1949 ballot measures
From Ballotpedia
This page provides a list of statewide ballot measures that appeared before voters in 1949.
In the United States, a ballot measure is a law, issue, or question that appears on a statewide or local ballot for voters of that jurisdiction to decide.
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- List of ballot measures by state
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Historical Ballot Measure Factbooks
The inventory of statewide ballot measures is part of Ballotpedia's Historical Ballot Measure Factbooks, which document nearly 200 years of direct democracy in the United States. This ongoing research effort will provide an unparalleled resource for researchers, reporters, and voters on how ballot measures have evolved, the issues they've covered, and the role they have played in our civic life. Click here to access the state historical ballot measure factbooks.
List of ballot measures by state
Alabama
See also: Alabama 1949 ballot measures
December 13
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amendment 1 | Bond issues | The amendment proposed to amend the constitution. The amendment proposed the governor shall be permitted to issues bonds, provided that the aggregate principal does not exceed $2,000,000 and would mature in 10 years. The proceeds from the above bonds would fund hospitals, tuberculosis hospitals and health facilities. priority would be given to those communities that do not already have health care facilities and would be entitled to no less than $60,000 per annum. The interest rate on the above bonds would not exceed two percent. |
| 40,788 (62%) | 25,464 (38%) | |
| Amendment 2 | State and local government budgets, spending, and finance | The amendment proposed to amend the constitution. The amendment proposed that the County of Marion is authorized to issue bonds and warrants. The proceeds from the said bonds and warrants would go toward the constructing, equipping, operating, maintaining or improving public hospitals or health facilities. |
| 28,150 (55%) | 22,673 (45%) | |
| Amendment 3 | Taxes | The amendment proposed to amend the constitution. The amendment proposed that all counties, except Mobile and Jefferson, would be authorized, provided the electors vote by majority, to levy and collect a special county tax for the purpose of funding public hospitals. Furthermore, in anticipation of revenue from the said tax, the counties may issue bonds, not exceeding 75 percent of the annual proceeds from the said tax. |
| 37,588 (61%) | 24,492 (39%) | |
| Amendment 4 | State and local government budgets, spending, and finance | The amendment proposed to amend the constitution. The amendment proposed that the legislature fix, regulate or alter the fees, commissions, allowances and salaries of the county offices in the county of Franklin. |  | 21,473 (50%) | 21,651 (50%) | |
| Amendment 5 | Utility policy | The amendment proposed to amend the constitution. The amendment proposed to limit to 30 years, the use of streets, alleys, avenues, ways or public places for the construction or operation of any telephone, telegraph, light, power, water or transportation system. | | 21,333 (50%) | 21,748 (50%) | |
| Amendment 6 | Taxes | The amendment proposed to amend the constitution. The amendment proposed to allow St. Clair County to levy and collect a special school tax of 50 cents on each $100 of taxable property. |
| 23,150 (53%) | 20,896 (47%) | |
| Amendment 7 | Taxes | The amendment proposed to amend the constitution. The amendment proposed to allow Cherokee County to levy and collect a special district tax of 50 cents on each $100 of taxable property for the funding of public schools. |
| 23,293 (53%) | 20,601 (47%) | |
| Amendment 8 | Public education funding; Public education governance; Taxes | The amendment proposed to amend the constitution. The amendment proposed to allow the board of dducation of Lawrence County to designate and establish a special school district within the school district in which the municipality of Courtland is located, and it would become indebted and issue bonds in an amount not exceeding $100,000 for the construction and equipment of a school building within said district. To pay said indebtedness, and its interest, Lawrence County may levy and collect an annual tax on all property situated within said district, at a rate not in excess of five mills; provided, whenever enough has been collected to retire the bonds and pay the interest thereon the tax will cease and any surplus remaining will revert to the Courtland school district. |
| 23,154 (53%) | 20,336 (47%) | |
| Amendment 9 | Taxes | The amendment proposed to amend the constitution. The amendment proposed to allow a special school tax of 50 cents on each $100 worth of taxable property in the school tax district of the city of Huntsville in Madison County to be used solely for public school purposes. The city of Huntsville shall issue and sell interest bearing bonds with principal and interest to be paid from the proceeds of the tax herein levied. The proceeds of the sale of the bonds shall be used for the sole purpose of constructing and improving school buildings and acquiring sites; provided, the proceeds of the bonds shall be paid immediately to the board of education of the city of Huntsville. The principal amount of the bonds shall in no event exceed the sum of $575,000. All bonds issued would be payable in annual installments, the first of which shall be payable not more than two years after the date of the bonds, and the last within the period of usefulness of the improvements for which the bonds are issued. |
