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Civil service ballot measures

From Ballotpedia

Voters have decided oncivil service ballot measures across the U.S. As a state ballot measure topic, this includes measures that establish or change the structure, policies, or administration of state and local civil service systems. This can include changes to hiring practices and employee classifications. The topic is grouped within thegovernance policy area.

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Upcoming ballot measures

See also:2026 ballot measures and2027 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:

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. Louisiana Legislative Authority to Add or Remove Unclassified Civil Service Positions Amendment (May 2026) - On the ballot

2022

  1. Florida Amendment 3, Additional Homestead Property Tax Exemption for Certain Public Service Workers Measure (2022)Defeated
  2. Louisiana Amendment 2, Senate Confirmation for Appointees to State Civil Service Commission Measure (December 2022)Approved
  3. Louisiana Amendment 3, Classified Civil Service Employee Public Support of Family Members' Campaigns Measure (2022)Defeated
  4. Louisiana Amendment 3, Senate Confirmation for Appointees to State Police Commission Measure (December 2022)Approved

2018

  1. North Dakota Measure 4, Special License Plates and Free Access to State Parks for Volunteer Emergency Responders Initiative (2018)Approved

2016

  1. Alabama Removal of Age Restriction for Government Officials, Amendment 13 (2016)Approved

2012

  1. Colorado Amendment S, Changes to the State Personnel System Amendment (2012)Approved
  2. North Dakota State Office Appointment Amendment, Measure 1 (June 2012)Approved

2010

  1. Louisiana Homeland Security, Amendment 2 (October 2010)Approved
  2. New Mexico Legislators Appointment Amendment, Amendment 5 (2010)Defeated

2007

  1. Alaska Constitutional Amendment on Prohibiting Public Employment Benefits to Same-Sex Partners Advisory Question (April 2007)Approved

2004

  1. Colorado Referendum A, State Civil Service System Measure (2004)Defeated

2002

  1. Michigan Proposal 02-3, Collective Bargaining for State Employees Initiative (2002)Defeated

1999

  1. Louisiana Police Salaries, Amendment 4 (October 1999)Defeated

1996

  1. Oregon Measure 41, Public Employees' Earnings Initiative (1996)Defeated
  2. Oregon Measure 43, Reinstate Collective Bargaining for Public Safety Workers Initiative (1996)Defeated

1995

  1. Louisiana Veterans' Civil Service Preference Amendment (October 1995)Approved

1990

  1. Indiana Public Employee Retirement Investments, Proposition 2 (1990)Defeated
  2. Louisiana Civil Service Commission for State Police, Amendment 6 (October 1990)Approved
  3. Louisiana Civil Service Employee Pay, Amendment 7 (October 1990)Approved

1988

  1. South Carolina Dual Office Holding, Amendment 2A (1988)Approved
  2. South Carolina Dual Office Holding, Amendment 2B (1988)Approved
  3. South Carolina Dual Office Holding, Amendment 2C (1988)Approved

1987

  1. Louisiana New Orleans Civil Service Commission Amendment (1987)Approved
  2. New York Amendment 1, Civil Service Credit for Veterans Amendment (1987)Approved

1986

  1. Louisiana New Orleans Civil Service Commission Amendment (September 1986)Defeated
  2. Mississippi Conflict of Interest, Amendment 2 (1986)Defeated

1984

  1. California Proposition 22, Exemptions from State Civil Service Amendment (June 1984)Defeated
  2. Louisiana Civil Service Commission Amendment (1984)Defeated
  3. Missouri Amendment 3, Health Insurance Benefits for Public Employee Dependents Measure (1984)Approved

1982

  1. Louisiana Civil Service Referees Amendment (1982)Approved
  2. Missouri Amendment 6, Medical Benefits for Dependents Measure (1982)Defeated

1980

  1. Georgia Amendment 11, Municipal Merit Employee Program Measure (1980)Defeated

1974

  1. California Proposition 3, Postsecondary Education Commission Civil Service Exemption Amendment (1974)Defeated
  2. California Proposition 7, Exempt Certain Educational Roles From Civil Service Amendment (June 1974)Defeated

1972

  1. California Proposition 15, Salaries of State Employees Initiative (1972)Defeated
  2. Louisiana City Park Employees Amendment (1972)Defeated
  3. Louisiana Civil Service Amendment (1972)Defeated
  4. Louisiana State Civil Service Commission Amendment (1972)Defeated
  5. Louisiana Vietnam Veterans' Preference Amendment (1972)Approved

1970

  1. California Proposition 14, Civil Service Amendment (1970)Approved
  2. California Proposition 5, Constitutional Revisions and Civil Service Amendment (June 1970)Defeated
  3. California Proposition 8, Civil Service Exemption for Deputy Superintendents of Public Instruction Amendment (1970)Defeated
  4. Colorado Amendment No. 1, Principal Department Heads Exemption for Civil Service Amendment (1970)Approved
  5. Colorado Amendment No. 2, State Personnel System Amendment (1970)Approved
  6. Louisiana Civil Service Board Compensation Amendment (1970)Defeated
  7. Louisiana Fire and Police Civil Service Amendment (1970)Defeated
  8. Louisiana New Orleans City Park Employee Amendment (1970)Defeated
  9. Louisiana St. Tammany Board of Commissioners Amendment (1970)Defeated
  10. New Hampshire Civil Officers Oath of Allegiance, Question 2 (1970)Approved

