Kansas 2022 ballot measures

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Three statewide ballot measures were certified for the ballot in Kansas for elections in 2022.

  • One of the ballot measures was certified for the election on August 2, 2022. It was defeated.
  • Two of the ballot measures were certified for the election on November 8, 2022. One was approved, and one was defeated.
HIGHLIGHTS
  • After not receiving a two-thirds vote in the state House in 2020, the Legislature referred the No Right to Abortion in Constitution Amendment on January 28, 2021, to the ballot for August 2, 2022.
  • In November, voters defeated a constitutional amendment that would have allowed the legislature to pass laws to revoke or suspend executive agency rules and regulations and approved a constitutional amendment that required the election of county sheriffs in counties that had not abolished the office as of January 2022.
  • From 1995 through 2020, the state legislature referred ten constitutional amendments to the ballot. Voters approved eight and rejected two of the referred amendments.
  • On the ballot

    August 2, 2022:

    Type Title Description Result Yes Votes No Votes

    LRCA

    Amendment Provide that the state constitution does not create a right to an abortion or public abortion funding

    Defeated

    378,466 (41%)

    543,855 (59%)

    November 8, 2022:

    Type Title Description Result Yes Votes No Votes

    LRCA

    Constitutional Amendment 1 Authorize the Legislature to veto or suspend rules or regulations adopted by executive agencies via a simple majority vote

    Defeated

    472,074 (50%)

    480,719 (50%)

    LRCA

    Constitutional Amendment 2 Require the election of county sheriffs in counties that had not abolished the office and provide that sheriffs may be recalled from office

    Approveda

    588,417 (62%)

    366,167 (38%)


    Referral of 2022 ballot measures

    The following table illustrates the vote requirements for the legislative referrals certified for the ballot, the votes that the referrals received, and how Democrats and Republicans voted on the referrals in each legislative chamber:

    Kansas County Sheriff Election and Recall AmendmentDemocratsRepublicans
    Senate:Required: 27Yes votes: 39 (97.5%)No votes: 1 (2.5%)Yes: 10; No: 1Yes: 29; No: 0
    House:Required: 84Yes votes: 91 (72.8%)No votes: 31 (24.8%)Yes: 8; No: 30Yes: 83; No: 1
    Kansas No State Constitutional Right to Abortion and Legislative Power to Regulate Abortion AmendmentDemocratsRepublicans
    Senate:Required: 27Yes votes: 28 (70.00%)No votes: 11 (27.50%)Yes: 0; No: 11Yes: 28; No: 0
    House:Required: 84Yes votes: 86 (68.80%)No votes: 38 (30.40%)Yes: 0; No: 37Yes: 86; No: 0
    Kansas Legislative Veto or Suspension of Executive Agency Regulations AmendmentDemocratsRepublicans
    Senate:Required: 27Yes votes: 27 (67.50%)No votes: 12 (30.00%)Yes: 0; No: 11Yes: 27; No: 1
    House:Required: 84Yes votes: 85 (68.0%)No votes: 39 (31.2%)Yes: 2; No: 36Yes: 83; No: 3

    Getting measures on the ballot

    Citizens

    In Kansas, citizens do not have the power to initiate statewide initiatives or referendums. As of 2022, voters of Kansas had never voted on a ballot measure to authorize a statewide initiative and referendum process.

    Legislature

    The Kansas State Legislature can refer statewide ballot measures, in the form of constitutional amendments, to the ballot. Kansas requires a two-thirds vote in both legislative chambers during one legislative session to refer a constitutional amendment to a statewide election ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 27 votes in the Kansas State Senate and 84 votes in the Kansas House of Representatives, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.

    Historical facts

    See also: List of Kansas ballot measures

    In Kansas, a total of 20 ballot measures appeared on statewide ballots between 1985 and 2020. Fifteen ballot measures were approved, and 5 ballot measures were defeated.

    Kansas statewide ballot measures, 1985-2020
    Total number Annual average Annual minimum Annual maximum Approved Defeated
    # % # %
    20
    0.44
    0
    2
    15
    75.00
    5
    25.00

    State profile

    Demographic data for Kansas
     KansasU.S.
    Total population:2,906,721316,515,021
    Land area (sq mi):81,7593,531,905
    Race and ethnicity**
    White:85.2%73.6%
    Black/African American:5.8%12.6%
    Asian:2.6%5.1%
    Native American:0.8%0.8%
    Pacific Islander:0.1%0.2%
    Two or more:3.3%3%
    Hispanic/Latino:11.2%17.1%
    Education
    High school graduation rate:90.2%86.7%
    College graduation rate:31%29.8%
    Income
    Median household income:$52,205$53,889
    Persons below poverty level:15%11.3%
    Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
    Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Kansas.
    **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

    Presidential voting pattern

    See also: Presidential voting trends in Kansas

    Kansas voted Republican in all seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.


    More Kansas coverage on Ballotpedia

    See also

    Nebraska