1989 ballot measures
This page provides a list of statewide ballot measures that appeared before voters in 1989.
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 Factbook
- 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
Louisiana
See also: Louisiana 1989 ballot measures
October 7
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amendment 1 | Transportation | It proposed to create a transportation trust fund that would be funded by the gasoline tax. The funds would be dedicated to highways. In addition, it proposed to ban a state sales tax on gasoline. |
| 448,572 (71%) | 181,405 (29%) | |
| Amendment 10 | Taxes | It proposed that local governments can levy up to seven mills of additional property tax without voter approval. |  | 169,610 (29%) | 424,534 (71%) | |
| Amendment 11 | Taxes | It proposed to raise the fee for automobile licenses by at least $7. This fee would be dedicated for use on highways. |
| 305,886 (51%) | 298,328 (49%) | |
| Amendment 12 | Taxes | It proposed an additional five-year extension to the property tax assessment freeze for improved properties in downtown, historic or economic development areas. | | 239,962 (41%) | 349,339 (59%) | |
| Amendment 13 | Taxes | It proposed to give a greater portion of the severance tax to parishes where lignite coal is mined. | | 291,090 (49%) | 297,160 (51%) | |
| Amendment 2 | Mineral resources | This measure required that at least $5 million a year from state mineral revenue must be used to conserve Louisiana's wetlands. |
| 440,211 (71%) | 179,325 (29%) | |
| Amendment 3 | Taxes | It proposed that manufacturing and distribution firms be exempt from paying property taxes on inventory. | | 289,919 (48%) | 309,574 (52%) | |
| Amendment 4 | Drug crime policy | This measure proposed to make it easier for law enforcement to seize property related to illegal drug activity. |
| 422,181 (68%) | 200,187 (32%) | |
| Amendment 5 | State judiciary | It proposed the creation of a black majority supreme court district in Orleans Parish. | | 151,195 (25%) | 452,408 (75%) | |
| Amendment 6 | State judiciary | It proposed to facilitate the election of black judges by dividing some district and appeals courts into subdistricts. | | 141,856 (24%) | 458,769 (76%) | |
| Amendment 7 | Administration of government | It proposed that the legislature should continue to select four of the five members of the board of ethics. If the measure failed the governor would appoint all five members. | | 283,130 (47%) | 313,328 (53%) | |
| Amendment 8 | Property | It proposed that local governments could donate land and equipment to companies that would provide employment opportunities. | | 233,466 (40%) | 357,051 (60%) | |
| Amendment 9 | Administration of government; State legislatures measures | It proposed that organizational sessions be held every four years at the beginning of the legislative session. It also clarified the time limits related to the governor's veto power. |
| 346,859 (58%) | 250,153 (42%) |
April 29
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amendment 1 | State and local government budgets, spending, and finance | This measure proposed sweeping changes to the constitutional provisions regarding taxation and budget and fiscal policy. | | 449,418 (45%) | 550,960 (55%) |
Maine
See also: Maine 1989 ballot measures
November 7
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Question 1 | Bond issues; Pollution, waste, and recycling policy | Issue $6 million in bonds to fund a grant program for cities to allow for public health and water quality protection, through the cleanup and closure of abandoned landfills |
| 162,246 (70%) | 69,994 (30%) | |
| Question 1 | Campaign finance | Establish a voluntary system of public financing of gubernatorial campaigns | | 98,558 (44%) | 126,140 (56%) | |
| Question 11 | Housing assistance programs; Housing development funding; Bond issues | Issue $15 million in bonds to fund affordable housing initiatives |
| 125,154 (54%) | 106,095 (46%) | |
| Question 12 | Public economic investment policy; Housing assistance programs | Allow the legislature to ensure payment of mortgage loans, up to $25 million in total at one time | | 112,090 (49%) | 115,232 (51%) | |
| Question 13 | Nuclear energy | Approve a contract with the Rocky Mountain Low-level Radioactive Waste Board to dispose radioactive waste at a disposal site in Beatty, Nevada |
| 124,618 (55%) | 103,857 (45%) | |
