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Race and ethnicity issues ballot measures

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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.

This page provides information on:

Upcoming ballot measures

See also:2025 ballot measures and2026 ballot measures
The following is a list of state ballot measures related to race and ethnicity issues certified for this year and future elections:

There are no ballot measures related to this topic that have qualified for the ballot.

List of ballot measures

Click the tabs to view state ballot measures related to race and ethnicity issues, organized by year or state.

Year
State

2024

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

2022

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

2021

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

2014

  1. Illinois Right to Vote Amendment (2014)Approved

2012

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

2004

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

2002

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

2000

  1. Alabama Interracial Marriage, Amendment 2 (2000)Approved

1998

  1. South Carolina Amendment 4 (1998)Approved

1994

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

1990

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

1987

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

1979

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

1978

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

1976

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

1974

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

1972

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

1970

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

1968

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

1966

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

1964

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

1962

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

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)Approved
  2. Arkansas Amendment 47, Direct State Legislature to Oppose Federal Desegregation Rulings Initiative (1956)Approved
  3. Arkansas Call for Federal Constitutional Amendment for State Authority to Provide Racially Segregated Schools Initiative (1956)Approved
  4. Arkansas Initiated Act 2, Criteria for Public School Student Assignment Initiative (1956)Approved
  5. North Carolina Education Expense Grants and Local School Suspension Votes Amendment (September 1956)Overturned

1954

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

1953

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

1950

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

1946

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

1927

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

1926

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

1916

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

1900

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

1890

  1. South Dakota Native American Suffrage Amendment (1890)Defeated

1876

  1. North Carolina State Constitution Revisions Amendment (1876)Approved

1865

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

1857

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

1850

  1. Michigan African American Suffrage Question (1850)Defeated

1849

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

1847

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

1846

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

1835

  1. North Carolina State Constitution Revisions Amendment (1835)Approved

See also

Footnotes

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