2005 ballot measures

2005 State Ballot Measures
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In 2005, 48 statewide ballot measures were on the 2005 ballot in 13 states.

HIGHLIGHTS

Two amendments, one in Texas and one in Kansas, defined marriage as a union between one man and one woman. These were later overturned in court.

One measure in Maine was a veto referendum put on the ballot through a citizen petition. It asked voters to reject a state law banning discrimination based on their sexual orientation; it was defeated, upholding the state law.

Of the total, 19 statewide measures in 2005 were put on the ballot through citizen initiative petitions.

Number of measures

On average from 1989 through 2015, an average of 45 statewide measures was on the ballot in odd-numbered years, making 2005 a year with an average number of measures.

Year	States	Measures
2021	9	39
2019	8	36
2017	9	27
2015	9	28
2013	6	31
2011	9	34
2009	7	32
2007	10	45
2005	13	47
2003	15	68
2001	9	39
1999	16	72
1997	8	44
1995	11	61
1993	15	62
1991	9	48
1989	13	77
1987	13	78
Averages:	11	48

By state

Arkansas

See also: Arkansas 2005 ballot measures

December 13

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
BI	Referred Question 1	Bonds	Issues bonds for interstate highway improvements	d
BI	Referred Question 2	Bonds	Issues bonds for higher education technology and facility improvement	d

California

See also: California 2005 ballot propositions

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
CICA	Proposition 73	Abortion	Requires notification of a parent or legal guardian of an unemancipated pregnant minor at least 48 hours before performing an abortion; allows exceptions to this law; requires physicians to report the number of abortions performed on minors	d
CISS	Proposition 74	Education	Extends the probationary period for newly hired teachers from two consecutive school years to five and changes the process for dismissing permanent teachers who had received two unsatisfactory performance evaluations	d
CISS	Proposition 75	Paycheck protection	Requires obtaining written consent from employees before using union dues for political contributions	d
CICA	Proposition 76	Spending caps	Limits state spending to the prior year's level plus three previous years’ average revenue growth; changes state minimum funding for schools; enacts other budgetary changes	d
CICA	Proposition 77	Redistricting	Changes the redistricting process for legislative and congressional districts from the state legislature to a panel of three retired justices	d
CISS	Proposition 78	Healthcare	Establishes a state drug discount program to reduce prices for prescription drugs for Californians with an income at or below 300 percent of the federal poverty level	d
CISS	Proposition 79	Healthcare	Establishes a state drug discount program to reduce prices for prescription drugs for Californians with an income at or below 400 percent of the federal poverty level	d
CISS	Proposition 80	Business regulation	Places electric service providers under the regulation of the Public Utilities Commission; restricts customers' ability to switch from investor-owned utilities to other electricity providers; requires public and private electric service providers to increase renewable energy resource procurement by at least 1% each year, with 20% of retail sales procured from renewable energy by 2010	d

Colorado

See also: Colorado 2005 ballot measures

November 1, 2005

Type	Title	Description	Result	Yes Votes	No Votes
LRSS	Referendum C	Allow the state to spend more than its spending limitation for healthcare, education, transportation, and emergency personnel pensions.	a	600,222 (52%)	552,662 (48%)
BI	Referendum D	Allow the state to borrow up to $2.072 billion for transportation, education, and pensions.		567,540 (49%)	581,751 (51%)

Kansas

See also: Kansas 2005 ballot measures

April 5

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Marriage Amendment	Marriage	Amend Kansas Constitution to define marriage as one man/one woman	a/ot

Maine

See also: Maine 2005 ballot measures

November 8

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
VR	Question 1	LGBT	Rejects a new state law prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation	d
BI	Question 2	Transportation	Issues $33.1 million in bonds for transportation improvements	a
BI	Question 3	Water	Issues $8.9 million in bonds for irrigation, public water systems and veterinary school at University of Maine	a
BI	Question 4	Development	Issues $20 million in bonds for economic growth and job creation	a
BI	Question 5	Environment	Issues $12 million in bonds for conservation of land, wildlife and waterfront	a
BI	Question 6	Education	Issues $9 million in bonds for building renovation for public higher education institutions	d
LRCA	Question 7	Taxes	Permits state legislature to use current use values of waterfront property used for commercial fishing	a

New Jersey

See also: New Jersey 2005 ballot measures

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Question 1	Admin of gov't	Establish the office of Lieutenant Governor	a
LRCA	Question 2	Taxes	Re-allocate tax revenues	a

New York

See also: New York 2005 ballot measures

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Proposal 1	State budget	Proposed changing the process for enactment of the state budget	d
BI	Proposal 2	Bond issue	Called for a bond for the state's transportation systems, facilities and equipment	a

Ohio

See also: Ohio 2005 ballot measures

November 8, 2005

Type	Title	Description	Result	Yes Votes	No Votes
LRCA	Issue 1	Allow the state to issue multiple general obligation bonds for a combined $2.0 billion	a	1,512,669 (54%)	1,282,571 (46%)
CICA	Issue 3	Establish revised limits on political contributions, outline prohibited political contributions, and require public disclosure of campaign expenditures		955,334 (33%)	1,927,502 (67%)
CICA	Issue 4	Establish a state redistricting commission to create legislative districts		871,898 (30%)	2,005,952 (70%)
CICA	Issue No. 2	Authorize absentee voting for all voters		1,065,109 (37%)	1,840,658 (63%)
CICA	Issue No. 5	Establish a board of nine appointed members to administer statewide elections and oversee the county boards of elections		854,918 (30%)	2,001,983 (70%)

