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!
- V.4 proposed for 1928 • Section 4: Heads of departments. • In Article V: State Officers; Civil Service ◦ Proposed by the Legislature ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 5 of 1927
- VII.7 proposed for 1928 • Section 7: Forest preserve. • In Article VII: State Finance; Forest Preserve; Canals ◦ Proposed by the Legislature ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 7 of 1927
- VII.14 proposed for 1928 • Section 14: Legislature may provide for debt to eliminate railroad crossings. • In Article VII: State Finance; Forest Preserve; Canals ◦ Proposed by the Legislature ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 3 of 1927
- VIII.10 proposed for 1928 • Section 10: Limitation of indebtedness of counties, cities, towns and villages; exception as to city of New York. • In Article VIII: Corporations and Charities ◦ Proposed by the Legislature ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 2 of 1927
- VIII.10-a proposed for 1928 • Section 10-a: New York City may contract debts for rapid transit railroads. • In Article VIII: Corporations and Charities ◦ Proposed by the Legislature ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 2 of 1927
- XII.8 proposed for 1928 • Section 8: Annexation of territory. • In Article XII: Cities and Villages ◦ Proposed by the Legislature ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 9 of 1927
- XIV.1 proposed for 1928 • Section 1: Amendments. • In Article XIV: Amendments and Conventions ◦ Proposed by the Legislature ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 6 of 1927
- II.1.a proposed for 1930 • Section 1.a: Absentee voting. • In Article II: Suffrage ◦ Proposed by the Legislature ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 2 of 1929
- III.26 proposed for 1930 • Section 26: Boards of supervisors. • In Article III: Legislature ◦ Proposed by the Legislature ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 3 of 1929
- V.6 proposed for 1930 • Section 6: Civil service. • In Article V: State Officers; Civil Service ◦ Proposed by the Legislature ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 1 of 1929
- VI.17 proposed for 1930 • Section 17: Justices of the peace. • In Article VI: Judiciary ◦ Proposed by the Legislature ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 5 of 1929
- VII.3 proposed for 1930 • Section 3: Debts to repel invasion. • In Article VII: State Finance; Forest Preserve; Canals ◦ Proposed by the Legislature ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 4 of 1929
- II.4 proposed for 1932 • Section 4: Laws to be passed. • In Article II: Suffrage ◦ Proposed by the Legislature ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 1 of 1931
- III.4 proposed for 1932 • Section 4: Census to be taken in 1905, and every ten years — Senate districts, how altered. • In Article III: Legislature ◦ Proposed by the Legislature ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 1 of 1931
- III.5 proposed for 1932 • Section 5: Members of Assembly, number of, and how apportioned and chosen — Boards of supervisors in certain counties and board of aldermen in New York city to divide the same into Assembly districts — Description of Assembly districts to be filed — Contents of Assembly districts — Legislature to reapportion members of Assembly — Each county entitled to one member — Hamilton county — Counties and towns may be divided and new ones erected. • In Article III: Legislature ◦ Proposed by the Legislature ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 1 of 1931
- III.7 proposed for 1932 • Section 7: No member to receive an appointment. • In Article III: Legislature ◦ Proposed by the Legislature ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 2 of 1931
- III.27 proposed for 1932 • Section 27: Local legislative powers. • In Article III: Legislature ◦ Proposed by the Legislature ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 6 of 1931
- V.2 proposed for 1932 • Section 2: Civil departments of state government. • In Article V: State Officers; Civil Service ◦ Proposed by the Legislature ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 5 of 1931
- VI.1 proposed for 1932 • Section 1: Supreme court; how constituted; judicial districts. • In Article VI: Judiciary ◦ Proposed by the Legislature ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 4 of 1931
- VII.16 proposed for 1932 • Section 16: State purchase of land in the Adirondacks and Catskills. • In Article VII: State Finance; Forest Preserve; Canals ◦ Proposed by the Legislature ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 3 of 1931
- VIII.11 proposed for 1932 • Section 11: State Board of Social Welfare. • In Article VIII: Corporations and Charities ◦ Proposed by the Legislature ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 5 of 1931
- VIII.14 proposed for 1932 • Section 14: Maintenance of charitable institutions. • In Article VIII: Corporations and Charities ◦ Proposed by the Legislature ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 5 of 1931
- VIII.15 proposed for 1932 • Section 15: Commissioners, terms of office, etc. • In Article VIII: Corporations and Charities ◦ Proposed by the Legislature ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 5 of 1931
- VII.7 proposed for 1933 • Section 7: Forest preserve. • In Article VII: State Finance; Forest Preserve; Canals ◦ Proposed by the Legislature ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 1 of 1932
- I.7 proposed for 1934 • Section 7: Compensation for taking private property; private roads; drainage of agricultural lands; excess condemnation. • In Article I: Bill Of Rights ◦ Proposed by the Legislature ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 1 of 1933
- V.6 proposed for 1934 • Section 6: Civil service. • In Article V: State Officers; Civil Service ◦ Proposed by the Legislature ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 2 of 1933
- VII.7-a proposed for 1934 • Section 7-a: State to construct a highway in Hamilton county. • In Article VII: State Finance; Forest Preserve; Canals ◦ Proposed by the Legislature ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 3 of 1933
- VII.8 proposed for 1934 • Section 8: Canals, not to be sold; not applied to certain canals; disposition of funds. • In Article VII: State Finance; Forest Preserve; Canals ◦ Proposed by the Legislature ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 4 of 1933
- I.2 proposed for 1936 • Section 2: Trial by jury. • In Article I: Bill Of Rights ◦ Proposed by the Legislature ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 2 of 1935
- III.26 proposed for 1936 • Section 26: Boards of supervisors. • In Article III: Legislature ◦ Proposed by the Legislature ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 1 of 1935
- VIII.7 proposed for 1936 • Section 7: Repeal of: Individual responsibility of stockholders. • In Article VIII: Corporations and Charities ◦ Proposed by the Legislature ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 3 of 1935
- X.1 proposed for 1936 • Section 1: Sheriffs, clerks of counties, register and clerk of New York, coroners and district attorneys — Governor may remove. • In Article X: Local Officers; General Provisions ◦ Proposed by the Legislature ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 1 of 1935
- X.2 proposed for 1936 • Section 2: Officers, how chosen or appointed. • In Article X: Local Officers; General Provisions ◦ Proposed by the Legislature ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 1 of 1935
- I.2 proposed for 1938 • Section 2: Trial by jury. • In Article I: Bill Of Rights ◦ Proposed by the Legislature ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 3 of 1937
- III.2 proposed for 1938 • Section 2: Senate, number of — Assembly, number of. • In Article III: Legislature ◦ Proposed by the Legislature ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 2 of 1937
- IV.1 proposed for 1938 • Section 1: Executive power, how vested. • In Article IV: Executive ◦ Proposed by the Legislature ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 1 of 1937
- VI.15 proposed for 1938 • Section 15: City court of New York City is continued. • In Article VI: Judiciary ◦ Proposed by the Legislature ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 5 of 1937
- VI.18 proposed for 1938 • Section 18: Municipal court of New York City is continued. • In Article VI: Judiciary ◦ Proposed by the Legislature ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 6 of 1937
- X.1 proposed for 1938 • Section 1: Sheriffs, clerks of counties, register and clerk of New York, coroners and district attorneys — Governor may remove. • In Article X: Local Officers; General Provisions ◦ Proposed by the Legislature ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 4 of 1937
- Preamble proposed for 1939 • Section : Preamble • In Article Preamble: ◦ Proposed by Constitutional Convention ◦ On the ballot as proposed amendment 1 of 1938