1991 ballot measures
This page provides a list of statewide ballot measures that appeared before voters in 1991.
In the United States, aballot 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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Historical Ballot Measure Factbooks
The inventory of statewide ballot measures is part of Ballotpedia'sHistorical 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
Louisiana
See also:Louisiana 1991 ballot measures
October 19
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amendment 1 | State and local government budgets, spending, and finance | This measure proposed that the state could not mandate increased local spending without either having the consent of the local government or providing the funding for the mandate. |
| 607,404 (58%) | 439,415 (42%) | |
| Amendment 2 | State and local government budgets, spending, and finance | It proposed that public funds could be used for programs to promote economic development. |  d | 488,900 (48%) | 527,314 (52%) | |
| Amendment 3 | Higher education governance | It proposed to reduce the size of the Board of Regents. It also proposed modifications to the authority of the Board of Regents. | d | 483,694 (47%) | 547,736 (53%) | |
| Amendment 4 | Higher education funding | This measure proposed the creation of a new fund to increase grants for higher education. |
| 600,519 (58%) | 433,060 (42%) | |
| Amendment 5 | State and local government budgets, spending, and finance | It proposed that state debt should be reduced by using all revenue in excess of $5 million received from underpaid mineral settlements. |
| 537,418 (54%) | 453,761 (46%) | |
| Amendment 6 | Insurance policy | It proposed to improve the availability of wokers' compensation insurance for employers in Louisiana by creating a nonprofit corporation with state backing to provide this insurance. |
| 605,073 (58%) | 444,968 (42%) | |
| Amendment 7 | Taxes | This measure proposed that each locality have a single local sales tax collector even though local sales taxes may be levied by a number of different local authorities. |
| 546,211 (54%) | 464,280 (46%) | |
| Amendment 8 | Administration of government | It proposed that local and special bills would not have to be advertised prior to introduction if they were prefiled at least 15 days prior to the regular session or filed within the first five days of a special session. | d | 384,402 (39%) | 608,856 (61%) |
Maine
See also:Maine 1991 ballot measures
November 5
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Question 1 | Highways and bridges | Deauthorize the widening of the Maine Turnpike and make changes to the statewide transportation policy |
| 224,277 (59%) | 156,861 (41%) | |
| Question 2 | Prison and jail funding;Bond issues | Issue $5.5 million in bonds to fund construction and renovations at correctional facilities | d | 132,898 (35%) | 242,760 (65%) | |
| Question 3 | Pollution, waste, and recycling policy;Drinking water systems;Bond issues | Issue $16.5 million in bonds to fund the construction of water pollution facilities and safe drinking water programs | d | 164,283 (44%) | 210,523 (56%) | |
| Question 4 | Bond issues | Issue $7.5 million in bonds to fund the Maine Street Investment Program, the Natural Resources Capital Investment Fund, and the Economic Opportunity Fund | d | 139,848 (37%) | 233,399 (63%) | |
| Question 5 | Bond issues;Parks, land, and natural area conservation | Issue $5 million in bonds to fund public land and wildlife conservation and projects that increase accessibility and recreation | d | 161,456 (43%) | 214,929 (57%) | |
| Question 6 | Pollution, waste, and recycling policy;Bond issues | Issue $10 million in bonds to fund recycling and water treatment facilities | d | 185,577 (49%) | 190,078 (51%) | |
| Question 7 | Parks, land, and natural area conservation;Bond issues | Issue $5.5 million in bonds to fund preservation of historic buildings and the Bureau of Parks and Recreation | d | 122,721 (33%) | 253,267 (67%) | |
| Question 8 | Highways and bridges;Bond issues;Airport infrastructure;Ports and harbors | Issue $29.7 million in bonds to fund improvements to transportation infrastructure, including highway, bridge, airport, ferry, and harbor construction |
| 223,135 (59%) | 152,110 (41%) | |
| Question 9 | Restricted-use funds;Public employee retirement funds | Declare that funds appropriated for the Maine State Retirement System can not be used for any other action |
| 262,113 (70%) | 111,705 (30%) |
Missouri
See also:Missouri 1991 ballot measures
November 5
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proposition B | Public education governance;Public education funding;Public school teachers and staff;School class size policy;Tobacco and cigarette taxes;Higher education governance;Higher education funding;Business taxes;Sales taxes | Increase some taxes and allocate new funding for higher education, K–12 education, and job training programs | d | 304,049 (33%) | 623,060 (67%) |
New Jersey
See also:New Jersey 1991 ballot measures
November 5
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Question No. 1 | Crime victims' rights | The amendment entitles crime victims to "fairness, compassion and respect by the criminal justice system," allows them to attend public judicial proceedings and authorizes the state legislature to pass legislation defining their rights and remedies. |
| 1,222,928 (85%) | 223,248 (15%) | |
| Public Question No. 2 | Public health insurance | A majority of voters supported the state requesting that the federal government enact a national health care system. |
| 1,143,654 (78%) | 320,355 (22%) |
New York
See also:New York 1991 ballot measures
November 5
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proposal 1 | Bond issues | Increase the maximum amount for which the legislature may make the state the guarantor of bonds issued by a public corporation from $600 million to $900 million the maximum amount |
| 1,412,562 (62%) | 850,533 (38%) | |
| Proposal 2 | Airport infrastructure;Parks, land, and natural area conservation | Authorize the state to convey fifty acres of forest preserve land to the town of Arietta for public use to improve Piseco airport in exchange for fifty-three acres of true forest land |
