1913 ballot measures
This page provides a list of statewide ballot measures that appeared before voters in 1913.
In the United States, a ballot measure is a law, issue, or question that appears on a statewide or local ballot for voters of that jurisdiction to decide.
- HBM Factbooks
- List of ballot measures by state
- Other years
Historical Ballot Measure Factbooks
The inventory of statewide ballot measures is part of Ballotpedia's Historical Ballot Measure Factbooks, which document nearly 200 years of direct democracy in the United States. This ongoing research effort will provide an unparalleled resource for researchers, reporters, and voters on how ballot measures have evolved, the issues they've covered, and the role they have played in our civic life. Click here to access the state historical ballot measure factbooks.
List of ballot measures by state
Maine
See also: Maine 1913 ballot measures
September 8
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Question 1 | Property taxes | Provide for the classification of property for taxation purposes |
| 18,060 (69%) | 8,157 (31%) | |
| Question 2 | Ballot measure process | Permit amendments to the constitution to be voted upon at regulation elections |
| 16,746 (71%) | 6,741 (29%) |
Maryland
See also: Maryland 1913 ballot measures
November 4
| Type | Title | Subject | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amendment 1 | State legislative authority; Eminent domain policy |
| 49,318 (70%) | 20,861 (30%) | |
| Amendment 2 | State legislative vote requirements; Constitutional wording changes; State legislative processes and sessions |
| 42,732 (69%) | 19,607 (31%) | |
| Amendment 3 | State judicial authority; Constitutional wording changes; State judiciary structure |
| 41,031 (67%) | 20,507 (33%) | |
| Amendment 4 | Suffrage |
| 43,024 (69%) | 19,616 (31%) | |
| Amendment 5 | Constitutional wording changes |
| 39,847 (66%) | 20,744 (34%) | |
| Amendment 6 | Constitutional wording changes |
| 36,986 (68%) | 17,636 (32%) |
Massachusetts
See also: Massachusetts 1913 ballot measures
November 4
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allow Women to Serve as Notary Publics Amendment | Sex and gender issues | Allow women to be appointed as notary publics |  | 154,691 (46%) | 181,343 (54%) | |
| Grant the Legislature Full Power of Referral of Laws to the Public Amendment | Ballot measure process | Amend the constitution to grant the legislature full power and authority to refer bills and laws to the public in an election for their approval or rejection |
| 206,689 (73%) | 77,767 (27%) |
Michigan
See also: Michigan 1913 ballot measures
April 7
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initiatives and Referendums for Statutes Amendment | Ballot measure process; Initiative and referendum process | Revise constitutional provisions relating to initiatives and referendums for statutes |
| 219,057 (59%) | 152,388 (41%) | |
| Initiatives for Constitutional Amendments Amendment | Initiative and referendum process; Ballot measure process | Revise constitutional provisions relating to initiatives for constitutional amendments |
| 204,796 (56%) | 162,392 (44%) | |
| Recall of Elective Officers Amendment | Recall process | Revise provisions relating to the recall of elective officers |
| 237,743 (62%) | 145,412 (38%) | |
| Relief, Insurance, and Pensions for Fire Department Members Amendment | Insurance policy; Public employee retirement funds | Amend provisions relating to relief, insurance, and pensions for fire department members | | 179,948 (47%) | 206,204 (53%) | |
| Women's Suffrage Amendment | Women's suffrage; Sex and gender issues | Provide for women's suffrage in state constitution | | 168,738 (39%) | 264,882 (61%) |
New York
See also: New York 1913 ballot measures
November 4
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amendment 1 | Public works labor and contracting | Allow compensation on private property taken for public use |
| 424,928 (61%) | 270,467 (39%) | |
| Amendment 2 | Constitutional wording changes | Provide that there shall be no constitutional limitation upon the power of the legislature to eneact laws for the protection of the lives, safety or health of employees |
| 510,914 (72%) | 194,497 (28%) | |
| Amendment 3 | State judiciary structure | Increase the number of county judges |
| 389,971 (60%) | 255,539 (40%) | |
| Amendment 4 | Parks, land, and natural area conservation; Water storage | Allow for the use of no more than three percent of forest preserve lands for the construction and maintenance of state controlled reservoirs for municipal water supply |
| 486,264 (72%) | 187,290 (28%) |
Ohio
See also: Ohio 1913 ballot measures
November 4
