1927 ballot measures
This page provides a list of statewide ballot measures that appeared before voters in 1927.
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
Arizona
See also: Arizona 1927 ballot measures
May 31
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Measure Nos. 100-101 | American Indian issues; Property; Taxes | Repeal the provision in the Arizona Constitution that exempts lands and property within Indian Reservations from being taxed at a higher rate than lands owned by state residents |
| 9,377 (75%) | 3,191 (25%) | |
| Measure Nos. 102-103 | Water irrigation policy; Election administration and governance | Provide for a special election to consider the sale and disposal of public lands to the construction of irrigation works for the reclamation of arid lands |
| 9,202 (74%) | 3,279 (26%) |
Maine
See also: Maine 1927 ballot measures
October 18
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direct Primary Repeal Initiative | Local government officials and elections | Repeal the direct primary sections of Chapter 6 of the Revised Statutes |  | 20,027 (35%) | 37,114 (65%) |
Michigan
See also: Michigan 1927 ballot measures
April 4
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Creation of Metropolitan Districts Amendment | Local government organization | Create metropolitan districts |
| 210,880 (51%) | 200,490 (49%) |
New Jersey
See also: New Jersey 1927 ballot measures
November 8
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Question No. 1 | Bond issues | Bonds were authorized for state highways. |
| 290,924 (61%) | 183,033 (39%) |
New York
See also: New York 1927 ballot measures
November 8
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amendment 1 | Constitutional wording changes; Balanced budget requirements | Submit a new article, Article 4-A, on the executive budget |
| 1,291,990 (74%) | 446,107 (26%) | |
| Amendment 2 | Railways; Debt limits | Permit the City of New York to incur a debt of no more than 300 million for the construction of and equipment for new rapid transit railroads |
| 961,632 (55%) | 799,867 (45%) | |
| Amendment 3 | Railways; Local government finance and taxes | Eliminate railroad grade crossings and ensure counties cover a proportion of the cost |
| 1,339,332 (77%) | 397,205 (23%) | |
| Amendment 4 | Salaries of government officials | Increase the salaries of legislators, the governor and lieutenant-governor |
| 1,073,802 (61%) | 683,999 (39%) | |
| Amendment 5 | State executive powers and duties; State executive branch structure | Make the governor the head of the executive department |
| 1,197,931 (71%) | 488,095 (29%) | |
| Amendment 6 | Executive official term limits; State legislative term limits | Change the term of senators to four-years, assemblyman to two-years and the governor, lieutenant governor, comptroller and attorney-general to four-year terms | | 578,863 (32%) | 1,256,157 (68%) | |
| Amendment 7 | Highways and bridges; Public land policy | Permit the construction of a state highway on forest preserve land |
| 1,082,864 (64%) | 602,395 (36%) | |
| Amendment 8 | Public land policy | Authorize counties to condemn, sell or lease land for constructing parks, public places, highways or streets |
| 1,085,441 (67%) | 533,705 (33%) | |
| Amendment 9 | Land use and development policy | Prevent annexation of a territory to a city without the consent of the majority of people residing in that territory |
| 1,144,872 (68%) | 527,388 (32%) |
Ohio
See also: Ohio 1927 ballot measures
November 8
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compensation for Justices of the Peace and Mayors Referendum | Salaries of government officials | Establish fees of Justices of the Peace and Constables | | 438,458 (32%) | 916,016 (68%) | |
| State Board of Chiropractic Examiners Initiative | Complementary and alternative healthcare; Healthcare governance | Establish a State Board of Chiropractic Examiners. | | 522,612 (41%) | 765,093 (59%) |
Oregon
See also: Oregon 1927 ballot measures
June 28
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Measure Nos. 300-301 | Race and ethnicity issues; Race and suffrage | Repeal language from the Oregon Constitution that said, "No negro, Chinaman or mulatto shall have the right of suffrage" |
| 69,373 (62%) | 41,887 (38%) | |
| Measure Nos. 302-303 | Taxes; Education | Authorize school districts with over 100,000 people to levy taxes to support and maintain the school district upon voter approval. | | 46,784 (46%) | 55,817 (54%) | |
