Debt limits ballot measures

Issues
Measures by topic
Measures by year
Measures by state

As a state ballot measure topic, debt limits refer to measures to cap the amount of debt a government can incur. The topic is grouped within the budget and tax policy area.

This page provides information on:

• upcoming ballot measures and
• a comprehensive list of ballot measures by year and state.

Upcoming ballot measures

See also: 2025 ballot measures and 2026 ballot measures

The following is a list of state ballot measures related to debt limits certified for this year and future elections:

There are no ballot measures related to this topic that have qualified for the ballot.

List of state ballot measures

Click the tabs to view state ballot measures related to debt limits, organized by year or state.

Years

States

2023

1. New York Proposal 1, Remove Debt Limit on Small City School Districts Amendment (2023)

2006

1. Arizona Proposition 104, Allow Municipalities to Include Public Safety and Transportation Debt in Debt Limit Amendment (2006)
2. New Mexico Building Lease Agreements, Constitutional Amendment 2 (2006)

2003

1. New York Amendment 1, Spending on Sewage Facilities Excluded from Debt Limits Amendment (2003)
2. New York Amendment 2, Small City School Districts Excluded from Debt Limits Amendment (2003)

2002

1. Maine Question 3, Exempt Certain Short-Term Loans from the Debt Limit Amendment (2002)
2. Utah Amendment 5, Change Definition of Cities Eligible to Exceed Debt Limits for Funding Water, Sewer, and Lighting Infrastructure Measure (2002)

1996

1. Utah Proposition 4, Permit the State to Guarantee School District Debt Amendment (1996)

1986

1. Georgia Amendment 1, Debt for Water and Sewer Facilities Measure (1986)

1972

1. Georgia Amendment 8, State Finances and Debt Amendment (1972)

1966

1. New York Local Indebtedness for Low Rent Housing, Amendment 3 (1966)

1960

1. Missouri Amendment 4, Municipal Indebtedness Measure (1960)

1958

1. New York Debt for Limited-Profit Housing Companies, Proposition 2 (1958)
2. New York Debt for Slum Clearance and Low-rent Housing, Proposition 1 (1958)

1954

1. South Dakota Amendment B, Local Government and School District Debt Limit Measure (1954)

1950

1. South Dakota Amendment B, School District Indebtedness Limit Measure (1950)

1945

1. Georgia Amendment 5, City of Atlanta School Debt Measure (August 1945)
2. Georgia Amendment 9, Fulton County Approval of Debt Measure (August 1945)

1943

1. Georgia Amendment 15, Revenue-Anticipation Obligations Debt Exemption Measure (August 1943)
2. Georgia Amendment 17, Joint Hospital Contracts and Taxes Measure (August 1943)

1936

1. South Dakota Amendment D, Debt Limit for Internal Improvements Measure (1936)

1934

1. South Dakota Amendment A, Prohibit State from Extending Credit Measure (1934)

1932

1. Georgia Amendment 6, Consolidation of School Districts Measure (1932)
2. Georgia Amendment 8, State Assumption of Local Road Construction Debt Measure (1932)

1928

1. Georgia Amendment 2, Temporary County Loans Measure (1928)

1926

1. Michigan Condemnation of Excess Property for Road Improvements Amendment (1926)

1922

1. Michigan Excess Condemnation for Public Purposes Amendment (1922)
2. Utah Question 1, Increase the State Debt Limit Amendment (1922)

1920

1. Michigan Condemnation of Excess Property Amendment (1920)
2. Missouri Amendment 3, Allow Large Cities to Increase Bonded Debt for Public Utility Acquisition Measure (1920)
3. Missouri Amendment 7, City Debt Limit Increase for Utilities Measure (1920)
4. South Dakota Amendment C, Municipal Debt for Street Railways and Lighting Measure (1920)
5. Utah Question 3, Increase the State Debt Limit Amendment (1920)

1918

1. Missouri Amendment 5, Allow Local Governments to Increase Debt for Road, Waterworks, and Lighting Measure (1918)
2. South Dakota Amendment G, State Internal Improvement Measure (1918)
3. South Dakota Amendment H, Debt for State Development Measure (1918)

1914

1. Missouri Amendment 2, Increase Kansas City Debt Limit for Public Utilities Measure (1914)
2. Missouri Amendment 5, Increase Debt Limit for Subway Construction Measure (1914)

1912

1. Colorado Measure 28, Limitations on County Debts Amendment (1912)
2. Missouri Amendment 2, Increase of Debt Limit for St. Louis County Sewer Construction Measure (1912)
3. Utah Amendment 2, Increase Debt Limit for Large Cities Measure (1912)
4. Utah Amendment 5, Change Payment Requirements for State Debt Measure (1912)

1910

1. Michigan Increase Bonded Indebtedness for Certain Counties Amendment (1910)
2. Missouri Amendment 6, Raise County Debt Limit for the Construction of Poorhouses Measure (1910)
3. South Dakota Debt Limit for Water and Sewage Amendment (1910)
4. Utah Amendment 4, Change the Debt Limit to 1.5 Percent of All Taxable Property in the State Measure (1910)
5. Utah Amendment 5, Permit Cities to Create Additional Debt to Supply Public Works Measure (1910)