1968

  1. Georgia Amendment 21, Civil Service Preference Measure (1968)Approved
  2. Hawaii Collective Bargaining for Public Employees, Amendment 20 (1968)Approved
  3. Louisiana Employees Appeal Amendment (1968)Defeated

1967

  1. Pennsylvania Question 1, Settlement of Disputes Between Firemen, Policemen, and Public Employers Amendment (1967)Approved

1960

  1. Colorado Proposal No. 1, State Civil Service Amendment (1960)Defeated
  2. Colorado Proposal No. 7, Administrative Officer Appointments and Civil Service Initiative (1960)Defeated
  3. Utah Petition 1, Establish Merit Systems for the Employment of Deputy Sheriffs Initiative (1960)Approved
  4. Washington Initiative 207, State Civil Service System Measure (1960)Approved

1958

  1. Arizona Proposition 201, Merit-Based System for Public Employees Initiative (1958)Defeated
  2. Colorado Amendment No. 1, Civil Service and Civil Service Commission Amendment (1958)Defeated
  3. Washington Initiative 23, Civil Service Status for Sheriff's Employees Measure (1958)Approved

1956

  1. Colorado Amendment No. 3, State Civil Service Amendment (1956)Defeated
  2. Florida Amendment 11, Civil Service Systems and Boards Amendment (1956)Approved

1954

  1. Colorado Amendment No. 2, Exclude Director of Water Conservation Board from Civil Service Measure (1954)Defeated

1951

  1. Alabama Regarding Civil Service, Amendment 2 (1951)Approved

1950

  1. Arizona Measure Nos. 300-301, Merit-Based System for Peace Officers Initiative (September 1950)Defeated
  2. California Proposition 9, State Civil Service Amendment (1950)Approved
  3. Colorado Amendment 3, Civil Service Exemptions Amendment (1950)Defeated
  4. Georgia Amendment 12, Chatham County Civil Service Boards Measure (1950)Approved
  5. Georgia Amendment 16, DeKalb County Civil Service System Measure (1950)Approved

1949

  1. New York Amendment 5, Civil Service Employment of Veterans Amendment (1949)Approved
  2. Texas Proposition 1, Civil Service in Counties Amendment (1949)Defeated

1948

  1. Arizona Measure Nos. 302-303, Merit System for Highway Patrol Initiative (1948)Approved
  2. Arizona Measure Nos. 306-307, Creation of Civil Service Board Initiative (1948)Approved
  3. California Proposition 17, State Civil Service Exemption Amendment (1948)Defeated

1945

  1. New York Amendment 6, Veterans and Civil Serve Appointments Amendment (1945)Approved

1944

  1. California Proposition 5, Reinstatement of Public Officers and Employees After Military Service Amendment (1944)Approved
  2. Colorado Amendment 4, Civil Service Preferences for Veterans and Widows Amendment (1944)Approved

1943

  1. Georgia Amendment 8, Civil Service Regulations for Veterans Measure (August 1943)Approved

1940

  1. Michigan Proposal No. 2, State Civil Service System Initiative (1940)Approved
  2. Texas Proposition 3, Term Limits of Civil Service Offices Amendment (1940)Approved

1939

  1. Georgia Amendment 17, Fulton County Civil Service Commission Measure (June 1939)Approved
  2. Ohio Adjustment of Civil Service Provisions Referendum (1939)Defeated

1938

  1. North Dakota Civil Service Initiative (1938)Defeated

1936

  1. California Proposition 7, Civil Service Requirements Initiative (1936)Defeated
  2. Washington Initiative 101, Civil Service System Measure (1936)Defeated

1934

  1. California Proposition 7, Civil Service Regulations Initiative (1934)Approved
  2. Colorado Measure 2, Civil Service Reform Amendment (1934)Defeated

1933

  1. New York Amendment 2, Extension of Civil Service Preference Amendment (1933)Defeated

1929

  1. New York Amendment 1, Civil Service Preference for Veterans Amendment (1929)Approved

1926

  1. Massachusetts Question 2, Veteran Civil Service Point System Initiative (1926)Defeated

1921

  1. New York Amendment 1, Civil Service Preference and Veterans Amendment (1921)Defeated

1920

  1. Colorado Measure 1, Fixed Hours for City Fire Department Employees Initiative (1920)Approved

1918

  1. Colorado Measure 2, Civil Service in Constitution Initiative (1918)Approved

1916

  1. Colorado Measure 2, Civil Service in Constitution Initiative (1916)Defeated

1914

  1. Massachusetts Half-Paid Saturday Vacation for Laborers Employed by the State Measure (1914)Approved

1912

  1. Arizona Measure Nos. 314-315, Semi-Monthly Payday for State Employees Referendum (1912)Approved
  2. Colorado Measure 18, Civil Service Initiative (1912)Approved
  3. Ohio State and Local Civil Service Appointments and Promotions Amendment (September 1912)Approved

1910

  1. Illinois State Civil Service Question (1910)Approved

See also

Ballot Measure Overview

State & Local Ballot Measures
Ballotpedia
Measures
  • • State ballot measures
  • • Local ballot measures
  • • Analyses
History
  • • Historical Ballot Measures (HBM) Factbooks
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Campaigns
  • • Campaign finance
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Footnotes

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