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!
- I.16 proposed for 1916 • Section 16: Common law continued. • In Article I: Civil rights ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 4 of 1915
- I.17 proposed for 1916 • Section 17: Royal grants and charters preserved. • In Article I: Civil rights ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 4 of 1915
- I.18 proposed for 1916 • Section 18: Damages for injuries causing death. • In Article I: Civil rights ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 4 of 1915
- I.19 proposed for 1916 • In Article I: Civil rights ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 4 of 1915
- II.1 proposed for 1916 • Section 1: Qualifications of voters. • In Article II: Elective franchise ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 4 of 1915
- II.1.legislative proposed for 1916 • Section 1.legislative: Qualification of voters. • In Article II: Elective franchise ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 1 of 1915
- II.2 proposed for 1916 • Section 2: Persons excluded from right of suffrage — Challenge — Laws to be passed excluding from right of suffrage. • In Article II: Elective franchise ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 4 of 1915
- II.3 proposed for 1916 • Section 3: Certain employments not to affect residence of voters. • In Article II: Elective franchise ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 4 of 1915
- II.4 proposed for 1916 • Section 4: Laws to be passed. • In Article II: Elective franchise ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 4 of 1915
- II.5 proposed for 1916 • Section 5: Election to be by ballot. • In Article II: Elective franchise ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 4 of 1915
- II.6 proposed for 1916 • Section 6: Party representation in election boards, etc. • In Article II: Elective franchise ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 4 of 1915
- III.1 proposed for 1916 • Section 1: Legislative powers. • In Article III: Legislature ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 4 of 1915
- III.2 proposed for 1916 • Section 2: Senate, number of — Assembly, number of. • In Article III: Legislature ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 5 of 1915
- III.3 proposed for 1916 • Section 3: State divided into thirty-two senatorial districts — Boundaries thereof — Board of supervisors of the city of New York to divide the county into four Senate districts — Certificate, etc., to be filed. • In Article III: Legislature ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 5 of 1915
- III.4 proposed for 1916 • Section 4: Census; senate reapportionment. • In Article III: Legislature ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 5 of 1915
- III.5 proposed for 1916 • Section 5: Assembly apportionment. • In Article III: Legislature ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 5 of 1915
- III.6 proposed for 1916 • Section 6: Time of election fixed. • In Article III: Legislature ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 4 of 1915
- III.7 proposed for 1916 • Section 7: Political year. • In Article III: Legislature ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 4 of 1915
- III.8 proposed for 1916 • Section 8: Pay of members. • In Article III: Legislature ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 4 of 1915
- III.9 proposed for 1916 • Section 9: Powers of each house. • In Article III: Legislature ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 4 of 1915
- III.10 proposed for 1916 • Section 10: Legislative removal of judge. • In Article III: Legislature ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 4 of 1915
- III.11 proposed for 1916 • Section 11: Persons disqualified from being members. • In Article III: Legislature ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 4 of 1915
- III.12 proposed for 1916 • Section 12: Journals to be kept. • In Article III: Legislature ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 4 of 1915
- III.13 proposed for 1916 • Section 13: No member to be questioned, etc. • In Article III: Legislature ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 4 of 1915
- III.14 proposed for 1916 • Section 14: Bills may originate in either house. • In Article III: Legislature ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 4 of 1915
- III.15 proposed for 1916 • Section 15: Enacting clause of bills. • In Article III: Legislature ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 4 of 1915
- III.16 proposed for 1916 • Section 16: Assent of a majority of all the members required, etc. • In Article III: Legislature ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 4 of 1915
- III.17 proposed for 1916 • Section 17: Restriction as to private and local bills. • In Article III: Legislature ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 4 of 1915
- III.18 proposed for 1916 • Section 18: Existing law not to be made a part of an act except by inserting it therein. • In Article III: Legislature ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 4 of 1915
- III.19 proposed for 1916 • Section 19: Cases in which private and local bills shall not be passed ; restrictions as to laws authorizing street railroads. • In Article III: Legislature ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 4 of 1915
- III.20 proposed for 1916 • Section 20: The Legislature not to audit or allow any private claim. • In Article III: Legislature ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 4 of 1915
- III.21 proposed for 1916 • Section 21: Two-thirds bills. • In Article III: Legislature ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 4 of 1915
- III.22 proposed for 1916 • Section 22: Use of public moneys. • In Article III: Legislature ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 4 of 1915
- III.23 proposed for 1916 • Section 23: Appropriation bills not to embrace other subjects. • In Article III: Legislature ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 4 of 1915
- III.24 proposed for 1916 • Section 24: Bill imposing tax, manner of passing. • In Article III: Legislature ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 4 of 1915
- III.25 proposed for 1916 • Section 25: Boards of supervisors. • In Article III: Legislature ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 4 of 1915
- III.26 proposed for 1916 • Section 26: Local legislative powers. • In Article III: Legislature ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 4 of 1915
- III.27 proposed for 1916 • Section 27: No extra compensation to be granted. • In Article III: Legislature ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 4 of 1915
- III.28 proposed for 1916 • Section 28: Occupation and employment of convicts. • In Article III: Legislature ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 4 of 1915
- III.29 proposed for 1916 • In Article III: Legislature ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 4 of 1915