Oklahoma

See also: Oklahoma 2005 ballot measures

September 13, 2005

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result	Yes Votes	No Votes
CICA	State Question 723	Taxes; Transportation	Create a Bridge and Highway Trust Fund, funded by capped fuel taxes, for highway and bridge projects.		51,312 (13%)	349,927 (87%)

Pennsylvania

See also: Pennsylvania 2005 ballot measures

May 17, 2005:

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
BI	Environment, Open Space, and Mine Remediation Bond Measure	Bonds	Issues $625 million in bonds for projects related to the environment and open space	a

Texas

See also: Texas 2005 ballot measures

November 8, 2005

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result	Yes Votes	No Votes
LRCA	Proposition 1	Budgets; Transportation	Establish Texas rail fund for relocation and improvements using state revenue and debt.	a	1,112,718 (54%)	956,350 (46%)
LRCA	Proposition 2	LGBTQ; Marriage and family	Define marriage as solely between one man and one woman and prohibit the establishment or recognition of similar legal statuses.	a	1,723,782 (76%)	536,913 (24%)
LRCA	Proposition 3	Economic development	Ensure that local economic development program loans or grants not secured by ad valorem taxes or financed by bonds do not constitute debt.	a	1,025,173 (52%)	952,998 (48%)
LRCA	Proposition 4	Law enforcement; Trials	Allow denial of bail to a criminal defendant who breaches safety-related release conditions.	a	1,813,290 (85%)	322,168 (15%)
LRCA	Proposition 5	Business	Authorize the legislature to exempt commercial loans from state usury laws, establishing maximum interest rates.		880,379 (43%)	1,147,628 (57%)
LRCA	Proposition 6	Administration; Judiciary	Expand the State Commission on Judicial Conduct from 11 to 13 members, adding one public member and one constitutional county court judge.	a	1,246,127 (63%)	744,585 (37%)
LRCA	Proposition 7	Business	Authorize line-of-credit advances under reverse mortgages for senior homeowners.	a	1,201,740 (60%)	809,839 (40%)
LRCA	Proposition 8	Property	Clear individual land titles by releasing all claims of state ownership interests Upshur and Smith counties.	a	1,153,241 (61%)	729,392 (39%)
LRCA	Proposition 8	Term limits	Authorize staggered six-year terms for regional mobility authority board members, appointing no more than one-third of positions every two years.		913,358 (47%)	1,043,525 (53%)

Washington

See also: Washington 2005 ballot measures

November 8, 2005

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result	Yes Votes	No Votes
ITL	Initiative 330	Healthcare; Tort law	Limit non-economic damages and attorney fees in medical malpractice cases to $350,000.		783,435 (43%)	1,027,117 (57%)
ITL	Initiative 336	Healthcare; Tort law	Establish a supplemental malpractice insurance program and limit expert witnesses in lawsuits.		711,443 (40%)	1,076,918 (60%)
ITP	Initiative 900	Administration; Taxes; Government accountability	Require the State Auditor to conduct performance audits of state and local governments.	a	994,757 (56%)	767,844 (44%)
ITP	Initiative 901	Tobacco	Prohibit smoking in buildings and vehicles open to the public and places of employment.	a	1,153,353 (63%)	670,225 (37%)
ITP	Initiative 912	Taxes; Transportation	Repeal motor vehicle fuel tax increases of 3 cents in 2005 and 2006, 2 cents in 2007, and 1.5 cents per gallon in 2008.		823,366 (45%)	991,196 (55%)
LRCA	SJR 8207	Judiciary	Replace the term "district court judges" with "limited jurisdiction court judges."	a	1,102,192 (68%)	529,586 (32%)

West Virginia

See also: West Virginia 2005 ballot measures

June 25

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Amendment 1	Bonds	Allows the state to issue bonds to maintain the fiscal soundness of state pension systems	d

Wisconsin

See also: Wisconsin 2005 ballot measures

April 5, 2005

Type	Title	Description	Result	Yes Votes	No Votes
LRCA	Question 1	Provide that certain county officials be elected to four-year terms	a	534,742 (75%)	177,037 (25%)

By date

April 5

• Kansas 2005 ballot measures
  • One measure was on the ballot in Kansas defining marriage as between one man and one woman.

June 25

• West Virginia 2005 ballot measures
  • One measure, a pension bond amendment, was on the ballot in West Virginia.

September 13

• Oklahoma 2005 ballot measures
  • One measure was on the ballot in Oklahoma.

November 1

• Colorado 2005 ballot measures
  • Two measures were on the ballot in Colorado.

November 8

• Measures were on the ballot in the following states:

• California
• Maine
• New Jersey
• New York

• Ohio
• Texas
• Washington

December 13

• Arkansas 2005 ballot measures
  • Two measures, both bond issues, were on the ballot in Arkansas.

External links

Front cover of Washington State's 2005 Voter Guide

• That flurry of ballot questions, New York Times commentary on several of the 2005 ballot measures.
• The 2005 elections: Ballot Questions, New York Times wrap-up on 2005 ballot questions
• Special 2005 ballot initiatives report

Voter Guides

• California 2005 ballot propositions
• Colorado 2005 ballot measures
• Maine 2005 ballot measures
• Ohio 2005 ballot measures
• Texas 2005 ballot measures
• Washington (state of) 2005 ballot measures