| Question 2 | Nuclear weapons and missiles policy; Federal government issues | Inform the governor that the citizens of Maine do not agree to the testing of sea-launched cruise missiles in the state of Maine and request that the governor persuade the federal government to stop such testing |
| 122,820 (52%) | 112,109 (48%) | |
| Question 3A | Prison and jail funding; Bond issues | Issue $14.5 million in bonds to fund the construction and renovation of correctional facilities in Maine |
| 124,556 (53%) | 108,978 (47%) | |
| Question 3B | Bond issues; Prison and jail funding | | 94,223 (41%) | 136,362 (59%) | ||
| Question 4 | Bond issues; Pollution, waste, and recycling policy | Issue $5 million in bonds to provide grants for municipalities and regional solid waste commissions |
| 136,873 (61%) | 87,093 (39%) | |
| Question 5 | Higher education funding; Bond issues | Issue more than $20.2 million in bonds to fund improvements to the Maine Vocational-Technical Institute System. |
| 139,124 (59%) | 95,154 (41%) | |
| Question 6 | Bond issues; Sewage and stormwater | Issue $4.4 million in bonds to fund the construction of sewer facilities |
| 124,631 (54%) | 106,976 (46%) | |
| Question 7 | Bond issues; Highways and bridges; Ports and harbors; Airport infrastructure | Issue $21 million in bonds to fund transportation projects |
| 152,148 (65%) | 82,548 (35%) | |
| Question 8 | Healthcare facility funding; Bond issues | Issue $7 million in bonds to fund programs for people living with mental illnesses |
| 131,840 (57%) | 100,668 (43%) | |
| Question 9 | Public education funding; Bond issues; Pollution, waste, and recycling policy | Issue $12 million in bonds to fund the identification and correction of indoor air quality health hazards in educational facilities |
| 134,345 (57%) | 99,394 (43%) |
Michigan
See also: Michigan 1989 ballot measures
November 7
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proposal A | Public education funding; Sales taxes; Public education governance; Revenue allocation | Increase the state sales and use tax to fund local schools | | 514,407 (28%) | 1,341,292 (72%) | |
| Proposal B | Public education governance; State legislative vote requirements; Public education funding; Revenue allocation; Sales taxes; Property taxes | Increase the sales and use tax, reduce school property taxes, and establish school funding | | 436,958 (24%) | 1,392,053 (76%) |
Nevada
See also: Nevada 1989 ballot measures
May 2
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Question 1 | Mineral resources; Property taxes; State legislative authority | Allow the legislature to tax net proceeds of mines at a different rate than other property, up to a 5% constitutional limit. |
| 107,679 (78%) | 30,663 (22%) | |
| Question 2 | Bond issues | Increase the state's bonding capacity from 1% to 2% of the assessed value of taxable property. |
| 74,418 (54%) | 63,228 (46%) |
New Jersey
See also: New Jersey 1989 ballot measures
November 7
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Question No. 1 | Bond issues | The Open Space Preservation Bond Act of 1989 authorized $300 million in bonds for the acquistion of land for recreational and conservational purposes. |
| 1,189,754 (71%) | 480,461 (29%) | |
| Public Question No. 2 | Bond issues | The Public Purpose Buildings and Community-Based Facilities Construction Bond Act of 1989 authorized $125 million in bonds for correctional and human services facilities. |
| 982,237 (60%) | 642,810 (40%) | |
| Public Question No. 3 | Bond issues | The Stormwater Management and Combined Sewer Overflow Abatement Bond Act of 1989 authorized $50 million in bonds for local projects relating to stormwater management and sewer overflow abatement. |
| 1,094,516 (67%) | 529,270 (33%) | |
| Public Question No. 4 | Bond issues | The New Jersey Bridge Rehabilitation and Improvement and Railroad Right-of-way Preservation Bond Act of 1989 approved $115 million in bonds for bridge maintenance and preserving and acquiring railroad rights-of-way. |
| 1,132,522 (69%) | 503,713 (31%) | |
| Public Question No. 5 | Bond issues | The Hazardous Discharge Bond Acts of 1981 and 1986 were amended to expand the uses of authorized bonds to include projects to protect underground drinking water supplies and treatment of contaminated supplies. |
| 1,257,583 (77%) | 376,585 (23%) |
New York
See also: New York 1989 ballot measures
November 7
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amendment 1 | Law enforcement officers and departments | Establish that a county is responsible and liable for the acts of its sheriff |
