South Dakota 1916 ballot measures
In 1916, voters decided on 14 statewide ballot measures in South Dakota on November 7.
- Nine of the measures were legislatively referred constitutional amendments.
- Three of the measures were indirect initiated state statutes.
- Two of the measures were veto referendums.
- Voters approved four (29%) and rejected ten (71%) measures.
On the ballot
November 7, 1916
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amendment 1 | Fossil fuels; Transportation | Allow the state to construct and maintain roads and supply coal from state lands |  | 75,922 (69%) | 33,521 (31%) | |
| Amendment 2 | Irrigation | Allow the legislature to establish irrigation districts and fund irrigation of agricultural land through special assessments on the benefitted land |  | 58,775 (57%) | 44,238 (43%) | |
| Amendent 3 | Business taxes; Income taxes; Property taxes | Revise Article XI on revenue and finance |  | 43,793 (44%) | 55,568 (56%) | |
| Amendment 4 | Property taxes | Allow the state or counties to establish a rural credit system allowing loans and credit to residents based on real estate security |  | 57,569 (58%) | 41,957 (42%) | |
| Amendment 5 | Constitutional conventions | Call a constitutional convention to revise the state constitution and reduce the number of convention members to match the number of state senators |  | 35,377 (39%) | 56,432 (61%) | |
| Amendment 7 | Alcohol | Prohibit the production and sale of alcohol |  | 65,334 (55%) | 53,380 (45%) | |
| Amendment 8 | Public education funding; Public land | Remove five-year lease limits on school lands |  | 41,379 (40%) | 61,798 (60%) | |
| Amendment 9 | Salaries | Allow the legislature to determine the salaries of state officials by a two-thirds vote |  | 39,169 (39%) | 61,223 (61%) | |
| Referred Law 1 | Primary elections | Regulate political party transactions to simplify primary elections, ensure party accountability to the people, and reduce election costs |  | 52,410 (50%) | 52,733 (50%) | |
| Referred Law 2 | Alcohol; Business | Regulate the issuance of permits for the sale of intoxicating liquors by calling an election on the matter through a petition process |  | 49,174 (47%) | 54,422 (53%) | |
| Amendment 4 | Banking | Establish a Department of Banking and Finance |  | 47,715 (48%) | 52,205 (52%) | |
| Referred Law 5 | Jury rules | Require a five-sixths jury verdict in civil trials |  | 49,601 (49%) | 51,529 (51%) | |
| State Banking Board Initiative | Administrative organization; Banking | Create a state banking board |  | 47,925 (49%) | 50,226 (51%) | |
| Women's Suffrage Amendment | Sex and gender; Suffrage | Provides for women's suffrage in state constitution |  | 53,432 (48%) | 58,350 (52%) | 
See also
- Laws governing the initiative process in South Dakota
- List of South Dakota ballot measures
- 1916 ballot measures
External links
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