| 23,913 (54%) | 20,351 (46%) |
California
See also: California 1949 ballot measures
November 8
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proposition 1 | Education; Bond issues | Allow for the issuance of bonds up to $250,000,000 for loans and grants for school districts and establish the terms of such bonds. |
| 1,890,779 (73%) | 706,570 (27%) | |
| Proposition 10 | Constitutional wording changes; Alcohol laws | Remove Section 26a of Article I of the Constitution, which was inoperable and regarded the effective date of the prohibition amendment. |
| 1,409,094 (71%) | 582,960 (29%) | |
| Proposition 11 | Constitutional wording changes; State executive official measures; Salaries of government officials | Eliminate sections from the Constitution. | | 565,511 (28%) | 1,465,325 (72%) | |
| Proposition 12 | Time standards | Establish the time standard in California as Standard Pacific Time and establish daylight saving time. |
| 1,406,257 (55%) | 1,167,846 (45%) | |
| Proposition 2 | Public assistance programs | Reinstate the Old Age Security and Aid to Blind plan to pay people of old age $75 per month and blind people $85 per month. |
| 1,560,484 (58%) | 1,152,329 (42%) | |
| Proposition 3 | State legislatures measures; State and local government budgets, spending, and finance | Establish limits on budget sessions of the legislature and set the salary of legislators. |
| 1,312,445 (57%) | 985,646 (43%) | |
| Proposition 4 | Constitutional wording changes; County and municipal governance | Eliminate inoperative provisions. |
| 1,392,453 (66%) | 702,170 (34%) | |
| Proposition 5 | State constitutional conventions; Constitutional wording changes | Repeal Section 19 of Article XX of the state constitution, relating to the Constitutional Convention of 1878-1879, |
| 1,439,537 (71%) | 602,249 (29%) | |
| Proposition 6 | Constitutional wording changes; State legislatures measures | Repeal Section 1a of Article IV of the state Constitution, which relates to the effective date of statutes enacted by the 1933 legislature. |
| 1,439,501 (72%) | 568,815 (28%) | |
| Proposition 7 | Constitutional wording changes; Taxes | Delete inoperative provisions in the Constitution relating to taxation. |
| 1,481,941 (72%) | 587,005 (28%) | |
| Proposition 8 | State and local government budgets, spending, and finance; Constitutional wording changes | Eliminate a duplicate section from the Constitution, remove sections from the Constitution, and expand the legislature's power in giving money. |
| 1,451,034 (72%) | 562,623 (28%) | |
| Proposition 9 | Constitutional wording changes | Repeal Sections 4 to 9 of Article XXII of the Constitution. |
| 1,431,923 (72%) | 554,202 (28%) |
Georgia
See also: Georgia 1949 ballot measures
April 5
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amendment 1 | Taxes | Authorize funding for public services and allow for additional taxes to support them | | 77,819 (26%) | 225,268 (74%) |
Kentucky
See also: Kentucky 1949 ballot measures
November 8
| Type | Title | Subject | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| School Funds Referendum | Education; State and local government budgets, spending, and finance |
| |
| State and City Official Salaries Referendum | Salaries of government officials |
|
New Jersey
See also: New Jersey 1949 ballot measures
November 8
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Question No. 1 | Bond issues | An act authorized $25 million in bonds for state institutions. |
| 776,896 (68%) | 371,077 (32%) | |
| Public Question No. 2 | Bond issues | An act would have authorized $105 million in bonds for veterans' bonuses. | | 578,988 (49%) | 596,484 (51%) | |
| Public Question No. 3 | Bond issues | An act would have authorized $100 million in bonds for housing assistance. | | 397,504 (37%) | 663,877 (63%) |
New York
See also: New York 1949 ballot measures
November 8
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amendment 1 | State executive branch structure | Authorize the lieutenant-governor-elect to serve as governor in event of death of governor-elect before assuming office |
| 1,796,852 (80%) | 452,419 (20%) | |
| Amendment 2 | Veterans policy | Authorize the payment of war bonuses to members of armed forces from New York state regardless of residency status |
| 1,633,560 (72%) | 633,569 (28%) | |
| Amendment 3 | State judiciary structure | Establish a court of claims as constitutional court of record |
| 1,479,971 (71%) | 616,707 (29%) | |
| Amendment 4 | Administrative powers and rulemaking | Provide for an increased penalty for a public officer that refuses to waive immunity or give testimony |
| 1,611,049 (77%) | 471,724 (23%) | |
| Amendment 5 | Civil service; Veterans policy | Revise veterans' preference in civil service employment to include increased retainment and promotions |
| 1,592,483 (59%) | 1,090,977 (41%) | |
| Amendment 6 | Housing development funding; Local government finance and taxes; Debt limits | Allow villages of 5,000 or more inhabitants certain powers of cities in relation to indebtedness for low rent housing |
| 1,441,214 (70%) | 627,479 (30%) | |
| Amendment 7 | Local government finance and taxes; Debt limits | Allow municipalities to exclude certain self-sustaining public-improvement debts from their constitutional debt limits, exclude $150 million of New York City hospital construction debt from its limit, and shorten from 50 to 40 years the period in which the city may take on transit and dock-related debt |
