In 2023, voters in six states decided on 32 constitutional amendments—the highest number of constitutional amendments on the ballot during an odd-numbered year since 2003. Voters approved 27 of the 32 proposed constitutional changes in 2023 for an approval rate of 84.38%.
During odd-numbered years since 2007, an average of 23 constitutional amendments appeared on the ballot.
From 2007 through 2023, including both even- and odd-numbered years, Texas and Louisiana featured the most constitutional amendment proposals on the ballot, with Louisiana featuring 127 proposals on the ballot and 90 amendments approved by voters, for an approval rate of 70.87%. Texas had 96 proposals on the ballot with 91 amendments approved by voters for an approval rate of 94.79%. Texas and Louisiana had the most amendments on the ballot in 2023, with voters approving 13 of the 14 proposed amendments in Texas and seven of the eight proposed amendments in Louisiana.
In 2023, voters in Maine decided on four constitutional amendments and approved two of them. Voters in New York adopted both of the two constitutional changes on their ballot in 2023. Wisconsin voters also approved two constitutional amendments in 2023.
Voters in Ohio rejected a constitutional amendment that would have required a 60% vote of approval to adopt constitutional changes and approved an initiative that created a state constitutional right to an abortion.
From 2007 through 2023, odd-year election cycles featured a higher approval rate for proposed constitutional amendments than even-numbered years. During odd-numbered years, 81.47% of the amendments were approved on average. During even-numbered years, the average was 70.32%. In 2017, all 17 amendments on the ballot were approved, for the highest approval rate since 1947.
In 2023, 41 statewide ballot measures were certified for the ballot in eight states—Colorado, Louisiana, Maine, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wisconsin. That’s the highest number of state ballot measures for an odd-numbered year since 2007. Of the 41 measures on the ballot in 2023, 33 (80.5%) were approved and eight (19.5%) were defeated.
Additional reading:
