1975 ballot measures
This page provides a list of statewide ballot measures that appeared before voters in 1975.
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.
- HBM Factbooks
- 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 1975 ballot measures
June 10
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amendment 1 | Administrative organization; Ports and harbors | This measure proposed that the state could acquire debt, form a public corporation and engage in other activities for the development and improvement of the Port of Mobile. |
| 148,290 (86%) | 24,692 (14%) | |
| Amendment 2 | State legislatures measures | It proposed that the legislative session should begin on the first Tuesday of May. The session should be limited to 30 legislative days that can take place within 105 days of the start of the session. It also stipulated that special sessions may run for 12 days within a 30-day time frame. |
| 95,330 (56%) | 75,966 (44%) |
Kentucky
See also: Kentucky 1975 ballot measures
November 4
| Type | Title | Subject | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Judicial Branch Restructuring Referendum | State judicial authority; State judiciary structure |
| 215,419 (54%) | 180,124 (46%) | |
| Senior Residence Tax Exemption Referendum | Property tax exemptions; Property taxes |
| 235,596 (61%) | 150,163 (39%) |
Maine
See also: Maine 1975 ballot measures
November 4
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Question 1 | Higher education funding; Bond issues | Issue $900k in bonds for the renovation of student housing at the University of Maine at Portland |
| 91,719 (61%) | 57,484 (39%) | |
| Question 2 | Bond issues; Highways and bridges | Issue $13.6 million in bonds for highway and bridge improvements |
| 106,619 (71%) | 43,282 (29%) | |
| Question 3 | State legislative structure; Redistricting policy; State legislative authority | Provide for single member districts for the state House of Representatives, apportionment of the House and Senate and establish an apportionment commission |
| 94,773 (68%) | 45,307 (32%) | |
| Question 4 | Initiative and referendum process | Create a filing deadline for petitions for referendum and initiative, suspend the effective date of any action in a referendum petition, allow the secretary of state to declare a special election for a petition if the governor failed to do so, and empower the legislature to develop procedures for validating petitions |
| 105,073 (76%) | 32,995 (24%) | |
| Question 5 | State executive powers and duties; State executive branch structure | Outline circumstances under which the governor could be found incapable of discharging the powers and duties of the office and determined what would happen |
| 112,171 (78%) | 31,647 (22%) | |
| Question 6 | State executive branch structure; State executive powers and duties | Abolish the Executive Council and reassign its constitutional powers to the governor and the legislature, abolish the office of notary public, and prohibit the appointment of legislators to offices that require approval from the legislature |
| 94,702 (67%) | 47,513 (33%) | |
| Question 7 | State legislative processes and sessions | Provide for annual, instead the existing biennial, meetings of the legislature |
| 91,582 (66%) | 47,877 (34%) |
Mississippi
See also: Mississippi 1975 ballot measures
November 4
| Type | Title | Subject | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amendment 2 | Literacy, poll tax, and property voting requirements |
| 9,952 (69%) | 4,410 (31%) | |
| Amendment 3 | Literacy, poll tax, and property voting requirements |
| 8,121 (65%) | 4,465 (35%) |
New Jersey
See also: New Jersey 1975 ballot measures
November 4
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Question 2 | Constitutional rights; Sex and gender issues | Prohibit the denial or abridgment of rights on account of a person's sex |  | 828,290 (49%) | 868,061 (51%) | |
| Public Question No. 1 | Taxes | The amendment extended the property tax deduction for senior citizens, allowed them to receive a homestead tax credit or rebate in addition to other exemptions or deductions, allowed a homestead credit or rebate for home owners and tenants, and authorized the legislature to pass laws regarding property tax abatement. |
| 1,171,474 (69%) | 538,060 (31%) | |
| Public Question No. 3 | Bond issues | An act would have authorized $110 million in bonds for water supply, waste treatment and shore protection facilities. | | 740,496 (45%) | 891,190 (55%) | |
| Public Question No. 4 | Bond issues | An act would have authorized $600 million in bonds for improvements to public transportation. | | 616,461 (38%) | 1,022,150 (62%) | |
| Public Question No. 5 | Bond issues | An act would have authorized $100 million in bonds for housing assistance. | | 670,370 (41%) | 973,629 (59%) | |
| Public Question No. 6 | Bond issues | If approved, it would have authorized $112 million in bonds for human services facilities. | | 587,404 (37%) | 1,002,854 (63%) |
New York
See also: New York 1975 ballot measures
November 4
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amendment 1 | Sex and gender issues; Constitutional rights | Provide that equality of rights under the law cannot be denied on account of sex | | 1,470,213 (43%) | 1,950,993 (57%) | |
| Amendment 2 | State judiciary structure; Ethics rules and commissions; State judiciary oversight | Establish a commission on judicial conduct for oversight over judges |