| 1,116,819 (52%) | 1,034,980 (48%) | |
| Proposal 3 | Ports and harbors | Grant leases for the use of barge canal lands, authorize revenue generated to be used only for improvement of canals, remove tolls on canals and establish provisions for contracts |
| 1,235,734 (58%) | 900,077 (42%) |
Oklahoma
See also:Oklahoma 1991 ballot measures
October 15
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Question 639 | Administrative organization;Public education governance | Replace House Bill 1017, restore prior education laws, and adjust school age, kindergarten, and transfer fees. | d | 360,318 (46%) | 428,680 (54%) |
Texas
See also:Texas 1991 ballot measures
November 5
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proposition 1 | Ballot measure process;Local government organization | Allow home-rule cities with a population of 5,000 or less to amend their charters by popular vote. |
| 1,563,840 (81%) | 364,218 (19%) | |
| Proposition 10 | Taxes;Water | Exempt ad valorem taxes on certain property owned by nonprofit corporations that provide water supply or wastewater services. |
| 1,015,965 (54%) | 854,163 (46%) | |
| Proposition 11 | Gambling policy | Authorize a state lottery. |
| 1,326,154 (65%) | 728,994 (35%) | |
| Proposition 12 | Bond issues;Water | Increase the authorized issuance of water development bonds for economically distressed areas from 20% to 50%. |
| 1,024,318 (55%) | 854,190 (45%) | |
| Proposition 13 | Bond issues;Education | Authorize an additional $300 million in bonds to continue existing programs that provide educational loans to students. |
| 1,259,427 (65%) | 677,831 (35%) | |
| Proposition 2 | State and local government budgets, spending, and finance | Require repayment to the Department of Transportation for assisting the Texas Turnpike Authority with toll facility expenses. |
| 961,729 (51%) | 938,017 (49%) | |
| Proposition 3 | Veterans policy;Administration of government | Enhance veterans' housing assistance and land programs by expanding the investment authority of the Veterans' Land Board. |
| 1,039,779 (54%) | 875,732 (46%) | |
| Proposition 4 | Bond issues;Prison and jail funding | Authorize up to $1.1 billion in bonds for new prisons, mental health facilities, and youth corrections institutions. |
| 1,341,169 (68%) | 644,379 (32%) | |
| Proposition 5 | Taxes | Exempt certain property in enterprise zones from ad valorem taxes. | d | 687,748 (37%) | 1,162,961 (63%) | |
| Proposition 6 | Ethics rules and commissions | Create the Texas Ethics Commission with the authority to set per diem rates and recommend salaries for legislators and the lieutenant governor. |
| 1,040,731 (53%) | 905,206 (47%) | |
| Proposition 7 | State and local government budgets, spending, and finance | Permit the board of trustees of a statewide public retirement system to invest funds in a manner they deem prudent. | d | 699,829 (37%) | 1,205,240 (63%) | |
| Proposition 8 | Ballot measure process;State legislative authority | Authorize the legislature to submit approved questions relating to the creation of debt to state voters in the form of propositions. |
| 1,354,267 (72%) | 523,800 (28%) | |
| Proposition 9 | Property | Authorize the commissioner of the general land office to issue patents for public free school fund land held in good faith for at least 50 years. |
| 1,169,115 (64%) | 671,403 (36%) |
August 10
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proposition 1 | Taxes | Allow county education district voters to adopt homestead tax exemptions and establish taxation for certain personal property. |
| 515,013 (58%) | 367,564 (42%) | |
| Proposition 2 | Bond issues;Education | Authorized the issuance of an additional $300 million in general obligation bonds to provide educational loans to students. | d | 433,116 (50%) | 440,763 (50%) |
Washington
See also:Washington 1991 ballot measures
November 5
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HJR 4218 | State judiciary structure;Local government organization | Allow counties to establish the number of Superior Court Commissioners and repeal the constitutional limit of three | d | 583,318 (45%) | 706,807 (55%) | |
| HJR 4221 | State judicial authority | Provide for the removal of "cases in equity" from the jurisdiction of the Superior Court, allowing other courts to address such cases | d | 584,815 (49%) | 613,040 (51%) | |
| Initiative 119 | Assisted death policy | Legalize physician-assisted death in Washington | d | 701,808 (46%) | 810,623 (54%) | |
| Initiative 120 | Abortion policy | Providing, in statute, that "The state may not deny or interfere with a woman's right to choose to have an abortion prior to viability of the fetus, or to protect her life or health" |
| 756,653 (50%) | 752,354 (50%) | |
| Initiative 553 | Congressional term limits;Executive official term limits;State legislative term limits | Provide term limits on the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, State Legislatures, and the state's delegation to the U.S. Congress. | d | 690,828 (46%) | 811,686 (54%) | |
| Initiative 559 | Property taxes | Set property values back to the January 1, 1985 value for tax purposes. | d | 592,391 (41%) | 869,626 (59%) | |
| Referendum 42 | Fees, licenses, and charges;Telecommunications infrastructure | Provide for a statewide enhanced emergency telephone dialing system funded through a tax on telephone lines |
| 901,854 (61%) | 573,251 (39%) | |
| SJR 8203 | Local government organization | Provide for an alternative method of drafting county home rule charters. | d | 538,126 (43%) | 713,648 (57%) |
Wisconsin
See also:Wisconsin 1991 ballot measures
April 2
| Type | Title | Subject | Description | Result | Yes Votes | No Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Question 1 | Housing;Public assistance programs | Permit the state to acquire, improve, and build housing for people of low and moderate income | d | 295,823 (42%) | 402,921 (58%) |
Other years
Click on a year in the following table to view that year’s state ballot measures.
See also
- • State ballot measures
- • Local ballot measures
- • Analyses
- • Historical Ballot Measures (HBM) Factbooks
- • History of ballot measures by topic
- • Campaign finance
- • Endorsements
- • Polls
