Wyoming Amendment 2, Initiative and Referendum Process Measure (1968)

Wyoming Amendment 2
Election date November 5, 1968
Topic Initiative and referendum process
Status Approved
Type Legislatively referred constitutional amendment	Origin State legislature

Wyoming Amendment 2 was on the ballot as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment in Wyoming on November 5, 1968. It was approved.

A "yes" vote supported establishing an initiative and referendum process in Wyoming.

A "no" vote opposed establishing an initiative and referendum process in Wyoming.

Election results

Wyoming Amendment 2
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		72,009	74.77%
No		24,299	25.23%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Amendment 2 was as follows:

“

Proposal to amend by adding a Section 52 to Article III of the Constitution of the State of Wyoming, providing that the people may propose and enact laws by the initiative, and approve or reject acts of the legislature by the referendum: (A) THE PEOPLE MAY PROPOSE AND ENACT LAWS BY THE INITIATIVE, AND APPROVE OR REJECT ACTS OF THE LEGISLATURE BY THE REFERENDUM. (B) AN INITIATIVE OR REFERENDUM IS PROPOSED BY AN APPLICATION CONTAINING THE BILL TO BE INITIATED OR THE ACT TO BE REFERRED. THE APPLICATION SHALL BE SIGNED BY NOT LESS THAN ONE HUNDRED (100) QUALIFIED VOTERS AS SPONSORS, AND SHALL BE FILED WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE. IF HE FINDS IT IN PROPER FORM HE SHALL SO CERTIFY. DENIAL OF CERTIFICATION SHALL BE SUBJECT TO JUDICIAL REVIEW. (C) AFTER CERTIFICATION OF THE APPLICATION, A PETITION CONTAINING A SUMMARY OF THE SUBJECT MATTER SHALL BE PREPARED BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR CIRCULATION BY THE SPONSORS. IF SIGNED BY QUALIFIED VOTERS, EQUAL IN NUMBER TO FIFTEEN PER CENT (15%) OF THOSE WHO VOTED IN THE PRECEDING GENERAL ELECTION AND RESIDENT IN AT LEAST TWO-THIRDS (⅔) OF THE COUNTIES OF THE STATE, IT MAY BE FILED WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (D) AN INITIATIVE PETITION MAY BE FILED AT ANY TIME EXCEPT THAT ONE MAY NOT BE FILED FOR A MEASURE SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME AS THAT DEFEATED BY AN INITIATIVE ELECTION WITHIN THE PRECEDING FIVE (5) YEARS. THE SECRETARY OF STATE SHALL PREPARE A BALLOT TITLE AND PROPOSITION SUMMARIZING THE PROPOSED LAW, AND SHALL PLACE THEM ON THE BALLOT FOR THE FIRST STATEWIDE ELECTION HELD MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY (120) DAYS AFTER ADJOURNMENT OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION FOLLOWING THE FILING. IF, BEFORE THE ELECTION, SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME MEASURE HAS BEEN ENACTED, THE PETITION IS VOID. (E) A REFERENDUM PETITION MAY BE FILED ONLY WITHIN NINETY (90) DAYS AFTER THE ADJOURNMENT OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION AT WHICH THE ACT WAS PASSED, EXCEPT THAT A REFERENDUM PETITION RESPECTING ANY ACT PREVIOUSLY PASSED BY THE LEGISLATURE MAY BE FILED WITHIN SIX MONTHS AFTER THE POWER OF REFERENDUM IS ADOPTED. THE SECRETARY OF STATE SHALL PREPARE A BALLOT TITLE AND PROPOSITION SUMMARIZING THE ACT AND SHALL PLACE THEM ON THE BALLOT FOR THE FIRST STATEWIDE ELECTION HELD MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY (180) DAYS AFTER ADJOURNMENT OF THAT SESSION. (F) IF VOTES IN AN AMOUNT IN EXCESS OF FIFTY PER CENT (50%) OF THOSE VOTED IN THE PRECEDING GENERAL ELECTION ARE CAST IN FAVOR OF THE REJECTION OF AN ACT REFERRED, IT IS REJECTED. THE SECRETARY OF STATE SHALL CERTIFY THE ELECTION RETURNS. AN INITIATED LAW BECOMES EFFECTIVE NINETY (90) DAYS AFTER CERTIFICATION, IS NOT SUBJECT TO VETO, AND MAY NOT BE REPEALED BY THE LEGISLATURE WITHIN TWO (2) YEARS OF ITS EFFECTIVE DATE. IT MAY BE AMENDED AT ANY TIME. AN ACT REJECTED BY REFERENDUM IS VOID THIRTY (30) DAYS AFTER CERTIFICATION. ADDITIONAL PROCEDURES FOR THE INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM MAY BE PRESCRIBED BY LAW. (G) THE INITIATIVE SHALL NOT BE USED TO DEDICATE REVENUES, MAKE OR REPEAL APPROPRIATIONS, CREATE COURTS, DEFINE THE JURISDICTION OF COURTS OR PRESCRIBE THEIR RULES, ENACT LOCAL OR SPECIAL LEGISLATION, OR ENACT THAT PROHIBITED BY THE CONSTITUTION FOR ENACTMENT BY THE LEGISLATURE. THE REFERENDUM SHALL NOT BE APPLIED TO DEDICATIONS OF REVENUE, TO APPROPRIATIONS, TO LOCAL OR SPECIAL LEGISLATION, OR TO LAWS NECESSARY FOR THE IMMEDIATE PRESERVATION OF THE PUBLIC PEACE, HEALTH, OR SAFETY. This proposed amendment to the Constitution of the State of Wyoming would provide authority to the people of the State of Wyoming by initiative to propose laws and by referendum to vote on legislation passed by the Wyoming legislature.

”

Path to the ballot

See also: Amending the Wyoming Constitution

A two-thirds vote is required during one legislative session for the Wyoming State Legislature to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 42 votes in the Wyoming House of Representatives and 21 votes in the Wyoming State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.

In the Wyoming State Senate, the amendment was approved 21-9. In the House of Representatives, the amendment was approved 59-0, with two members excused.

See also

1968 Measures

• 1968 Measures
• Initiative and referendum process on the ballot
• 1968 legislative sessions

Wyoming

• Wyoming ballot measures
• Wyoming ballot measure laws

News and analysis

• Ballot measure lawsuits
• Ballot measure readability
• Ballot measure polls