Race and ethnicity issues ballot measures

Voters have decided on race and ethnicity issues ballot measures across the U.S. As a state ballot measure topic, race and ethnicity issues include measures regarding legal definitions, rights, and protections based on race or ethnicity. The topic is grouped within the social issue policy area.

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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:

2026

1. Vermont Equal Protection of Law Amendment (2026) - Potential
2. Virginia Remove Constitutional Same-Sex Marriage Ban Amendment (2026) - On 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

2026

1. Vermont Equal Protection of Law Amendment (2026) - Potential
2. Virginia Remove Constitutional Same-Sex Marriage Ban Amendment (2026) - On the ballot

2024

1. New York Proposal 1, Equal Protection of Law Amendment (2024)

2022

1. Nevada Question 1, Equality of Rights Amendment (2022)

2021

1. Pennsylvania Question 3, Equal Rights Regardless of Race or Ethnicity Amendment (May 2021)

2014

1. Illinois Right to Vote Amendment (2014)

2012

1. Alabama Segregation Reference Ban Amendment, Amendment 4 (2012)
2. Oklahoma State Question 759, Affirmative Action Amendment (2012)

2004

1. Alabama Separation of Schools, Amendment 2 (2004)

2002

1. Oregon Measure 14, Remove Historical Racial References in Constitution Amendment (2002)

2000

1. Alabama Interracial Marriage, Amendment 2 (2000)

1998

1. South Carolina Amendment 4 (1998)

1994

1. Oregon Measure 7, Equal Protection of Law Initiative (1994)

1990

1. Mississippi Administration of Prisons, Amendment 2 (1990)

1987

1. Mississippi Race and Marriage, Amendment 3 (1987)

1979

1. California Proposition 1, Desegregation Busing Court Orders Amendment (1979)

1978

1. Massachusetts Question 6, Prohibit Public School Assignment Based on Race, Color, National Origin, or Creed Amendment (1978)
2. Mississippi Segregation, Amendment 4 (1978)
3. North Dakota Elective Franchise Referendum, Amendment 2 (1978)
4. Oklahoma State Question 527, Repeal Definitions of Racial Terms Amendment (1978)

1976

1. Massachusetts Question 1, Equal Rights Regardless of Sex, Race, or Creed Amendment (1976)
2. Missouri Amendment 5, Repeal Segregated Schools Measure (August 1976)
3. South Dakota Amendment B, Revise Bill of Rights Measure (1976)

1974

1. California Proposition 7, Revisions to State Constitution’s Declaration of Rights Amendment (1974)
2. Colorado Amendment No. 8, Prohibition of Bussing Students to Achieve Racial Balance Initiative (1974)
3. New Hampshire Question 2, Equal Rights Regardless of Race, Sex, or Creed Amendment (1974)

1972

1. California Proposition 21, Elimination of Racial and Ethnic Imbalances in Schools Initiative (1972)
2. Florida Equal Opportunity Education Straw Ballot Measure (March 1972)
3. Florida Forced Busing Straw Ballot Measure (March 1972)
4. Texas Proposition 7, Equal Rights Regardless of Race, Sex, or Creed Amendment (1972)

1970

1. Oklahoma State Question 475, Prohibition of School Segregation Amendment (September 1970)
2. Oregon Measure 2, Repeal of White Foreigner Property Rights Amendment (May 1970)
3. Virginia Question 1, Constitutional Revision Amendment (1970)

1968

1. Maryland Prohibit Housing Discrimination, Question 4 (1968)
2. Washington Referendum 35, Real Estate License Suspension for Racial Discrimination Measure (1968)

1966

1. Oklahoma State Question 428, Integrated Schools Amendment (May 1966)

1964

1. Maryland Discrimination in Public Accommodations, Amendment 5 (1964)

1962

1. Arkansas Amendment 51, Right to Free Public Education Regardless of Refusal to Attend Integrated Schools Amendment (1962)
2. Georgia Amendment 1, "Freedom from Compulsory Association in Public Education" Measure (1962)
3. Idaho Chinese, Japanese and Mongolian Rights, SJR 1 (1962)

1956

1. Alabama Amendment 2, Repeal Requirement for Public School System, Allow Private Entities to Operate Schools, and Permit Parents to Choose Schools Based on Race Measure (August 1956)
2. Arkansas Amendment 47, Direct State Legislature to Oppose Federal Desegregation Rulings Initiative (1956)
3. Arkansas Call for Federal Constitutional Amendment for State Authority to Provide Racially Segregated Schools Initiative (1956)
4. Arkansas Initiated Act 2, Criteria for Public School Student Assignment Initiative (1956)
5. North Carolina Education Expense Grants and Local School Suspension Votes Amendment (September 1956)

