1979 ballot measures

1979 State Ballot Measures
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By state

California

See also: California 1979 ballot propositions

November 6, 1979

Type	Title	Description	Result	Yes Votes	No Votes
LRCA	Proposition 1	Amend the state constitution to provide that desegregation through busing are only required in cases where the federal constitution requires it	a	2,433,312 (69%)	1,112,923 (31%)
LRCA	Proposition 2	Establish provisions related to interest rates on loans.	a	2,256,767 (65%)	1,238,633 (35%)
LRCA	Proposition 3	Change the property value assessment ratio from 25% to 100% and requires the veterans' exemption to be adjusted to reflect any changes to the assessment ratio made by the state legislature	a	2,523,766 (76%)	799,948 (24%)
LRCA	Proposition 4	Limit growth in annual government spending financed from tax revenue and certain fee revenue	a	2,580,720 (74%)	891,157 (26%)

Kentucky

See also: Kentucky 1979 ballot measures

November 6

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Amendment 1	Legislatures	Allows four constitutional amendments to be voted upon at one time	a
LRCA	Amendment 2	Elections	Changes election of Kentucky General Assembly members from odd to even years	a

Louisiana

See also: Louisiana 1979 ballot measures

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Amendment 1	Taxes	Concerning ad valorem taxes	a
LRCA	Amendment 2	Trials	Concerning trying juveniles as adults	a
LRCA	Amendment 3	Admin of Gov't	Concerning the term for members of the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education	a

Maine

See also: Maine 1979 ballot measures

November 6

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
IndISS	Returnable Container Question	Environment	Repeals a law that placed a mandatory deposit on bottles	d
BI	Referendum Question No. 1	Transportation	Issues $16.5 million in bonds for highway and bridge improvements	a
BI	Referendum Question No. 2	Transportation	Issues $11.81 million in bonds for public fish piers, airports and other transportation improvements	a
BI	Referendum Question No. 3	Energy	Issues $2.5 million in bonds for energy conservation improvements for local government buildings	a
LRCA	Proposed Constitutional Amendment	Suffrage	Repeals literacy test requirement for voting rights	d

Mississippi

See also: Mississippi 1979 ballot measures

November 6

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Amendment 1	Redistricting	Proposes to repportion the legislature based on the U.S. census	a
LRCA	Amendment 2	Judiciary	Proposes that the legislature establish a commission on judicial performance	a

Missouri

See also: Missouri 1979 ballot measures

November 6

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Amendment 1	Bonds	Authorizes issuance of bonds for control of water pollution	a
LRCA	Amendment 2	Transportation	Consolidates the highway and transportation departments	a

Nevada

See also: Nevada 1979 ballot measures

June 5

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRSS	Question 1	Taxes	Proposes amending the Sales and Use Tax Act to exempt certain foods and to restore control of the Act to the legislature.	a

New York

See also: New York 1979 ballot measures

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Amendment 1	Bond issues	Permits the legislature to increase the amount the state may guarantee for bonds issued by a public corporation	d
LRCA	Amendment 2	Forests and parks	Exchanges' state forest preserve land in Hamilton county with the International Paper Company	a
LRCA	Amendment 3	Taxes	Incorporates any federal tax law into the state tax law	d
BI	Proposal 1	Bond issues	Creates a state debt for energy conservation	a

Ohio

See also: Ohio 1979 ballot measures

November 6, 1979

Type	Title	Description	Result	Yes Votes	No Votes
IndISS	Bottle Deposits and Pull Tab Can Ban Initiative	Create a deposit system on all purchased plastic bottles and ban metal cans with pull tabs.		768,898 (28%)	2,019,834 (72%)

Oklahoma

See also: Oklahoma 1979 ballot measures

November 6

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
CISS	State Question 539	Taxes	Eliminates double taxation and limits tax rates on income	d

Pennsylvania

See also: Pennsylvania 1979 ballot measures

Type	Name	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Question 1	Judiciary	Increases the number of judges of the state Superior Court	a
LRCA	Question 2	Judiciary	Provides retention election procedures for justices of the peace	d

Rhode Island

See also: Rhode Island 1979 ballot measures

November 6:

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LBM	Proposal 1	Bond issues	Authorizes $25 million in bonds for site purchases.	a
LBM	Proposal 2	Bond issues	Authorizes $15 million in bonds for the construction of sewage treatment facilities.	a
LRSS	Proposal 3	Bond issues	Authorizes the Rhode Island Industrial Building Authority to insure loans when industrial buildings are renovated.	a

Texas

See also: Texas 1979 ballot measures

November 6, 1979

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result	Yes Votes	No Votes
LRCA	Proposition 1	Administration; Term limits	Provide for the appointment of notaries public for terms between two and four years	a	291,006 (65%)	153,371 (35%)
LRCA	Proposition 2	Administration	introduce legislative review of rules made by executive agencies		208,169 (48%)	227,290 (52%)
LRCA	Proposition 3	Property; Bonds	Guarantee loans to purchase farm and ranch real estate and authorize a sale of $10 million in bonds to finance loan guarantees	a	240,605 (54%)	201,212 (46%)

Washington

See also: Washington 1979 ballot measures

November 6, 1979

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result	Yes Votes	No Votes
ITL	Initiative 61	Environment	Provide a requirement of a minimum five cent recycling deposit on soft drinks and alcohol containers.		380,247 (42%)	517,177 (58%)
ITL	Initiative 62	Taxes	Provide limitations on the growth of general state tax revenues to the growth rate of state personal income.	a	588,724 (68%)	272,761 (32%)
BI	Referendum 37	Healthcare; Bonds	Provide $25 million in state general obligation bonds to fund facilities aiding mentally and physically disabled people.	a	576,882 (67%)	286,365 (33%)
LRCA	SJR 110	State legislatures	Require a regular legislative session every year and provide for special sessions to be called upon by the governor or the legislature.	a	508,063 (61%)	331,391 (39%)
LRCA	SJR 112	Civil service; State legislatures	Permit legislators to assume civil offices without receiving increases in compensation for that office passed during their legislative term.	a	469,049 (57%)	355,088 (43%)
LRCA	SJR 120	Energy	Permit municipal utilities to assist resident owners in financing energy conservation measures.	a	526,349 (63%)	311,768 (37%)

Wisconsin

See also: Wisconsin 1979 ballot measures

April 3, 1979

Type	Title	Description	Result	Yes Votes	No Votes
LRCA	Question 1	Define that a vacancy in the office of Governor should be filled by the Lieutenant Governor, followed by the Secretary of State	a	538,959 (74%)	187,440 (26%)
LRCA	Question 2	Provide that the state legislature must approve governor-appointed successors to vacancies in the Lieutenant Governor	a	540,186 (75%)	181,497 (25%)
LRCA	Question 3	Eliminate the Lieutenant Governor's role as presiding officer of the Wisconsin State Senate	a	372,734 (53%)	327,008 (47%)
LRCA	Question 4	Clarify wording about constitutional officers' four-year terms	a	533,620 (76%)	164,768 (24%)

If you know of a statewide measure that is not listed here or if you notice an error, please email [email protected].