South Dakota Initiative and Referendum Process Amendment (1898)

South Dakota Initiative and Referendum Process Amendment
Election date November 8, 1898
Topic Initiative and referendum process
Status Approved
Type Legislatively referred constitutional amendment	Origin State legislature

South Dakota Initiative and Referendum Process Amendment was on the ballot as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment in South Dakota on November 8, 1898. It was approved.

A "yes" vote supported amending the state constitution to provide for the initiative and referendum process.

A "no" vote opposed amending the state constitution to provide for the initiative and referendum process.

Election results

South Dakota Initiative and Referendum Process Amendment
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		23,816	59.10%
No		16,483	40.90%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Measure design

See also: Text of measure

The measure amended section 1 of Article 3 of the South Dakota Constitution to provide for the initiative and referendum process. The amendment prohibited the state from requiring signatures from not more than 5% of the qualified electors of the state to place an initiative or veto referendum on the ballot. The amendment also authorized the state legislature to pass laws to further detail the initiative and referendum process.

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Initiative and Referendum Process Amendment was as follows:

“

Legislative Power--Initiative and Referendum The legislative power of the state shall be vested in a Legislature which shall consist of a senate and house of representatives. However, the people expressly reserve to themselves the right to propose measures, which shall be submitted to a vote of the electors of the state, and also the right to require that any laws which the Legislature may have enacted shall be submitted to a vote of the electors of the state before going into effect, except such laws as may be necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health or safety, support of the state government and its existing public institutions. Not more than five percent of the qualified electors of the state shall be required to invoke either the initiative or the referendum. This section shall not be construed so as to deprive the Legislature or any member thereof of the right to propose any measure. The veto power of the Executive shall not be exercised as to measures referred to a vote of the people. This section shall apply to municipalities. The enacting clause of all laws approved by vote of the electors of the state shall be: 'Be it enacted by the people of South Dakota.' The Legislature shall make suitable provisions for carrying into effect the provisions of this section.

”

Full Text

The full text of this measure is available here.

Path to the ballot

See also: Amending the South Dakota Constitution

The South Dakota State Legislature referred the legislatively referred constitutional amendment to the state's voters through a simple majority vote.

See also

Suggest a link

• South Dakota 1898 ballot measures
• 1898 ballot measures
• List of South Dakota ballot measures
• History of Initiative & Referendum in South Dakota

External links

• South Dakota Political Almanac, Table 7. Results of Elections Concerning State Constitutional Amendments and Initiated and Referred Laws, 1889-1968