Florida County Commissioner's Districts Amendment (1940)

Florida County Commissioner's Districts Amendment
Election date November 5, 1940
Topic Local government officials and elections and Local government organization
Status Defeated
Type Legislatively referred constitutional amendment	Origin State legislature

Florida County Commissioner's Districts Amendment was on the ballot as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment in Florida on November 5, 1940. It was defeated.

A “yes” vote supported allowing for the creation of County Commissioner’s districts in each county.

A “no” vote opposed allowing for the creation of County Commissioner’s districts in each county.

Election results

Florida County Commissioner's Districts Amendment
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		79,334	46.08%
No		92,818	53.92%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for County Commissioner's Districts Amendment was as follows:

“

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT ARTICLE VIII, SECTION 5 To amend Section 5, Article 8, Florida Constitution, to authorize the Legislature to create County Commissioner’s districts in each county, that there be one Commissioner elected by the qualified electors of the county for each district, to provide a four year term of office, and the staggering of such terms of office. FOR THE AMENDMENT AGAINST THE AMENDMENT

”

Full Text

The full text of this measure is available here.

Constitutional changes

Section 5. That there shall be in each of the County Commissioner's districts, as shall exist by law from time to time in each county a Commissioner who shall be elected by the qualified electors of said county, at the time and place of voting for other county officers, and shall hold his office for four years, provided, however, that the County Commissioners elected in the general election in 1940, from the even-numbered districts shall serve for two years, and those from the odd-numbered districts shall serve for four years, and thereafter the terms shall be four years. The powers, duties and compensation of such County Commissioners shall be prescribed by law.

Path to the ballot

See also: Amending the Florida Constitution

A 60% vote was required during one legislative session for the Florida State Legislature to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. That amounted to a minimum of 51 votes in the Florida House of Representatives and 18 votes in the Florida State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments did not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot. Amendments on the ballot required a simple majority vote in this year.

See also

1940 Measures

• 1940 Measures
• Local government officials and elections on the ballot
• Local government organization on the ballot
• 1940 legislative sessions

Florida

• Florida ballot measures
• Florida ballot measure laws

News and analysis

• Ballot measure lawsuits
• Ballot measure readability
• Ballot measure polls

External links

• Florida Constitution Revision Commission, "Florida's Constitutions: The Documentary History"
• The Independent, "Sample Ballot For Election Nov. 5," November 4, 1940]