1908

1. Missouri Amendment 6, Debt Exemption for Municipal Utilities Measure (1908)
2. Missouri Amendment 8, Indebtedness for Subway Construction Measure (1908)

1902

1. South Dakota Municipal Debt Limits for Water, Street Railways and Lighting Amendment (1902)

1896

1. South Dakota Civil Township Debt Limit Amendment (1896)

1890

1. South Dakota State Debt Limit Amendment (1890)

Arizona

1. Arizona Proposition 104, Allow Municipalities to Include Public Safety and Transportation Debt in Debt Limit Amendment (2006)

Colorado

1. Colorado Measure 28, Limitations on County Debts Amendment (1912)

Georgia

1. Georgia Amendment 1, Debt for Water and Sewer Facilities Measure (1986)
2. Georgia Amendment 15, Revenue-Anticipation Obligations Debt Exemption Measure (August 1943)
3. Georgia Amendment 17, Joint Hospital Contracts and Taxes Measure (August 1943)
4. Georgia Amendment 2, Temporary County Loans Measure (1928)
5. Georgia Amendment 5, City of Atlanta School Debt Measure (August 1945)
6. Georgia Amendment 6, Consolidation of School Districts Measure (1932)
7. Georgia Amendment 8, State Assumption of Local Road Construction Debt Measure (1932)
8. Georgia Amendment 8, State Finances and Debt Amendment (1972)
9. Georgia Amendment 9, Fulton County Approval of Debt Measure (August 1945)

Maine

1. Maine Question 3, Exempt Certain Short-Term Loans from the Debt Limit Amendment (2002)

Michigan

1. Michigan Condemnation of Excess Property Amendment (1920)
2. Michigan Condemnation of Excess Property for Road Improvements Amendment (1926)
3. Michigan Excess Condemnation for Public Purposes Amendment (1922)
4. Michigan Increase Bonded Indebtedness for Certain Counties Amendment (1910)

Missouri

1. Missouri Amendment 2, Increase Kansas City Debt Limit for Public Utilities Measure (1914)
2. Missouri Amendment 2, Increase of Debt Limit for St. Louis County Sewer Construction Measure (1912)
3. Missouri Amendment 3, Allow Large Cities to Increase Bonded Debt for Public Utility Acquisition Measure (1920)
4. Missouri Amendment 4, Municipal Indebtedness Measure (1960)
5. Missouri Amendment 5, Allow Local Governments to Increase Debt for Road, Waterworks, and Lighting Measure (1918)
6. Missouri Amendment 5, Increase Debt Limit for Subway Construction Measure (1914)
7. Missouri Amendment 6, Debt Exemption for Municipal Utilities Measure (1908)
8. Missouri Amendment 6, Raise County Debt Limit for the Construction of Poorhouses Measure (1910)
9. Missouri Amendment 7, City Debt Limit Increase for Utilities Measure (1920)
10. Missouri Amendment 8, Indebtedness for Subway Construction Measure (1908)

New Mexico

1. New Mexico Building Lease Agreements, Constitutional Amendment 2 (2006)

New York

1. New York Amendment 1, Spending on Sewage Facilities Excluded from Debt Limits Amendment (2003)
2. New York Amendment 2, Small City School Districts Excluded from Debt Limits Amendment (2003)
3. New York Debt for Limited-Profit Housing Companies, Proposition 2 (1958)
4. New York Debt for Slum Clearance and Low-rent Housing, Proposition 1 (1958)
5. New York Local Indebtedness for Low Rent Housing, Amendment 3 (1966)
6. New York Proposal 1, Remove Debt Limit on Small City School Districts Amendment (2023)

South Dakota

1. South Dakota Amendment A, Prohibit State from Extending Credit Measure (1934)
2. South Dakota Amendment B, Local Government and School District Debt Limit Measure (1954)
3. South Dakota Amendment B, School District Indebtedness Limit Measure (1950)
4. South Dakota Amendment C, Municipal Debt for Street Railways and Lighting Measure (1920)
5. South Dakota Amendment D, Debt Limit for Internal Improvements Measure (1936)
6. South Dakota Amendment G, State Internal Improvement Measure (1918)
7. South Dakota Amendment H, Debt for State Development Measure (1918)
8. South Dakota Civil Township Debt Limit Amendment (1896)
9. South Dakota Debt Limit for Water and Sewage Amendment (1910)
10. South Dakota Municipal Debt Limits for Water, Street Railways and Lighting Amendment (1902)
11. South Dakota State Debt Limit Amendment (1890)

Utah

1. Utah Amendment 2, Increase Debt Limit for Large Cities Measure (1912)
2. Utah Amendment 4, Change the Debt Limit to 1.5 Percent of All Taxable Property in the State Measure (1910)
3. Utah Amendment 5, Change Definition of Cities Eligible to Exceed Debt Limits for Funding Water, Sewer, and Lighting Infrastructure Measure (2002)
4. Utah Amendment 5, Change Payment Requirements for State Debt Measure (1912)
5. Utah Amendment 5, Permit Cities to Create Additional Debt to Supply Public Works Measure (1910)
6. Utah Proposition 4, Permit the State to Guarantee School District Debt Amendment (1996)
7. Utah Question 1, Increase the State Debt Limit Amendment (1922)
8. Utah Question 3, Increase the State Debt Limit Amendment (1920)

See also

• List of ballot measures by topic