| 1,551,559 (67%) | 761,841 (33%) |
North Dakota
See also: North Dakota 1989 ballot measures
December 5
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Measure 1 | Administration of government; State executive official measures | | 71,732 (29%) | 174,919 (71%) | ||
| Measure 2 | State legislative processes and sessions | | 29,452 (12%) | 219,355 (88%) | ||
| Measure 3 | Taxes | | 102,786 (40%) | 151,499 (60%) | ||
| Measure 4 | Taxes | | 118,108 (47%) | 135,833 (53%) | ||
| Measure 5 | Vehicle and driver regulations | Uphold SB 2316, which required drivers and front-seat passengers of cars to wear seatbelts | | 102,992 (41%) | 149,969 (59%) | |
| Measure 5 | Vehicle and driver regulations | | 102,992 (41%) | 149,969 (59%) | ||
| Measure 6 | Gambling policy | | 89,073 (37%) | 152,563 (63%) | ||
| Measure 7 | Taxes | | 99,866 (39%) | 153,457 (61%) | ||
| Measure 8 | Public education governance; Healthcare | | 99,011 (40%) | 149,610 (60%) |
Ohio
See also: Ohio 1989 ballot measures
November 7
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lieutenant Governor Vacancies Amendment | State executive official measures | Allow the governor to nominate a replacement lieutenant governor in the case of a vacancy and require that both houses of the general assembly approve the nomination before their confirmation. |
| 1,641,719 (65%) | 873,114 (35%) |
Oklahoma
See also: Oklahoma 1989 ballot measures
March 14
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Question 620 | State legislatures measures | Set the legislature to meet annually from February to May, with a one-day session in January during odd years. |
| 136,930 (75%) | 44,872 (25%) |
Oregon
See also: Oregon 1989 ballot measures
June 27
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Measure 1 | Property | Allow the state to use proceeds from forfeited property as designated by the Legislative Assembly. |
| 340,506 (71%) | 141,649 (29%) | |
| Measure 2 | Business regulations; Forestry and timber | Prohibit the sale or export of timber from state-owned lands unless that timber is processed in Oregon. |
| 446,151 (90%) | 48,558 (10%) |
May 16
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Measure 1 | Education; Taxes | Revise the tax base limits of school districts and allow school districts to combine their tax bases if they merge. | | 183,818 (41%) | 263,283 (59%) |
Pennsylvania
See also: Pennsylvania 1989 ballot measures
May 16
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Replace Residential Property Tax Revenue with Income Tax Revenue Amendment | State and local government budgets, spending, and finance; Taxes | authorize classes of local governments to reduce residential property tax rates to the extent of additional revenue generated by personal income taxes | | 514,317 (25%) | 1,538,732 (75%) |
Texas
See also: Texas 1989 ballot measures
November 7
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proposition 1 | Salaries of government officials | Limit lieutenant governor and speaker of the house salaries at half the governor's and legislators' at one-fourth the governor's. | | 424,704 (37%) | 732,417 (63%) | |
| Proposition 10 | Criminal trials | Allow courts to inform juries on the impact of good conduct time, parole, or mandatory supervision on a defendant's incarceration period for a criminal offense. |
| 901,279 (79%) | 239,714 (21%) | |
| Proposition 11 | State legislatures measures; Salaries of government officials | Change legislators' compensation from $30 maximum per diem to the maximum per diem allowed for federal income tax deduction. | | 531,550 (47%) | 592,412 (53%) | |
| Proposition 12 | Public education funding; Bond issue requirements; Restricted-use funds | Allow the use of the permanent school fund to guarantee state bonds to aid school districts. |
| 628,812 (56%) | 495,090 (44%) | |
| Proposition 13 | Crime victims' rights | Provide a bill of rights for crime victims and allow laws to limit the liability of legal professionals and law enforcement for not upholding these rights. |
| 819,399 (72%) | 317,111 (28%) | |
| Proposition 14 | Local government officials and elections | Require district attorneys serving in Fort Bend County to be elected and serve a term. |
| 704,699 (68%) | 338,529 (32%) | |
| Proposition 15 | Gambling policy | Authorize the legislature to permit and regulate raffles conducted by nonprofit organizations for charitable purposes. |
