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: 2026 ballot measures and 2027 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. Maine Question 1, Voter Approval of Borrowing Above $1 Billion by State Entities and Electric Cooperatives Initiative (2023)
2. New York Proposal 1, Remove Debt Limit on Small City School Districts Amendment (2023)

2012

1. Washington SJR 8221, State Debt Modifications Amendment (2012)

2010

1. Washington State Debt Limits Amendment, SJR 8225 (2010)

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. Nevada Question 6, State Debt Limit Building Retrofitting Exemption Amendment (1996)
2. Utah Proposition 4, Permit the State to Guarantee School District Debt Amendment (1996)

1994

1. Nevada Question 5, Installment and Lease Purchase Agreements Amendment (1994)

1992

1. Colorado Amendment 1, Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR) Initiative (1992)

1990

1. Virginia Question 3, Securing Local Debt from Transportation Amendment (1990)
2. Virginia Question 4, Securing State Debt from Transportation Amendment (1990)

1988

1. Georgia Amendment 15, Municipal Bonded Indebtedness Measure (1988)
2. New Mexico Ballot Proposal: Allowing County Indebtedness for Books and Library Resources (1988)

1986

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

1984

1. Nevada Question 6, Exemption of State Debts Amendment (1984)

1982

1. Alabama Debt Limitation Amendment (March 1982)

1976

1. Nevada Question 10, Limits of Initiative Questions Amendment (1976)

1974

1. Nevada Question 4, Sales and Use Tax Penalty Measure (1974)

1973

1. Maine Question 4, Regulation of Municipal Borrowing Amendment (1973)
2. New York Amendment 1, County and City Debt Amendment (1973)

1972

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

1971

1. New York Amendment 2, Excluding Debt for the Development of Sewage Facilities from the Debt Limit Amendment (1971)

1968

1. Nevada Question 2, Public Debt Limit Amendment (1968)
2. South Dakota Amendment B, State Debt Limit Measure (1968)

1966

1. New York Amendment 3, Allowing Local Governments to Take on Debt for Low Rent Housing Amendment (1966)

1963

1. New York Amendment 5, Local Sewage Facility Debt Exclusion Amendment (1963)

1962

1. Minnesota Amendment 2, Authorizing the State to Contract Debts for Public Improvements Amendment (1962)

1961

1. New York Amendment 5, Debt in a Economic Recession Amendment (1961)

1960

1. Missouri Amendment 4, Municipal Indebtedness Measure (1960)
2. Nevada Question 2, Public Debt Limit Amendment (1960)

1958

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

1957

1. New York Amendment 4, State Housing Loans Amendment (1957)

1955

1. Maine Constitutional Amendment 3, School Building Authority and Municipal Debt Limits Amendment (September 1955)

1954

1. Maine Question 1, Municipal Debt Limit Increase Amendment (September 1954)
2. South Dakota Amendment B, Local Government and School District Debt Limit Measure (1954)

1953

1. New York Amendment 7, Counties, Cities, Towns, and Villages Contract Indebtedness Amendment (1953)

1951

1. Maine Question 12, State's Borrowing Power Amendment (September 1951)
2. Maine Question 7, Municipal Debt Limit Increase Amendment (September 1951)
3. Maine Question 9, School Building Authority and Municipal Debt Limits Amendment (September 1951)

1950

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

1949

1. New York Amendment 6, Village Indebtedness for Low-Rent Housing Amendment (1949)
2. New York Amendment 7, Indebtedness Changes for Counties, Cities, Towns and Villages Amendment (1949)

1948

1. North Carolina Debt Limitations Amendment (1948)

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. Maine Question 2, State Debt Limit Increase Amendment (September 1934)
2. South Dakota Amendment A, Prohibit State from Extending Credit Measure (1934)

1933

1. Maine Amendment 2, Increase State Debt Limit Measure (September 1933)

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)

1927

1. New York Amendment 2, City Debt Limit Amendment (1927)

1926

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

1924

1. North Carolina State Debt Limitations Amendment (1924)

1923

1. New York Amendment 4, Debt Limitation of a City or County Amendment (1923)

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. New York Amendment 1, State Indebtedness Amendment (1920)
5. South Dakota Amendment C, Municipal Debt for Street Railways and Lighting Measure (1920)
6. Utah Question 3, Increase the State Debt Limit Amendment (1920)

