Washington Deleting References to "Idiots", Amendment 83 (1988)

Washington Constitution
Articles
I • II • III • IV • V • VI • VII • VIII • IX • X • XI • XII • XIII • XIV • XV • XVI • XVII • XVIII • XIX • XX • XXI • XXII • XXIII • XXIV • XXV • XXVI • XXVII • XXVIII • XXIX • XXX • XXXI • XXXII
Amendments

State of Washington Constitutional Amendment 83 was a legislatively-referred constitutional amendment to the Washington State Constitution. It was on the November 8, 1988 ballot in the State of Washington, where it was approved.

Amendment 83 amended Article VI, Section 3 and Section 1 of Article XIII of the Washington State Constitution. It removed the terms "idiots" and "insane persons".

It was the 83rd amendment approved to the Washington State Constitution subsequent to its adoption in 1889.

Election results

Amendment 83
Result		Votes	Percentage
a Yes		1,354,529	81.37%
No		310,114	18.63%

Section 3, Article VI

Before Amendment 83

Before Amendment 83 passed, Article VI, Section 3 said, "All idiots, insane persons, and persons convicted of infamous crime unless restored to their civil rights are excluded from the elective franchise."

After Amendment 83

After Amendment 83 was enacted, Article VI, Section 3 said, "All persons convicted of infamous crime unless restored to their civil rights and all persons while they are judicially declared mentally incompetent are excluded from the elective franchise."

Section 1, Article XIII

Before Amendment 83

Before Amendment 83 passed, Section 1 of Article XIII said,

"Educational, reformatory and penal institutions; those for the benefit of blind, deaf, dumb, or otherwise defective youth; for the insane or idiotic; and such other institutions as the public good may require, shall be fostered and supported by the state, subject to such regulations as may be provided by law. The regents, trustees, or commissioners of all such institutions existing at the time of the adoption of this Constitution, and of such as shall thereafter be established by law, shall be appointed by the governor, by and with the advice and consent of the senate; and upon all nominations made by the governor, the question shall be taken by ayes and noes, and entered upon the journal."

After Amendment 83

After Amendment 83 passed, Section 1 of Article XIII said,

"Educational, reformatory, and penal institutions; those for the benefit of youth who are blind or deaf or otherwise disabled; for persons who are mentally ill or developmentally disabled; and such other institutions as the public good may require, shall be fostered and supported by the state, subject to such regulations as may be provided by law. The regents, trustees, or commissioners of all such institutions existing at the time of the adoption of this Constitution, and of such as shall thereafter be established by law, shall be appointed by the governor, by and with the advice and consent of the senate; and upon all nominations made by the governor, the question shall be taken by ayes and noes, and entered upon the journal."

See also

• List of ballot measures by state
• List of ballot measures by year
• List of Washington ballot measures
• Washington 1988 ballot measures
• 1988 ballot measures

Suggest a link

External links

• Washington State Constitution
• 1988 Election Results Washington Ballot Measures
• 1988 Washington Voter Guide

References

---

This state ballot measure article is a stub. You can help people learn by expanding it.