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eligibility of Women for Appointment to Commissions Amendment | Sex and gender issues; Administration of government | Grant women the right to serve as members of boards or in positions in institutions affecting or caring for women and children |
| 435,222 (63%) | 255,036 (37%) | |
| Municipal Bonds Tax Exemption Amendment | Taxes; Bond issues | Provide tax exemptions for city, village, hamlet, township, road district, and school bonds | | 312,232 (48%) | 340,570 (52%) | |
| Short Ballot for County and Township Officers Amendment | Elections and campaigns; County and municipal governance | Authorize laws to be passed for the election or appointment of county and township officers | | 217,875 (33%) | 449,493 (67%) | |
| Short Ballot for State Officers Amendment | Elections and campaigns; State executive official measures | List the governor and lieutenant governor on the ballot and grant them the power to appoint members of the executive department | | 239,126 (34%) | 461,555 (66%) | |
| Small Legislature Initiative | State legislatures measures | Limit the legislature to 50 Representatives and 22 Senators | | 240,237 (36%) | 418,114 (64%) | |
| Transportation of Alcohol to Areas Where the Sale of Alcohol is Prohibited Initiative | Alcohol laws | Prohibit the transportation of alcohol to areas where the sale of alcohol is prohibited | | 360,534 (44%) | 455,099 (56%) |
Oklahoma
See also: Oklahoma 1913 ballot measures
August 5
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Question 46 | Business regulations; Transportation | Allow railroad, transportation, or transmission companies to lease, sell, or acquire property or franchises from similar companies. |
| 59,437 (63%) | 35,115 (37%) | |
| State Question 47 | Labor and unions | Veto Section 18 of the Act on coal mine safety, including provisions for telephones, bathhouses, and fire boss protections. |
| 73,345 (77%) | 21,559 (23%) | |
| State Question 57 | Education; Taxes | Require multi-county public service corporations' taxes to be paid to and distributed through the common school fund. |
| 63,330 (68%) | 30,295 (32%) | |
| State Question 58 | County and municipal governance | Provide for a county election, upon a petition signed by 16% of voters from the last general election, to decide whether to abolish or establish township government. |
| 50,634 (56%) | 39,690 (44%) | |
| State Question 60 | Administration of government | Create a five-member Board of Agriculture, reducing it from eleven members. |
| 67,367 (73%) | 25,087 (27%) |
Oregon
See also: Oregon 1913 ballot measures
November 4
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Measure Nos. 300-301 | State and local government budgets, spending, and finance; Education | Create a state university building repair fund to provide funds for repairs and additions to state university buildings. |
| 56,659 (58%) | 40,600 (42%) | |
| Measure Nos. 302-303 | State and local government budgets, spending, and finance; Education | Provide $100,000 for the construction and furnishing of a modern fire-proof administration and classroom building for the University of Oregon. |
| 53,569 (55%) | 43,014 (45%) | |
| Measure Nos. 304-305 | Constitutional rights; Law enforcement | Authorize the performance of sterilization surgeries for "habitual criminals, moral degenerates, and sexual perverts." | | 41,767 (44%) | 53,319 (56%) | |
| Measure Nos. 306-307 | State judiciary; Salaries of government officials | Provide a district attorney for each county in the state and set their salaries. |
| 54,179 (59%) | 38,159 (41%) | |
| Measure Nos. 308-309 | Workers' compensation laws; Administrative organization; Tort law | Create the State Industrial Accident Commission and establish an industrial accident fund. |
| 67,814 (70%) | 28,608 (30%) |
Texas
See also: Texas 1913 ballot measures
July 19
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proposition 1 | Salaries of government officials; State judiciary | Authorize multiple judges for judicial districts, revise judge qualifications and terms, and increase judge salary from $2,500 to $3,000 | | 25,329 (18%) | 112,548 (82%) | |
| Proposition 2 | Bond issues | Authorize bonds and taxes for improvements on public institutions such as the University of Texas. | | 19,745 (14%) | 120,734 (86%) | |
| Proposition 3 | Salaries of government officials; State executive official measures | Add a new section to the constitution that provided for the compensation and terms of office of certain elected officials | | 29,367 (21%) | 108,254 (79%) |
Other years
Click on a year in the following table to view that year’s state ballot measures.
See also
Footnotes