1919

1. Maine Question 4, State Debt Limit Increase Amendment (1919)

1918

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

1917

1. New York Amendment 2, City Debt Limit Amendment (1917)

1915

1. New York Amendment 2, State Debt Amendment (1915)

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)
3. North Carolina Amendment 7, Taxation and Revenue Article Revision Amendment (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)

1911

1. Maine Question 3, Municipal Indebtedness Amendment (September 1911)

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)

1909

1. New York Amendment 2, Interest Rates on Debts Amendment (1909)
2. New York Amendment 4, Indebtedness of Cities Amendment (1909)

1908

1. Missouri Amendment 6, Debt Exemption for Municipal Utilities Measure (1908)
2. Missouri Amendment 8, Indebtedness for Subway Construction Measure (1908)
3. South Dakota Revise Taxation Articles Amendment (1908)

1907

1. New York Amendment 1, Indebtness for Second Class Cities Amendment (1907)

1905

1. New York Amendment 1, Limitation on Indebtedness Amendment (1905)
2. New York Amendment 2, Payment of State Debts Amendment (1905)
3. New York Amendment 6, Debt Limitations Amendment (1905)

1902

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

1900

1. Oregon Measure Nos. 154-155, Municipal Debt Limit Amendment (June 1900)

1899

1. New York Amendment 2, Limitation of Indebtedness Amendment (1899)

1896

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

1894

1. Nevada State Question 37, Local Government Debt Amendment (1894)

1892

1. Washington Increase State Debt Limit Amendment (1892)

1890

1. South Dakota State Debt Limit Amendment (1890)

1880

1. North Carolina Restrict State Assumption of 1868-1870 Debt Amendment (1880)

1873

1. North Carolina Repeal Provision Requiring Tax to Pay State Debt Amendment (August 1873)

Alabama

1. Alabama Debt Limitation Amendment (March 1982)

Arizona

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

Colorado

1. Colorado Amendment 1, Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR) Initiative (1992)
2. 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, Municipal Bonded Indebtedness Measure (1988)
3. Georgia Amendment 15, Revenue-Anticipation Obligations Debt Exemption Measure (August 1943)
4. Georgia Amendment 17, Joint Hospital Contracts and Taxes Measure (August 1943)
5. Georgia Amendment 2, Temporary County Loans Measure (1928)
6. Georgia Amendment 5, City of Atlanta School Debt Measure (August 1945)
7. Georgia Amendment 6, Consolidation of School Districts Measure (1932)
8. Georgia Amendment 8, State Assumption of Local Road Construction Debt Measure (1932)
9. Georgia Amendment 8, State Finances and Debt Amendment (1972)
10. Georgia Amendment 9, Fulton County Approval of Debt Measure (August 1945)

Maine

1. Maine Amendment 2, Increase State Debt Limit Measure (September 1933)
2. Maine Constitutional Amendment 3, School Building Authority and Municipal Debt Limits Amendment (September 1955)
3. Maine Question 1, Municipal Debt Limit Increase Amendment (September 1954)
4. Maine Question 1, Voter Approval of Borrowing Above $1 Billion by State Entities and Electric Cooperatives Initiative (2023)
5. Maine Question 12, State's Borrowing Power Amendment (September 1951)
6. Maine Question 2, State Debt Limit Increase Amendment (September 1934)
7. Maine Question 3, Exempt Certain Short-Term Loans from the Debt Limit Amendment (2002)
8. Maine Question 3, Municipal Indebtedness Amendment (September 1911)
9. Maine Question 4, Regulation of Municipal Borrowing Amendment (1973)
10. Maine Question 4, State Debt Limit Increase Amendment (1919)
11. Maine Question 7, Municipal Debt Limit Increase Amendment (September 1951)
12. Maine Question 9, School Building Authority and Municipal Debt Limits Amendment (September 1951)

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)

Minnesota

1. Minnesota Amendment 2, Authorizing the State to Contract Debts for Public Improvements Amendment (1962)

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)

Nevada

1. Nevada Question 10, Limits of Initiative Questions Amendment (1976)
2. Nevada Question 2, Public Debt Limit Amendment (1960)
3. Nevada Question 2, Public Debt Limit Amendment (1968)
4. Nevada Question 4, Sales and Use Tax Penalty Measure (1974)
5. Nevada Question 5, Installment and Lease Purchase Agreements Amendment (1994)
6. Nevada Question 6, Exemption of State Debts Amendment (1984)
7. Nevada Question 6, State Debt Limit Building Retrofitting Exemption Amendment (1996)
8. Nevada State Question 37, Local Government Debt Amendment (1894)