| 1,900,262 (63%) | 1,110,515 (37%) | |
| Amendment 3 | State judiciary structure | Amend Articles 6 and 7 of the state constitution to provide for the administration and financing of the Unified Court System of the State | | 1,424,628 (50%) | 1,442,076 (50%) | |
| Amendment 4 | State legislative processes and sessions | Allow the state legislature, by a two-thirds vote, to convene itself for sessions on extraordinary occasions |
| 1,491,355 (52%) | 1,362,912 (48%) | |
| Amendment 5 | Sewage and stormwater | Allow local governments to take on debt to provide for sewage and storm water facilities | | 1,307,681 (45%) | 1,567,534 (55%) | |
| Amendment 6 | Income taxes; Public employee retirement funds | Allow municipalities (excluding New York City) with less than 125,000 inhabitants to exclude taxes on employee contributions to their pension, retirement, and social security liabilities | | 1,133,553 (40%) | 1,730,389 (60%) | |
| Amendment 7 | Gambling policy | Allow certain types of gambling for religious, charitable, and non-profit groups |
| 1,497,217 (50%) | 1,491,943 (50%) | |
| Proposal 1 | Bond issues; Housing development funding | Authorize the issuance of $250 million in bonds for low-rent housing | | 1,110,419 (36%) | 1,964,681 (64%) |
Ohio
See also: Ohio 1975 ballot measures
November 4
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bonds and Sales Tax for Capital Improvements Initiative | Taxes; Bond issues | Issue bonds and establish a 7/10 of one percent sales and use tax for capital improvements | | 487,326 (18%) | 2,219,093 (82%) | |
| Change to Candidate Name Rotation on Ballots Amendment | Election administration and governance | Remove requirement for ballot-by-ballot candidate name rotation and allowing the legislature to establish a method for ensuring reasonable equality in name placement |
| 1,619,219 (64%) | 915,599 (36%) | |
| Financing of Railroad Organization Amendment | State and local government budgets, spending, and finance; Transportation | Allow the state and local governments to finance the reorganization of the state's rail systems. | | 871,726 (35%) | 1,614,597 (65%) | |
| Housing and Nursing Care Assistance Initiative | Public assistance programs; Healthcare facility funding | Authorize political subdivisions to provide assistance for health facilities | | 869,437 (32%) | 1,882,454 (68%) | |
| Industrial Plant Tax Incentives for Jobs Initiative | Public economic investment policy; Taxes | Authorize tax incentives to industrial plants to create and preserve jobs | | 573,874 (21%) | 2,164,957 (79%) | |
| Regulation of Charity Bingo Amendment | Gambling policy | Permit the general assembly to regulate the operation of bingo for charitable purposes |
| 1,405,453 (54%) | 1,205,009 (46%) | |
| Require Elections for Delegates for National Political Party Conventions Amendment | Primary election systems | Require delegates to national conventions of political parties to be elected by voters |
| 1,653,931 (65%) | 906,156 (35%) | |
| Tax Assessment of Outdoor Recreational Land Amendment | Property; Taxes | Allow land devoted to outdoor reaction to be valued for tax purposes at its current value for recreational use | | 1,014,425 (40%) | 1,539,423 (60%) | |
| Transportation Bonds and Gas Tax Initiative | Taxes; Bond issues; Transportation | Authorize bonds and the levy of a 9/10 of one cent per gallon gasoline tax for transportation development | | 439,041 (16%) | 2,304,854 (84%) |
Oklahoma
See also: Oklahoma 1975 ballot measures
July 22
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Question 506 | State and local government budgets, spending, and finance | Revise revenue estimates using a five-year average, adjusting for declines, and allowing the legislature to reduce revenue and transfer funds. |
| 177,177 (72%) | 69,040 (28%) | |
| State Question 508 | Administration of government | Restructure the Board of Equalization, replacing the Secretary of State with the Lieutenant Governor and the State Auditor with the Superintendent. |
| 164,700 (67%) | 79,774 (33%) | |
| State Question 509 | Administration of government | Abolish the office of Commissioner of Charities and Corrections. |
| 168,918 (69%) | 77,607 (31%) | |
| State Question 510 | Administration of government | Consolidate the offices of State Auditor and State Examiner and Inspector into a single office of State Auditor and Inspector. |
| 171,884 (70%) | 74,607 (30%) | |
| State Question 511 | State executive official measures | Change the secretary of state from an elected position to one appointed by the governor |
| 154,362 (62%) | 93,038 (38%) | |
| State Question 512 | State executive official measures | Allow the Governor, with Senate approval, to appoint the Labor Commissioner. |
| 155,611 (63%) | 91,155 (37%) | |
| State Question 513 | State executive official measures | Allow the Governor, with Senate approval, to appoint the Chief Mine Inspector. |
| 159,111 (64%) | 87,868 (36%) | |
| State Question 514 | Administration of government | Restructure the Land Office, replacing the Secretary of State and State Auditor with the Lieutenant Governor and State Auditor. |
| 165,025 (67%) | 81,240 (33%) |
Pennsylvania
See also: Pennsylvania 1975 ballot measures
November 4