1954

1. Louisiana Amendment 16, Racial Segregation in Public Schools Amendment (1954)
2. Maine Question 2, Suffrage for Native Americans Amendment (September 1954)
3. Mississippi Allow Legislature to Abolish Public Schools and Provide Funds for Non-Public Education Amendment (December 1954)

1953

1. Ohio Remove Racial Qualification for State Militia Service Amendment (1953)

1950

1. Arizona Measure Nos. 318-319, Prohibit Racial Segregation in Public Schools Initiative (1950)
2. Idaho Indian Right to Vote, HJR 2 (1950)

1946

1. California Proposition 11, Equal Employment Opportunity Initiative (1946)
2. Oregon Measure Nos. 306-307, Repeal Ban on Real Estate and Mining Claim Ownership for Persons of Chinese Ethnicity Amendment (1946)

1927

1. Oregon Measure Nos. 300-301, Repeal of Provision Prohibiting Suffrage for Black, Chinese, and Mixed Race Persons Amendment (June 1927)

1926

1. Oregon Measure Nos. 304-305, Repeal of Ban on Black and Mixed Race Persons Residing in Oregon Amendment (1926)

1916

1. Oregon Measure Nos. 304-305, Repeal of Provision Prohibiting Suffrage for Black, Chinese, and Mixed Race Persons Amendment (1916)

1900

1. Oregon Measure Nos. 160-161, Repeal of Ban on Black and Mixed Race Persons Residing in Oregon Amendment (June 1900)

1890

1. South Dakota Native American Suffrage Amendment (1890)

1876

1. North Carolina State Constitution Revisions Amendment (1876)

1865

1. Wisconsin Question 1, African-American Male Suffrage Measure (1865)

1857

1. Wisconsin Question 1, African-American Male Suffrage Measure (1857)

1850

1. Michigan African American Suffrage Question (1850)

1849

1. Wisconsin Question 1, African-American Male Suffrage Measure (1849)

1847

1. Wisconsin Question 2, African-American Male Suffrage Amendment (April 1847)

1846

1. New York Amendment 2, Repeal of Property Requirement for African Americans to Vote Amendment (1846)

1835

1. North Carolina State Constitution Revisions Amendment (1835)

Alabama

1. Alabama Amendment 2, Repeal Requirement for Public School System, Allow Private Entities to Operate Schools, and Permit Parents to Choose Schools Based on Race Measure (August 1956)
2. Alabama Interracial Marriage, Amendment 2 (2000)
3. Alabama Segregation Reference Ban Amendment, Amendment 4 (2012)
4. Alabama Separation of Schools, Amendment 2 (2004)

Arizona

1. Arizona Measure Nos. 318-319, Prohibit Racial Segregation in Public Schools Initiative (1950)

Arkansas

1. Arkansas Amendment 47, Direct State Legislature to Oppose Federal Desegregation Rulings Initiative (1956)
2. Arkansas Amendment 51, Right to Free Public Education Regardless of Refusal to Attend Integrated Schools Amendment (1962)
3. Arkansas Call for Federal Constitutional Amendment for State Authority to Provide Racially Segregated Schools Initiative (1956)
4. Arkansas Initiated Act 2, Criteria for Public School Student Assignment Initiative (1956)

California

1. California Proposition 1, Desegregation Busing Court Orders Amendment (1979)
2. California Proposition 11, Equal Employment Opportunity Initiative (1946)
3. California Proposition 21, Elimination of Racial and Ethnic Imbalances in Schools Initiative (1972)
4. California Proposition 7, Revisions to State Constitution’s Declaration of Rights Amendment (1974)

Colorado

1. Colorado Amendment No. 8, Prohibition of Bussing Students to Achieve Racial Balance Initiative (1974)

Florida

1. Florida Equal Opportunity Education Straw Ballot Measure (March 1972)
2. Florida Forced Busing Straw Ballot Measure (March 1972)

Georgia

1. Georgia Amendment 1, "Freedom from Compulsory Association in Public Education" Measure (1962)

Idaho

1. Idaho Chinese, Japanese and Mongolian Rights, SJR 1 (1962)
2. Idaho Indian Right to Vote, HJR 2 (1950)

Illinois

1. Illinois Right to Vote Amendment (2014)

Louisiana

1. Louisiana Amendment 16, Racial Segregation in Public Schools Amendment (1954)

Maine

1. Maine Question 2, Suffrage for Native Americans Amendment (September 1954)

Maryland

1. Maryland Discrimination in Public Accommodations, Amendment 5 (1964)
2. Maryland Prohibit Housing Discrimination, Question 4 (1968)