New Mexico

1. New Mexico Ballot Proposal: Allowing County Indebtedness for Books and Library Resources (1988)
2. New Mexico Building Lease Agreements, Constitutional Amendment 2 (2006)

New York

1. New York Amendment 1, Contraction of State Debts Amendment (1918)
2. New York Amendment 1, County and City Debt Amendment (1973)
3. New York Amendment 1, Indebtness for Second Class Cities Amendment (1907)
4. New York Amendment 1, Limitation on Indebtedness Amendment (1905)
5. New York Amendment 1, Spending on Sewage Facilities Excluded from Debt Limits Amendment (2003)
6. New York Amendment 1, State Indebtedness Amendment (1920)
7. New York Amendment 2, City Debt Limit Amendment (1917)
8. New York Amendment 2, City Debt Limit Amendment (1927)
9. New York Amendment 2, Excluding Debt for the Development of Sewage Facilities from the Debt Limit Amendment (1971)
10. New York Amendment 2, Interest Rates on Debts Amendment (1909)
11. New York Amendment 2, Limitation of Indebtedness Amendment (1899)
12. New York Amendment 2, Payment of State Debts Amendment (1905)
13. New York Amendment 2, Small City School Districts Excluded from Debt Limits Amendment (2003)
14. New York Amendment 2, State Debt Amendment (1915)
15. New York Amendment 3, Allowing Local Governments to Take on Debt for Low Rent Housing Amendment (1966)
16. New York Amendment 4, Debt Limitation of a City or County Amendment (1923)
17. New York Amendment 4, Indebtedness of Cities Amendment (1909)
18. New York Amendment 4, State Housing Loans Amendment (1957)
19. New York Amendment 5, Debt in a Economic Recession Amendment (1961)
20. New York Amendment 5, Local Sewage Facility Debt Exclusion Amendment (1963)
21. New York Amendment 6, Debt Limitations Amendment (1905)
22. New York Amendment 6, Village Indebtedness for Low-Rent Housing Amendment (1949)
23. New York Amendment 7, Counties, Cities, Towns, and Villages Contract Indebtedness Amendment (1953)
24. New York Amendment 7, Indebtedness Changes for Counties, Cities, Towns and Villages Amendment (1949)
25. New York Proposal 1, Remove Debt Limit on Small City School Districts Amendment (2023)
26. New York Proposition 1, Debt for Slum Clearance and Low-rent Housing Bond Measure (1958)
27. New York Proposition 2, Debt for Limited-Profit Housing Companies Bond Measure (1958)

North Carolina

1. North Carolina Amendment 7, Taxation and Revenue Article Revision Amendment (1914)
2. North Carolina Debt Limitations Amendment (1948)
3. North Carolina Repeal Provision Requiring Tax to Pay State Debt Amendment (August 1873)
4. North Carolina Restrict State Assumption of 1868-1870 Debt Amendment (1880)
5. North Carolina State Debt Limitations Amendment (1924)

Oregon

1. Oregon Measure Nos. 154-155, Municipal Debt Limit Amendment (June 1900)

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 B, State Debt Limit Measure (1968)
5. South Dakota Amendment C, Municipal Debt for Street Railways and Lighting Measure (1920)
6. South Dakota Amendment D, Debt Limit for Internal Improvements Measure (1936)
7. South Dakota Amendment G, State Internal Improvement Measure (1918)
8. South Dakota Amendment H, Debt for State Development Measure (1918)
9. South Dakota Civil Township Debt Limit Amendment (1896)
10. South Dakota Debt Limit for Water and Sewage Amendment (1910)
11. South Dakota Municipal Debt Limits for Water, Street Railways and Lighting Amendment (1902)
12. South Dakota Revise Taxation Articles Amendment (1908)
13. 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)

Virginia

1. Virginia Question 3, Securing Local Debt from Transportation Amendment (1990)
2. Virginia Question 4, Securing State Debt from Transportation Amendment (1990)

Washington

1. Washington Increase State Debt Limit Amendment (1892)
2. Washington SJR 8221, State Debt Modifications Amendment (2012)
3. Washington State Debt Limits Amendment, SJR 8225 (2010)

See also

• List of ballot measures by topic

Footnotes

State ballot measures

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