| 1,435,575 (71%) | 590,332 (29%) | |
| Amendment 8 | Tax and revenue administration; Property taxes | Maintain the 2% tax limit but change it to be based on full property value, extend this limit to all local governments, give certain small school districts an exclusion for specific taxes, and require revenue from public improvements to be used first to cover operating and debt obligations |
| 1,364,859 (69%) | 602,855 (31%) | |
| Proposition 1 | Housing development funding; Local government finance and taxes; Housing assistance programs | Provide a state debt of $300 million for the purpose of making loans to cities, town, villages and authorities for slum clearance and low-rent purposes |
| 1,112,494 (61%) | 717,411 (39%) |
North Carolina
See also: North Carolina 1949 ballot measures
June 4
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| School Construction Bonds Referendum | Bond issues; Public education funding | Issue $25 million in bonds for school construction and repairs |
| 273,663 (69%) | 122,460 (31%) | |
| Secondary Road Bonds Referendum | Highways and bridges; Bond issues | Issue $200 million in bonds for secondary roads |
| 229,493 (57%) | 174,647 (43%) |
Ohio
See also: Ohio 1949 ballot measures
November 8
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| County Probate Judges Amendment | State judiciary; County and municipal governance | Allow counties to have more than one probate judge. | | 874,291 (50%) | 876,647 (50%) | |
| Manufacture and Sale of Colored Oleomargarine Initiative | Food policy; Business regulations | Allow the manufacture and sale of colored oleomargarine. |
| 1,282,206 (62%) | 799,473 (38%) | |
| Voting for Individual Candidates Initiative | Election administration and governance | Require voters to individually select the candidates they wanted to vote for and remove the "straight ticket" option from ballots. |
| 1,007,693 (57%) | 750,206 (43%) |
Oklahoma
See also: Oklahoma 1949 ballot measures
September 27
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Question 343 | Alcohol laws | Repeal Prohibition and allow the legislature to regulate, license, and tax intoxicating liquors, prohibiting sales to minors, Sunday sales, and open saloons. | | 267,870 (45%) | 323,270 (55%) | |
| State Question 348 | State and local government budgets, spending, and finance | Authorize the state to incur up to $36 million in debt for state building projects, funded by a 2¢ per cigarette package tax. |
| 343,900 (59%) | 239,190 (41%) |
Texas
See also: Texas 1949 ballot measures
November 8
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proposition 1 | Civil service | Authorize the legislature to provide for civil service in counties upon voter approval | | 134,703 (45%) | 163,971 (55%) | |
| Proposition 10 | Civil and criminal trials | Allow women to serve as jurors | | 135,776 (45%) | 168,780 (55%) | |
| Proposition 2 | State legislatures measures; Salaries of government officials | Have annual legislative sessions and provide legislators with an annual salary of $3,600 rather than per diem compensation | | 72,266 (24%) | 224,911 (76%) | |
| Proposition 3 | Healthcare; Administration of government | Establish hospital districts upon the Governor's request | | 129,989 (44%) | 168,432 (56%) | |
| Proposition 4 | Elections and campaigns; Taxes | Repeal the poll tax and require voter registration | | 133,550 (44%) | 172,284 (56%) | |
| Proposition 5 | Healthcare; County and municipal governance | Authorize legislation for the establishment and operation of city and county health department, allowing local tax votes for funding | | 119,357 (40%) | 180,633 (60%) | |
| Proposition 6 | Public employee retirement funds | Authorize a statewide system of retirement and disability pensions for appointive county officials and employees | | 95,280 (32%) | 205,424 (68%) | |
| Proposition 7 | State judiciary | Provide that district courts conduct their proceedings at the county seat in which a case was pending |
| 161,499 (55%) | 134,252 (45%) | |
| Proposition 8 | Administration of government | Create rural fire protection districts and provided for a maximum $0.03 per $100 valuation property tax to support the districts |
| 153,253 (51%) | 145,298 (49%) | |
| Proposition 9 | Civil and criminal trials | Allow the legislature to provide for trials without a jury in lunacy cases | | 142,744 (47%) | 158,672 (53%) |
Virginia
See also: Virginia 1949 ballot measures
November 8
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Election Administration and Capitation Tax Amendment | Election administration and governance; Literacy, poll tax, and property voting requirements; Voter registration; Public education funding | Revise provisions related to voting, elections, and taxes | | 56,687 (22%) | 206,542 (78%) |
Wisconsin
See also: Wisconsin 1949 ballot measures
April 5
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Question 1 | Veterans policy; State and local government budgets, spending, and finance | Allow the state to appropriate money to improve veterans' housing |
| 311,576 (52%) | 290,736 (48%) | |
| Question 2 | Taxes; Property | Repeal the prohibition on the state taxation of federal lands | | 245,412 (45%) | 297,237 (55%) |
Other years
Click on a year in the following table to view that year’s state ballot measures.
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