Prison and jail funding ballot measures

Voters have decided on prison and jail funding ballot measures across the U.S. As a state ballot measure topic, prison and jail funding includes measures regarding funding for prisons and jails, such as their construction and maintenance. The topic is grouped within the criminal justice and law enforcement policy area.

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Criminal justice and law enforcement policy

Law enforcement and corrections

Prison and jail funding

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Upcoming ballot measures

See also: 2026 ballot measures and 2027 ballot measures

The following is a list of state ballot measures related to this topic that are certified or potential 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 this topic, organized by year or state.

Years

States

2002

1. Maine Question 1, Bond Issue to Fund Machias and South Windham Correctional Facilities Measure (2002)

1996

1. California Proposition 205, County Jail Bond Measure (1996)

1994

1. Missouri Amendment 4, Maintenance for State Facilities Bonds Measure (August 1994)

1993

1. Texas Proposition 14, Bonds for Corrections Facilities Amendment (1993)

1991

1. Maine Question 2, Bond Issue to Fund Correctional Facilities Measure (1991)
2. Texas Proposition 4, Bonds for Corrections and Mental Health Facilities Amendment (1991)

1990

1. California Proposition 120, Prison Construction Bond Issue (June 1990)
2. California Proposition 144, New Prison Construction Bond Measure (1990)
3. California Proposition 147, County Jail Bond Measure (1990)
4. Maine Question 6, Bond Issue to Fund Correctional Facilities Measure (1990)
5. North Carolina Prison and Youth Facilities Bonds Referendum (1990)
6. Pennsylvania Question 1, Prison Bond Measure (1990)

1989

1. Maine Question 3A, Bond Issue to Fund Juvenile and Adult Correctional Facilities Measure (1989)
2. Maine Question 3B, Bond Issue to Fund Adult Correctional Facilities Measure (1989)
3. Texas Proposition 8, Bonds for Corrections Projects Amendment (1989)

1988

1. California Proposition 80, Construction of New Prisons Bond (1988)
2. Georgia Amendment 7, Additional Court Penalties Measure (1988)

1987

1. Texas Proposition 18, Jail Districts Amendment (1987)

1986

1. California Proposition 52, County Correctional Facilities Bond Measure (June 1986)
2. California Proposition 54, Prison Construction Bond Measure (1986)
3. Maine Question 2, Correctional Facilities Building Repairs and Renovations Bond Measure (1986)
4. Oregon Measure 5, Bonds for Prison Buildings Amendment (May 1986)

1984

1. California Proposition 16, County Jail Construction and Improvements Bond Measure (June 1984)
2. California Proposition 17, State Correctional Facilities Construction and Improvements Bond Measure (June 1984)
3. Maine Question 4, Bond Issue to Fund Correctional Facilities Measure (1984)
4. Oklahoma State Question 573, Tax for Roads and Jails Amendment (1984)

1983

1. Maine Question 4, Bond Issue to Fund State Facilities Measure (1983)

1982

1. Alabama Bullock County Development Authority Amendment (1982)
2. California Proposition 1, Prison Construction Bond Measure (June 1982)
3. California Proposition 2, Construction of County Jails Bond Measure (1982)

1981

1. New York Proposal 1, Correctional Facilities Bond Measure (1981)

1980

1. Alaska Bonding Proposition D, Correctional Facilities Bond Measure (1980)
2. Michigan Proposal E, Development of Correctional Facilities Referendum (1980)

1978

1. Alabama Prison Bond Amendment (1978)
2. Alaska Bonding Proposition 6, Correctional and Public Safety Facilities Bond Measure (1978)
3. Wyoming Building of State Prisons, Amendment 3 (1978)

1977

1. Alabama Mobile County Penal Facility Amendment (September 1977)
2. Virginia Correctional Facilities Bond Measure (1977)

1976

1. Alaska Bonding Proposition 9, Justice Facilities Bond Measure (1976)

1972

1. Maine Question 3, Mental and Correctional Institutions Expansion and Improvement Bond Measure (June 1972)

1970

1. Alaska Proposition 5, Correctional Facilities Bond Measure (1970)

1969

1. Maine Question 12, Mental and Correctional Institutions Expansion and Improvement Bond Measures (1969)

1967

1. Maine Question 3, Mental Hospitals and Correctional Institutions Expansion Bond Measure (1967)

1965

1. Maine Question 5, Boys' Training Center, State Prison and Stevens School Bond Measure (1965)

1961

1. North Carolina Correctional Schools Improvement Bonds Referendum (1961)

1960

1. Montana Prison Bond Issue, R-62 (1960)

1959

1. North Carolina Referendum 6, Correctional Institution Improvement Bonds Referendum (October 1959)

1958

1. California Proposition 3, State Educational, Mental, and Correctional Institutions Bond Measure (1958)

1956

1. California Proposition 3, State Construction Program Bond Measure (1956)

1937

1. New York Proposition 1, State Bond for the Construction of State Buildings Bond Measure (1937)

1934

1. Missouri Amendment 1, Penal and Eleemosynary Buildings Bond Measure (May 1934)

1917

1. Oregon Measure Nos. 312-313, Oregon Tax Levy for State Penitentiary Measure (June 1917)

1916

1. Montana Bond Issue for Twine Factory, Referendum 1 (1916)

1906

1. Oregon Measure Nos. 300-301, Funding for Psychiatric Hospitals, Schools, and Prisons Referendum (June 1906)
2. South Dakota Twine Plant at Penitentiary Amendment (1906)