| 704,694 (62%) | 423,699 (38%) | |
| Proposition 16 | Administrative organization; Healthcare governance | Allow the people to decide whether to create and maintain hospital districts in a manner independent of the legislature. |
| 776,806 (70%) | 332,298 (30%) | |
| Proposition 17 | State and local government budgets, spending, and finance | Authorize state financial aid for local fire departments to acquire equipment for compliance with federal and state laws and to train their members. |
| 665,913 (59%) | 462,686 (41%) | |
| Proposition 18 | Bond issues; Water | Remove the four-year limitation on the issuance of agricultural water conservation bonds. |
| 537,990 (50%) | 535,724 (50%) | |
| Proposition 19 | State and local government budgets, spending, and finance | Authorize local governments to invest their funds as provided by law. |
| 658,826 (60%) | 431,794 (40%) | |
| Proposition 2 | Water; Bond issues | Authorize an additional $500 million in Texas water development bonds for water supply, water quality, and flood control purposes. |
| 686,735 (60%) | 460,472 (40%) | |
| Proposition 20 | Local government officials and elections | Eliminate the office of county surveyor in Cass, Ector, Garza, Smith, Bexar, Harris, and Webb counties. |
| 736,963 (71%) | 302,617 (29%) | |
| Proposition 21 | Education; Bond issues | Issue $75 million in college savings bonds to provide educational loans to students. |
| 682,251 (61%) | 435,182 (39%) | |
| Proposition 3 | State and local government budgets, spending, and finance; Public economic investment policy | Authorize the legislature to finance Texas product and business development for state economic recovery and growth. |
| 597,178 (52%) | 543,631 (48%) | |
| Proposition 4 | Taxes; Veterans policy | Provide exemption from ad valorem taxation for property of nonprofit veterans organizations. |
| 603,333 (53%) | 539,012 (47%) | |
| Proposition 5 | Taxes | Provide tax exemption for personal property temporarily in Texas that was intended for eventual transport outside the state. |
| 742,405 (65%) | 408,573 (35%) | |
| Proposition 6 | Healthcare governance | Authorize hospital district board members to serve four-year terms. |
| 710,018 (63%) | 411,778 (37%) | |
| Proposition 7 | Ethics rules and commissions | Replace elected officials' bribery-related oral oath with a signed statement confirming no involvement in bribery to obtain office. |
| 796,323 (69%) | 353,661 (31%) | |
| Proposition 8 | Bond issues; Prison and jail funding | Issue $400 million in general obligation bonds for projects relating to corrections, mental health, and law enforcement facilities. |
| 658,826 (60%) | 431,794 (40%) | |
| Proposition 9 | Law enforcement; Administration of government | Authorize the legislature to organize and combine state agencies that performed criminal justice functions. |
| 794,006 (71%) | 323,831 (29%) |
Washington
See also: Washington 1989 ballot measures
November 7
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initiative 102 | Public education funding; Public assistance programs; Tax and revenue administration | Increase funding for children and family services and K-12 education programs by $360,000,000 through new taxes. | | 349,357 (34%) | 688,782 (66%) | |
| SJR 8200 | Crime victims' rights | Provide victims of felony crimes the rights to attend the trial and court proceedings that the defendant can attend. |
| 789,266 (78%) | 221,179 (22%) | |
| SJR 8202 | State judiciary structure; State judiciary oversight | Increase Judicial Conduct Commission membership by two and provide clearer processes and authority for removing a judge |
| 804,199 (83%) | 162,135 (17%) | |
| SJR 8210 | Sales taxes; Water storage | Permit local governments to fund private water conservation initiatives by utilizing revenues generated from water sales |
| 622,494 (64%) | 350,876 (36%) |
Wisconsin
See also: Wisconsin 1989 ballot measures
April 4
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Question 1 | Taxes | Allow the state to provide property and sales tax relief through tax credits and refunds | | 405,765 (50%) | 406,863 (50%) |
Other years
Click on a year in the following table to view that year’s state ballot measures.
See also
- • State ballot measures
- • Local ballot measures
- • Analyses
- • Historical Ballot Measures (HBM) Factbooks
- • History of ballot measures by topic
- • Campaign finance
- • Endorsements
- • Polls
Footnotes
