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Iowa Constitutional Convention Question (2030)
| Iowa Constitutional Convention Question | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Election date November 5, 2030 | |
| Topic Constitutional conventions | |
| Status On the ballot | |
| Type Automatic referral | Origin Dictated by law |
The Iowa Constitutional Convention Question is on the ballot in Iowa as an automatic ballot referral on November 5, 2030.
A "yes" vote supports holding a state constitutional convention. |
A "no" vote opposes holding a state constitutional convention. |
In Iowa, a state constitutional convention question is provided to voters every 10 years after the prior question. Iowa voters addressed a constitutional convention question in 2020.
Text of measure
Ballot title
The ballot title for Constitutional Convention Question is as follows:
| “ | Shall there be a convention to revise the constitution, and propose amendment or amendments to same? | ” |
Background
Iowa Constitutional Convention Question (2020)
In 2020, voters rejected the constitutional convention question by a vote of 70.42% opposed to 29.58% in favor.
List of constitutional convention questions in Iowa
According to Section 3, Article X of the Iowa Constitution, a constitutional convention question is called in Iowa every 20 years. The following table provides a list of the questions since then and their results from 1970-2020:
Three constitutional conventions have been held in Iowa—in 1844, 1846, and 1857— for the purpose of proposing constitutions for the state. The first proposed constitution was rejected, but the second and third proposed constitutions were ratified by voters. The document proposed by the 1857 convention and ratified by the voters is the current, original Constitution of the State of Iowa.[1]
From 1970 to 2020, each of the SIX decennial constitutional convention questions were rejected. The average percentage of no votes on the question was 58%. The average percentage of yes votes on the question was 42%.
The chart below displays election results for constitutional convention questions in Iowa from 1970 to 2020. No votes are shaded red and yes votes are shaded green.
Automatic constitutional convention questions
- See also: State constitutional conventions
In 14 states, a constitutional convention question is an automatic ballot referral, meaning no legislative vote is required. Rather, the state constitution includes a provision calling for the question at a specific interval. Oklahoma has a requirement; however, state officials have declined to place a question on the ballot since 1970.
| State | Interval | Last question on the ballot | Next question on the ballot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 10 years | 2022 | 2032 |
| Iowa | 10 years | 2020 | 2030 |
| New Hampshire | 10 years | 2022 | 2032 |
| Rhode Island | 10 years | 2024 | 2034 |
| Hawaii | 10 years | 2018 | 2028 |
| Michigan | 16 years | 2010 | 2026 |
| Connecticut | 20 years | 2008 | 2028 |
| Illinois | 20 years | 2008 | 2028 |
| Maryland | 20 years | 2010 | 2030 |
| Missouri | 20 years | 2022 | 2042 |
| Montana | 20 years | 2010 | 2030 |
| New York | 20 years | 2017 | 2037 |
| Ohio | 20 years | 2012 | 2032 |
| Oklahoma | 20 years | 1970 | N/A |
Path to the ballot
- See also: State constitutional conventions
In Iowa, a state constitutional convention question is provided to voters every 10 years after the prior question. Iowa voters addressed a constitutional convention question in 2020.
Section 3 of Article X of the Iowa Constitution governs the constitutional convention question. The following is Section 3 of Article X:
"Constitutional convention"
At the general election to be held in the year one thousand nine hundred and seventy, and in each tenth year thereafter, and also at such times as the general assembly may, by law, provide, the question, "Shall there be a convention to revise the constitution, and propose amendment or amendments to same?" shall be decided by the electors qualified to vote for members of the general assembly; and in case a majority of the electors so qualified, voting at such election, for and against such proposition, shall decide in favor of a convention for such purpose, the general assembly, at its next session, shall provide by law for the election of delegates to such convention, and for submitting the results of said convention to the people, in such manner and at such time as the general assembly shall provide; and if the people shall approve and ratify such amendment or amendments, by a majority of the electors qualified to vote for members of the general assembly, voting thereon, such amendment or amendments shall become a part of the constitution of this state. If two or more amendments shall be submitted at the same time, they shall be submitted in such a manner that electors may vote for or against each such amendment separately[2]
See also
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Footnotes
- ↑ Iowa Legislature, "Constitution," accessed March 18, 2019
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source.
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