| Measure Nos. 304-305 | Civil and criminal trials | Charge a person who waives indictment for a crime or misdemeanor before any circuit court judge. |
| 64,956 (63%) | 38,774 (37%) | |
| Measure Nos. 306-307 | Salaries of government officials | Set legislator compensation at $10 per day for sessions, totaling $400 per session, with extra compensation for presiding officers. | | 28,380 (26%) | 81,215 (74%) | |
| Measure Nos. 308-309 | Voter registration | Require voters to be registered to vote. |
| 55,802 (53%) | 49,682 (47%) | |
| Measure Nos. 310-311 | Salaries of government officials | Determine compensation of state and county elected officials by law, rather than amendment, and prohibit salary increases during a term. | | 46,999 (43%) | 61,838 (57%) | |
| Measure Nos. 312-313 | Local government organization | Allow cities with a population over 100,000 situated within a county to consolidate in that county. | | 41,309 (42%) | 57,613 (58%) | |
| Measure Nos. 314-315 | Veterans policy; Bond issues | Authorize counties with over 200,000 people to issue bonds to construct a veterans’ memorial and armory building in eligible cities. | | 25,180 (24%) | 80,476 (76%) | |
| Measure Nos. 316-317 | Taxes | Authorize property taxes not exceeding $3,500 plus 6% and limit annual tax increases to 6%. | | 19,393 (19%) | 84,697 (81%) | |
| Measure Nos. 318-319 | Taxes | Levy an annual progressive net income tax on people and corporations in the state and provide for tax exemptions. | | 48,745 (42%) | 67,039 (58%) | |
| Measure Nos. 320-321 | Administration of government; Taxes | Authorize the state tax commission to supervise assessment and enforce tax laws throughout the state. | | 31,957 (31%) | 70,871 (69%) | |
| Measure Nos. 322-323 | Fisheries and fishing regulations | Prohibit the taking of and fishing for salmon and other food fish in Nestucca Bay, except with hook and line or angling. |
| 53,684 (53%) | 47,552 (47%) |
Texas
See also: Texas 1927 ballot measures
August 1
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proposition 1 | State judiciary | Modify the state judiciary system to include one Court of Criminal Appeals and a Texas Supreme Court composed of a Chief Justice and a minimum of eight Associate Justices. | | 27,949 (15%) | 164,036 (85%) | |
| Proposition 2 | Taxes | Change the state taxation system to allow the state to derive income from sources other than the ad valorem tax | | 16,739 (9%) | 175,484 (91%) | |
| Proposition 3 | Salaries of government officials | Provide district attorneys and other county officials with compensation through salaries instead of fees and commissions | | 22,617 (12%) | 169,630 (88%) | |
| Proposition 4 | Salaries of government officials | Repeal state officials compensation provisions but retain existing salaries until otherwise provided by law and limit legislator salary to $1,500 and provide a $10,000 salary for the governor | | 21,632 (11%) | 171,372 (89%) |
Virginia
See also: Virginia 1927 ballot measures
November 8
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appropriation Year Aligning with Fiscal Year Amendment | State legislative authority | Align the state appropriation year to coincide with the state fiscal year |
| 44,214 (69%) | 19,799 (31%) | |
| Authorize Counties to Tax Abutting Landowners for Local Public Improvements Amendment | Property taxes; Local government organization | Allow counties with a population above 500 residents per square mile to enact taxes or assessments on abutting landowners for local public improvements |
| 36,235 (56%) | 28,418 (44%) | |
| Exempt Wives and Widows of Civil War Veterans from Poll Tax to Vote Amendment | Literacy, poll tax, and property voting requirements; Veterans policy | Exempt wives and widows of U.S. Civil War veterans from paying the state poll tax |
| 53,046 (75%) | 17,930 (25%) |
Wisconsin
See also: Wisconsin 1927 ballot measures
April 5
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Question 1 | Salaries of government officials | Set legislators' pay at $1,000 per session | | 151,786 (43%) | 199,260 (57%) | |
| Question 2 | Property taxes; Property; Mineral resources; Forestry and timber | Allow the legislature to classify forests and minerals for taxation purposes |
| 179,217 (56%) | 141,888 (44%) |
Other years
Click on a year in the following table to view that year’s state ballot measures.
See also
Footnotes