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Financial Assistance for Flood Damages Amendment | Revenue allocation; Flood infrastructure and management | provide for tax rebates, credits, exemptions, and grants for individuals, corporations, associations, and nonprofit institutions, and private schools, to "alleviate the danger, damage, suffering, or hardship" caused by great storms or floods of 1974 or 1975. |
| 1,241,622 (68%) | 595,254 (32%) |
May 20
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senate Confirmation of Vacancy Appointees Amendment | State legislative processes and sessions; State legislative vote requirements | To require the state Senate to confirm a governor's appointee to fill a vacancy by a majority or two-thirds vote (as provided by law) within 25 legislative days |
| 937,249 (82%) | 209,026 (18%) |
Texas
See also: Texas 1975 ballot measures
November 4
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proposition 1 | Administration of government; Constitutional wording changes | Constitutional reforms relating to annual sessions, legislative assemblies, pay commission, districting, law restrictions, appointments, agency chairmanship, governor-elect funds, officer removal, term lengths, budget execution, and agency review | | 299,646 (26%) | 870,844 (74%) | |
| Proposition 2 | Constitutional wording changes; State judiciary | Revise the judiciary provisions of the Texas Constitution | | 326,869 (28%) | 835,639 (72%) | |
| Proposition 3 | Residency voting requirements; Voting rights for persons with criminal convictions; Voting age policy; Literacy, poll tax, and property voting requirements | Lower voting age to 18, allow residency requirements and property qualifications for elections, and restore voting rights to felons post-sentence | | 322,205 (28%) | 840,991 (72%) | |
| Proposition 4 | Constitutional wording changes; Education | Require the legislature to ensure equitable support and maintenance for free public schools below college level | | 327,876 (28%) | 844,927 (72%) | |
| Proposition 5 | Taxes | Revise the financing, taxation, and revenue portions of the Texas Constitution | | 289,772 (25%) | 871,080 (75%) | |
| Proposition 6 | Constitutional wording changes; County and municipal governance | Revise the local government provisions of the Texas Constitution | | 303,994 (26%) | 855,180 (74%) | |
| Proposition 7 | Constitutional wording changes | Revise the general provisions of the Texas Constitution | | 303,386 (26%) | 856,951 (74%) | |
| Proposition 8 | Constitutional wording changes; Administration of government | Incorporate single subject provision to constitutional amendments, focusing on single articles except when relevant to the main amendment | | 318,180 (27%) | 842,935 (73%) |
April 22
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proposition 1 | Public employee retirement funds | Revise and consolidate provisions relating to state and local retirement systems and setting the maximum state contribution to state systems |
| 399,163 (74%) | 142,790 (26%) | |
| Proposition 2 | Salaries of government officials; State legislatures measures | Set legislative salaries at $600 a month, set a per diem of $30 a day during legislative sessions, and provide a milage allowance |
| 313,516 (58%) | 227,786 (42%) |
Washington
See also: Washington 1975 ballot measures
November 4
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HJR 19 | Public education funding; School choice policy | Allow the legislature to provide financial assistance to students of public and private schools | | 369,775 (40%) | 565,444 (60%) | |
| Initiative 314 | Public education funding; Business taxes | Provide a 12% excise tax on corporations to reduce or eliminate special school levies. | | 323,831 (33%) | 652,178 (67%) | |
| Initiative 316 | Death penalty | Require the death penalty for aggravated murder in the first degree. |
| 662,535 (69%) | 296,257 (31%) | |
| Referendum 35 | State legislative elections | Require the governor to fill U.S. Senate vacancies with appointees of the same party as the incumbent. | | 430,642 (46%) | 501,894 (54%) | |
| SJR 101 | State judiciary structure; State judicial authority | Redefine the authorities of the Chief Justice, the Supreme Court, and District Courts and establish a judicial qualification commission | | 408,832 (49%) | 427,361 (51%) | |
| SJR 127 | State legislative elections; Salaries of government officials | Provide a commission to determine legislative salaries and legislators' eligibility for election to other offices | | 355,399 (40%) | 539,289 (60%) |
Wisconsin
See also: Wisconsin 1975 ballot measures
April 1
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Question 1 | State and local government budgets, spending, and finance | Allow for certain debt to be excluded from municipal debt limits | | 310,434 (48%) | 337,925 (52%) | |
| Question 2 | State and local government budgets, spending, and finance; Transportation | Broaden the authority under which state funds can be appropriated to improving transportation facilities |
| 342,132 (50%) | 342,308 (50%) | |
| Question 3 | Bond issues; Housing; Veterans policy | Allow the state to use funds from general obligation bonds for veterans' housing loans |
| 385,915 (56%) | 300,232 (44%) | |
| Question 4 | Dueling bans; Voting rights for persons with criminal convictions | Repeal a provision that barred people from voting or holding public office if they had been found guilty of dueling |
| 395,616 (58%) | 282,726 (42%) |
Other years
Click on a year in the following table to view that year’s state ballot measures.
See also
Footnotes
