All articles tagged with #constitutional amendments
Missouri voters rejected Amendment 4 (requiring district-wide majorities for citizen-led constitutional changes) and Amendment 5 (phasing out the state income tax) by wide margins (roughly 80% and 82% opposed). Amendments 1 and 2 passed, preserving park funding via a sales tax and electing the Jackson County assessor. Gov. Kehoe endorsed the tax-cut plan, but voters backed preserving current tax and governance structures.
Missouri voters blocked Amendment 4, a Republican-backed plan to require a majority in every congressional district for citizen-initiated constitutional amendments, creating a far tougher standard than the statewide simple majority now needed. Supporters argued it would protect the Constitution, while opponents said it would cripple direct democracy. The measure was heavily funded against and its defeat preserves Missouri’s current ballot-process rules, with no impact on legislatively referred measures; the outcome comes amid ongoing redistricting and similar threshold debates in other states.
Missouri voters face a ballot measure that would impose the toughest standard yet for citizen-initiated constitutional amendments, potentially raising thresholds and barriers to change and making it harder to alter the state constitution through ballot initiatives.
Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe signed proclamations placing four constitutional amendments on the August 4, 2026 primary ballot: Amendment 1 would extend a 0.1% sales/use tax for soil and water conservation and for state parks and historic sites for 10 years; Amendment 2 would require all charter counties to elect assessors who meet state training requirements; Amendment 4 would require a majority of voters in every congressional district to approve amendments and would provide voters with the full text of petitions; Amendment 5 would phase out the personal income tax based on revenue growth, offset local tax increases with reductions in property and other local taxes, and preserve local funding for public schools. All other measures, if certified, will appear on the November ballot.
Louisiana voters on May 16 rejected all five state constitutional amendments proposed by Gov. Jeff Landry, while incumbent Sen. Bill Cassidy was knocked out in the GOP primary. The top Republicans, Julia Letlow and John Fleming, advance to a June 27 runoff for Cassidy’s seat, and Democrats Jamie Davis and Nick Albares move to a June 27 runoff for the party’s Senate nomination. Several other races also head to runoffs, with voters reporting widespread confusion about the process and the results.
The Virginia House Privileges and Elections Committee approved four proposed constitutional amendments—on abortion rights, voting rights restoration, marriage equality, and mid-decade redistricting—initiating the two-chamber, two-votes-required process that could lead to voter referenda. Democrats, who hold a strong House majority but a narrower Senate majority, face funding constraints and political risks as they pursue affordability goals. The controversial redistricting amendment has drawn GOP concerns about gerrymandering; leaders indicated maps and further steps, including dates for potential referenda and related budget adjustments, will unfold in coming weeks (with maps anticipated by Jan. 30 and candidate filing deadlines looming for June primaries).
The Wisconsin Assembly advanced two constitutional amendments—one to ban government discrimination or preferential treatment in public education or employment and another to prevent closures of houses of worship during emergencies—both potentially headed to voters in November if the Senate agrees; they also moved a grooming-definition bill that would make such conduct a felony and approved a measure reacting to the Hannah Dugan case to pause a judge’s salary while suspended.
Texans are voting on 17 constitutional amendments, filling vacancies in Congress and the state Senate, with key races in the 18th Congressional District and Senate District 9, amid a low turnout in this off-year election.
In recent state elections, seven out of ten states voted to protect abortion rights, while three states maintained existing restrictions. States like Missouri, Arizona, Colorado, and Maryland passed amendments to safeguard abortion access, countering restrictive measures enacted after the Supreme Court's 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Florida, Nebraska, and South Dakota, however, upheld their restrictive abortion laws. The results reflect a growing trend of voter support for abortion rights, despite some states' resistance.
Voters in eight states, including Idaho, Iowa, and Missouri, approved Republican-backed constitutional amendments to explicitly ban noncitizens from voting in state and local elections, despite it already being illegal. These measures, passed by GOP-controlled legislatures, are seen as part of a broader strategy to emphasize unsubstantiated claims of widespread noncitizen voting. The amendments aim to modify state constitutions to specify that only U.S. citizens can vote, amid ongoing Republican efforts to address alleged voter fraud.
Polls have closed in South Florida, where voters participated in elections for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, Florida House, and Senate, along with deciding on six constitutional amendments, including those on recreational marijuana and abortion access. The election saw high voter turnout, reflecting the significant implications of the results.
An exclusive USA TODAY/Ipsos poll shows that proposed constitutional amendments for recreational marijuana legalization and abortion rights in Florida are short on support, with both measures falling below the 60% threshold required for approval. The poll indicates that 50% of Floridians would vote in favor of an abortion ballot measure, while 49% would support a marijuana amendment. Campaigners for both amendments face the challenge of informing and convincing voters, as many are unfamiliar with the measures. The abortion amendment, Amendment 4, would guarantee abortion access in the state until fetal viability, while the marijuana measure, Amendment 3, would allow recreational use for those over 21. With seven months until Election Day, proponents of the amendments have significant work ahead to gain support.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis criticizes proposed constitutional amendments for abortion rights and recreational marijuana, calling them "too radical" and predicting their failure due to their extreme nature. DeSantis expressed concerns about the broadness of the recreational marijuana measure, while proponents argue it would allow state regulation. He also highlighted voter skepticism towards confusingly written amendments, despite past approval of significant constitutional changes.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis predicts that the proposed constitutional amendments to legalize recreational marijuana and guarantee abortion rights will fail once voters realize their radical nature. DeSantis expressed concerns about the impact of recreational marijuana on the state's quality of life and likened the abortion amendment to a "California abortion" policy. Proponents of the amendments argue for bodily autonomy and safety, while Democrats hope the measures will drive voter turnout. DeSantis also cited voter skepticism and confusion over the wording of constitutional amendments as reasons for potential failure, despite past approval of progressive-leaning initiatives in the state.
Wisconsin voters approved two constitutional amendments that ban election offices from accessing private grants and require only designated election officials to perform tasks in elections, raising concerns about potential impacts on election administration. In the presidential primary election, voters expressed discontent with the presumptive nominees of both parties, with some choosing "uninstructed" on their ballots to send a message of disapproval.