- XIII.3 proposed for 1870 • Section 3: Receiving bribes. ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 1 of 1869
- XIII.4 proposed for 1870 • Section 4: District attorneys handling bribery. ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 1 of 1869
- XIV.1 proposed for 1870 • Section 1: Oath of office. ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 1 of 1869
- XIV.2 proposed for 1870 • Section 2: Offices to continue. ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 1 of 1869
- XIV.3 proposed for 1870 • Section 3: Constitution, how amended. ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 1 of 1869
- XIV.4 proposed for 1870 • Section 4: Constitutional conventions. ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 1 of 1869
- XIV.5 proposed for 1870 • Section 5: When Constitution to take effect. ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 1 of 1869
- Signature proposed for 1870 • Section : Signature ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 1 of 1869
- VI.28 proposed for 1872 • Section 28: Transfer of causes; commission of appeals. ◦ Proposed by the Legislature ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 1 of 1872
- VI.2 proposed for 1874 ◦ Text of the Constitution required the ballot question ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 1 of 1873
- VI.9 proposed for 1874 ◦ Text of the Constitution required the ballot question ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 1 of 1873
- VI.13 proposed for 1874 ◦ Text of the Constitution required the ballot question ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 1 of 1873
- VI.12 proposed for 1874 ◦ Text of the Constitution required the ballot question ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 2 of 1873
- VI.15 proposed for 1874 ◦ Text of the Constitution required the ballot question ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 2 of 1873
- II.1 proposed for 1875 • Section 1: Qualifications of voters. ◦ A Constitutional Commission proposed it to the Legislature which proposed to the voters ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 1 of 1874
- II.2 proposed for 1875 • Section 2: Bribery at elections. ◦ A Constitutional Commission proposed it to the Legislature which proposed to the voters ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 1 of 1874
- III.5 proposed for 1875 • Section 5: Assembly reapportionment. ◦ A Constitutional Commission proposed it to the Legislature which proposed to the voters ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 2 of 1874
- III.6 proposed for 1875 • Section 6: Compensation of members of legislature. ◦ A Constitutional Commission proposed it to the Legislature which proposed to the voters ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 2 of 1874
- III.7 proposed for 1875 • Section 7: Member of legislature not eligible to certain appointments. ◦ A Constitutional Commission proposed it to the Legislature which proposed to the voters ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 2 of 1874
- III.8 proposed for 1875 • Section 8: Certain Federal and city officers disqualified as members. ◦ A Constitutional Commission proposed it to the Legislature which proposed to the voters ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 2 of 1874
- III.17 proposed for 1875 • Section 17: Existing laws not applicable by reference. ◦ A Constitutional Commission proposed it to the Legislature which proposed to the voters ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 3 of 1874
- III.18 proposed for 1875 • Section 18: Private and local bills limited; street railroads. ◦ A Constitutional Commission proposed it to the Legislature which proposed to the voters ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 3 of 1874
- III.19 proposed for 1875 • Section 19: Private claims not to be audited by legislature. ◦ A Constitutional Commission proposed it to the Legislature which proposed to the voters ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 3 of 1874