Hawaii Amendment 31, Preamble, Official Languages, and Motto Measure (1978)

Hawaii Amendment 31
Election date November 7, 1978
Topic Constitutional wording changes and English language policy
Status Approved
Type Constitutional convention referral	Origin Constitutional convention

Hawaii Amendment 31 was on the ballot as a constitutional convention referral in Hawaii on November 7, 1978. It was approved.

A "yes" vote supported this constitutional amendment to: revise the Preamble of the Hawaii Constitution; designate English and Hawaiian as the state's official languages; and designate the state's motto as "Ua mau ke ea o ka aina i ka pono."

A "no" vote opposed this constitutional amendment to revise the Preamble of the Hawaii Constitution; designate English and Hawaiian as the state's official languages; and designate the state's motto as "Ua mau ke ea o ka aina i ka pono."

Election results

Hawaii Amendment 31
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		175,844	69.72%
No		76,382	30.28%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Amendment 31 was as follows:

“

31. PREAMBLE; STATE BOUNDARIES AND MOTTO. (Preamble; Article XV, Sections 1, 4 and 5)

”

Background

See also: History of English as official language ballot measures and laws

The following is a list of state ballot measures to designate English as an official state language:

State official language ballot measures
State	Year	Measure	Origin	Language(s)	Yes	No	Outcome
Nebraska	1920	Amendment 3: English as Official State Language	Convention	English	83.63%	16.37%	a
Hawaii	1978	Amendment 31: Preamble, Official Languages, and Motto Measure	Convention	English and Hawaiian	69.72%	30.28%	a
California	1986	Proposition 63: English as Official State Language	Initiative	English	73.25%	26.75%	a
Arizona	1988	Proposition 106: English as Official State Language	Initiative	English	50.50%	49.50%	a
Colorado	1988	Amendment 1: English as Official State Language	Initiative	English	61.15%	38.85%	a
Florida	1988	Amendment 11: English as Official State Language	Initiative	English	83.87%	16.13%	a
Alabama	1990	Amendment 1: English as Official State Language	Legislature	English	88.52%	11.48%	a
Alaska	1998	Measure 6: English as Official State Language	Initiative	English	68.60%	31.40%	a
Utah	2000	Initiative A: English as Official State Language	Initiative	English	67.18%	32.82%	a
Arizona	2006	Proposition 103: English as Official State Language	Legislature	English	74.00%	26.00%	a
Missouri	2008	Amendment 1: English as Official State Language	Legislature	English	86.31%	13.69%	a
Oklahoma	2010	State Question 751: English as Official State Language	Legislature	English	75.54%	24.46%	a
Idaho	2026	HJR 6: English as Official State Language Amendment	Legislature	English	TBD	TBD	TBD

Path to the ballot

The Hawaii Constitutional Convention of 1978 referred 34 constitutional amendments to the ballot. The constitutional convention occurred from July 5, 1978, to December 2, 1978. Delegates were elected on May 20, 1978.

See also

1978 Measures

• 1978 Measures
• English language policy on the ballot
• State flags and symbols on the ballot
• Constitutional wording changes on the ballot
• 1978 legislative sessions

Hawaii

• Hawaii ballot measures
• Hawaii ballot measure laws

News and analysis

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