1896

1. Texas Allow Investment of Public School Land Sale Proceeds for Penitentiary System Amendment (1896)

1872

1. Minnesota Amendment 1, Authorizing Loans to Construct Asylum Facilities Measure (1872)

1871

1. Minnesota Amendment 2, Authorizing Loans to Construct Asylum Facilities Measure (1871)

Alabama

1. Alabama Bullock County Development Authority Amendment (1982)
2. Alabama Mobile County Penal Facility Amendment (September 1977)
3. Alabama Prison Bond Amendment (1978)

Alaska

1. Alaska Bonding Proposition 6, Correctional and Public Safety Facilities Bond Measure (1978)
2. Alaska Bonding Proposition 9, Justice Facilities Bond Measure (1976)
3. Alaska Bonding Proposition D, Correctional Facilities Bond Measure (1980)
4. Alaska Proposition 5, Correctional Facilities Bond Measure (1970)

California

1. California Proposition 1, Prison Construction Bond Measure (June 1982)
2. California Proposition 120, Prison Construction Bond Issue (June 1990)
3. California Proposition 144, New Prison Construction Bond Measure (1990)
4. California Proposition 147, County Jail Bond Measure (1990)
5. California Proposition 16, County Jail Construction and Improvements Bond Measure (June 1984)
6. California Proposition 17, State Correctional Facilities Construction and Improvements Bond Measure (June 1984)
7. California Proposition 2, Construction of County Jails Bond Measure (1982)
8. California Proposition 205, County Jail Bond Measure (1996)
9. California Proposition 3, State Construction Program Bond Measure (1956)
10. California Proposition 3, State Educational, Mental, and Correctional Institutions Bond Measure (1958)
11. California Proposition 52, County Correctional Facilities Bond Measure (June 1986)
12. California Proposition 54, Prison Construction Bond Measure (1986)
13. California Proposition 80, Construction of New Prisons Bond (1988)

Georgia

1. Georgia Amendment 7, Additional Court Penalties Measure (1988)

Maine

1. Maine Question 1, Bond Issue to Fund Machias and South Windham Correctional Facilities Measure (2002)
2. Maine Question 12, Mental and Correctional Institutions Expansion and Improvement Bond Measures (1969)
3. Maine Question 2, Bond Issue to Fund Correctional Facilities Measure (1991)
4. Maine Question 2, Correctional Facilities Building Repairs and Renovations Bond Measure (1986)
5. Maine Question 3, Mental Hospitals and Correctional Institutions Expansion Bond Measure (1967)
6. Maine Question 3, Mental and Correctional Institutions Expansion and Improvement Bond Measure (June 1972)
7. Maine Question 3A, Bond Issue to Fund Juvenile and Adult Correctional Facilities Measure (1989)
8. Maine Question 3B, Bond Issue to Fund Adult Correctional Facilities Measure (1989)
9. Maine Question 4, Bond Issue to Fund Correctional Facilities Measure (1984)
10. Maine Question 4, Bond Issue to Fund State Facilities Measure (1983)
11. Maine Question 5, Boys' Training Center, State Prison and Stevens School Bond Measure (1965)
12. Maine Question 6, Bond Issue to Fund Correctional Facilities Measure (1990)

Michigan

1. Michigan Proposal E, Development of Correctional Facilities Referendum (1980)

Minnesota

1. Minnesota Amendment 1, Authorizing Loans to Construct Asylum Facilities Measure (1872)
2. Minnesota Amendment 2, Authorizing Loans to Construct Asylum Facilities Measure (1871)

Missouri

1. Missouri Amendment 1, Penal and Eleemosynary Buildings Bond Measure (May 1934)
2. Missouri Amendment 4, Maintenance for State Facilities Bonds Measure (August 1994)

Montana

1. Montana Bond Issue for Twine Factory, Referendum 1 (1916)
2. Montana Prison Bond Issue, R-62 (1960)

New York

1. New York Proposal 1, Correctional Facilities Bond Measure (1981)
2. New York Proposition 1, State Bond for the Construction of State Buildings Bond Measure (1937)

North Carolina

1. North Carolina Correctional Schools Improvement Bonds Referendum (1961)
2. North Carolina Prison and Youth Facilities Bonds Referendum (1990)
3. North Carolina Referendum 6, Correctional Institution Improvement Bonds Referendum (October 1959)

Oklahoma

1. Oklahoma State Question 573, Tax for Roads and Jails Amendment (1984)

Oregon

1. Oregon Measure 5, Bonds for Prison Buildings Amendment (May 1986)
2. Oregon Measure Nos. 300-301, Funding for Psychiatric Hospitals, Schools, and Prisons Referendum (June 1906)
3. Oregon Measure Nos. 312-313, Oregon Tax Levy for State Penitentiary Measure (June 1917)

Pennsylvania

1. Pennsylvania Question 1, Prison Bond Measure (1990)

South Dakota

1. South Dakota Twine Plant at Penitentiary Amendment (1906)

Texas

1. Texas Allow Investment of Public School Land Sale Proceeds for Penitentiary System Amendment (1896)
2. Texas Proposition 14, Bonds for Corrections Facilities Amendment (1993)
3. Texas Proposition 18, Jail Districts Amendment (1987)
4. Texas Proposition 4, Bonds for Corrections and Mental Health Facilities Amendment (1991)
5. Texas Proposition 8, Bonds for Corrections Projects Amendment (1989)

Virginia

1. Virginia Correctional Facilities Bond Measure (1977)

Wyoming

1. Wyoming Building of State Prisons, Amendment 3 (1978)

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