Massachusetts

1. Massachusetts Question 1, Equal Rights Regardless of Sex, Race, or Creed Amendment (1976)
2. Massachusetts Question 6, Prohibit Public School Assignment Based on Race, Color, National Origin, or Creed Amendment (1978)

Michigan

1. Michigan African American Suffrage Question (1850)

Mississippi

1. Mississippi Administration of Prisons, Amendment 2 (1990)
2. Mississippi Allow Legislature to Abolish Public Schools and Provide Funds for Non-Public Education Amendment (December 1954)
3. Mississippi Race and Marriage, Amendment 3 (1987)
4. Mississippi Segregation, Amendment 4 (1978)

Missouri

1. Missouri Amendment 5, Repeal Segregated Schools Measure (August 1976)

Nevada

1. Nevada Question 1, Equality of Rights Amendment (2022)

New Hampshire

1. New Hampshire Question 2, Equal Rights Regardless of Race, Sex, or Creed Amendment (1974)

New York

1. New York Amendment 2, Repeal of Property Requirement for African Americans to Vote Amendment (1846)
2. New York Proposal 1, Equal Protection of Law Amendment (2024)

North Carolina

1. North Carolina Education Expense Grants and Local School Suspension Votes Amendment (September 1956)
2. North Carolina State Constitution Revisions Amendment (1835)
3. North Carolina State Constitution Revisions Amendment (1876)

North Dakota

1. North Dakota Elective Franchise Referendum, Amendment 2 (1978)

Ohio

1. Ohio Remove Racial Qualification for State Militia Service Amendment (1953)

Oklahoma

1. Oklahoma State Question 428, Integrated Schools Amendment (May 1966)
2. Oklahoma State Question 475, Prohibition of School Segregation Amendment (September 1970)
3. Oklahoma State Question 527, Repeal Definitions of Racial Terms Amendment (1978)
4. Oklahoma State Question 759, Affirmative Action Amendment (2012)

Oregon

1. Oregon Measure 14, Remove Historical Racial References in Constitution Amendment (2002)
2. Oregon Measure 2, Repeal of White Foreigner Property Rights Amendment (May 1970)
3. Oregon Measure 7, Equal Protection of Law Initiative (1994)
4. Oregon Measure Nos. 160-161, Repeal of Ban on Black and Mixed Race Persons Residing in Oregon Amendment (June 1900)
5. Oregon Measure Nos. 300-301, Repeal of Provision Prohibiting Suffrage for Black, Chinese, and Mixed Race Persons Amendment (June 1927)
6. Oregon Measure Nos. 304-305, Repeal of Ban on Black and Mixed Race Persons Residing in Oregon Amendment (1926)
7. Oregon Measure Nos. 304-305, Repeal of Provision Prohibiting Suffrage for Black, Chinese, and Mixed Race Persons Amendment (1916)
8. Oregon Measure Nos. 306-307, Repeal Ban on Real Estate and Mining Claim Ownership for Persons of Chinese Ethnicity Amendment (1946)

Pennsylvania

1. Pennsylvania Question 3, Equal Rights Regardless of Race or Ethnicity Amendment (May 2021)

South Carolina

1. South Carolina Amendment 4 (1998)

South Dakota

1. South Dakota Amendment B, Revise Bill of Rights Measure (1976)
2. South Dakota Native American Suffrage Amendment (1890)

Texas

1. Texas Proposition 7, Equal Rights Regardless of Race, Sex, or Creed Amendment (1972)

Vermont

1. Vermont Equal Protection of Law Amendment (2026) - Potential

Virginia

1. Virginia Question 1, Constitutional Revision Amendment (1970)
2. Virginia Remove Constitutional Same-Sex Marriage Ban Amendment (2026) - On the ballot

Washington

1. Washington Referendum 35, Real Estate License Suspension for Racial Discrimination Measure (1968)

Wisconsin

1. Wisconsin Question 1, African-American Male Suffrage Measure (1849)
2. Wisconsin Question 1, African-American Male Suffrage Measure (1857)
3. Wisconsin Question 1, African-American Male Suffrage Measure (1865)
4. Wisconsin Question 2, African-American Male Suffrage Amendment (April 1847)

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Footnotes

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