1956 ballot measures

1956 State Ballot Measures
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By state

Alaska

See also: Alaska 1956 ballot measures

April 24

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
CCR	Proposition 1	Statehood	Ratifies the Constitution of Alaska as proposed by the Constitutional Convention of 1955-56	a
CCR	Proposition 2	Statehood	Calls to immediately elect and send two senators and one representative to Washington D.C. regardless of federal statehood approval	a
CCR	Proposition 3	Hunting	Abolishes fish traps in Alaskan waters	a

Arizona

See also: Arizona 1956 ballot measures

September 11, 1956

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result	Yes Votes	No Votes
LRCA	Proposition 100	Education	Allow the state to hire foreign educators in public schools and universities under the federal government's teacher exchange program	a	82,834 (72%)	31,434 (28%)
LRCA	Proposition 101	Banking	Provide that stockholders of banks be held liable for the bank's obligations to the extent of the amount of their invested stock	a	70,670 (64%)	39,741 (36%)
LRCA	Proposition 102	Admin of gov't	Authorize the legislature to redefine state boundaries with adjoining states	a	79,021 (72%)	30,758 (28%)
LRCA	Proposition 103	Govt salaries and State leg	Provide for the increase of state legislators’ salaries to $2,200 per year and $12 per day for regular sessions, special sessions, and business meetings		41,297 (36%)	72,954 (64%)

Arkansas

See also: Arkansas 1956 ballot measures

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
CISS	Initiated Act 1	Labor	Increase in workmen's compensation benefits	a
CISS	Initiated Act 2	Labor	Assignment of pupils in public schools	a
LRCA	Amendment 43	Taxes	School tax limitation	d
LRCA	Amendment 44	Labor	Municipal retirement	d
CICA	Amendment 45	Taxes	Abolition of poll tax	d
CICA	Amendment 46	Taxes	Salaries of judicial officers	a
CICA	Amendment 47	Education	Interposition	a
CICA	Amendment 48	Redistricting	Legislative redistricting	a
CICA	Amendment 49	Gambling	Prohibition of dog and horse race gambling	d
CICA	Amendment 50	Gambling	Pari-mutuel wagering and horse racing in Hot Springs	a
CICA	Amendment 51	Regulation	Maximum interest rate	d
CICA	Act of Interposition	Education	Federal government not allowed to exercise power over public schools	a

California

See also: California 1956 ballot propositions

November 6, 1956

Type	Title	Description	Result	Yes Votes	No Votes
LRCA	Proposition 10	Allow the state to use private architects and engineers by contract when the state's staff is not able to complete the work in the required time.		1,840,688 (43%)	2,468,080 (57%)
LRCA	Proposition 11	Allow boards of freeholders one year to prepare a county charter.	a	2,817,607 (74%)	998,251 (26%)
LRCA	Proposition 12	Adjust requirements regarding state bonds.	a	2,006,548 (51%)	1,930,235 (49%)
LRSS	Proposition 13	Repeal the inoperative law that previously denied immigrants who are ineligible for citizenship the right to own real estate.	a	2,801,951 (67%)	1,391,991 (33%)
LRCA	Proposition 14	Allow for the legislature to determine how to select legislative officers, attachés, and employees.	a	2,350,498 (62%)	1,425,127 (38%)
LRCA	Proposition 15	Allow the state and all political subdivisions to hold stocks in mutual water companies to secure water supply.	a	2,694,485 (67%)	1,326,547 (33%)
LRCA	Proposition 16	Eliminate the current time limit on when a Supreme Court hearing can be ordered after the decision by the District Court of Appeal and allow the Judicial Council to set such rule.	a	2,800,715 (72%)	1,086,713 (28%)
LRCA	Proposition 17	Eliminate constitutional provisions relating to salaries of superior court and appellate judges and the former Supreme Court Commission.	a	2,318,895 (62%)	1,432,218 (38%)
LRCA	Proposition 18	Allow a judge of a justice court who is not a lawyer to serve as a judge on a superseding municipal court.		1,253,946 (31%)	2,734,306 (69%)
LRCA	Proposition 19	Allow the legislature to alter the state's boundaries with the cooperation of the adjoining states.	a	2,952,479 (74%)	1,023,182 (26%)
BI	Proposition 1	Allow for bonds up to $500,000,000 to help veterans acquire farms and homes and establish the terms of such bonds.	a	3,657,829 (80%)	890,322 (20%)
BI	Proposition 2	Allow for bonds up to $100,000,000 for loans and grants to school districts to house and equip schools for handicapped students.	a	3,950,426 (82%)	847,076 (18%)
BI	Proposition 3	Allow for bonds up to $200,000,000 for building educational, mental, and correctional institutions and establish the terms of such bonds.	a	3,483,108 (78%)	987,813 (22%)
CISS	Proposition 4	Create the California Oil and Gas Conservation Commission to prevent the waste of oil and gas.		1,208,752 (23%)	3,950,532 (77%)
LRCA	Proposition 5	Establish provisions regarding the regulation of alcohol.	a	2,391,825 (51%)	2,338,137 (49%)
LRCA	Proposition 6	Extend property tax exemption to church parking lots that are required to exist by law and that have not been used commercially during the last year.	a	2,539,453 (55%)	2,056,411 (45%)
LRCA	Proposition 7	Rename the State Assembly as House of Representatives		1,588,696 (39%)	2,504,017 (61%)
LRCA	Proposition 8	Establish provisions relating to the budget session of the legislature.	a	1,981,664 (51%)	1,942,129 (49%)
LRCA	Proposition 9	Allow county charters to establish a borough form of government in unincorporated parts of its territory.		1,475,505 (38%)	2,389,553 (62%)

Colorado

See also: Colorado 1956 ballot measures

November 6, 1956

Type	Title	Description	Result	Yes Votes	No Votes
LRCA	Amendment No. 1	Set a term length of four years for governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, auditor of state, state treasurer, and attorney general.	a	316,611 (62%)	192,267 (38%)
LRCA	Amendment No. 2	Allow the general assembly to exempt household furnishings and personal effects not used to produce income from taxation.	a	320,134 (62%)	196,423 (38%)
LRCA	Amendment No. 3	Amend the state constitution regarding state civil service.		156,077 (32%)	334,498 (68%)
CICA	Amendment No. 4	Establish procedures for creating senatorial and representative districts.		158,204 (31%)	349,195 (69%)
CICA	Amendment No. 5	Amend provisions relating to the establishment of an old age pension and establish a fund for stabilizing its payment.	a	364,961 (66%)	190,366 (34%)

Florida

See also: Florida 1956 ballot measures

November 6

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Amendment 1	Judiciary	Establishes three district court of appeals, provides various rules relating to judges, and removes obsolete constitutional language	a
LRCA	Amendment 2	Local Gov't	Allows for home rule in Dade County	a
LRCA	Amendment 4	Legislature	Allows the Legislature to have an extra session of no more than 30 days if approved by a 3/5th vote in both Houses	a
LRCA	Amendment 5	Redistricting	Reapportions the seats in the State Senate and House	d
LRCA	Amendment 6	Judiciary	Provides for additional Judges of the Criminal Court of Records of Duval County	a
LRCA	Amendment 7	Education	Removes the Office of County Special Tax School District Trustees and provides method for reinstatement	a
LRCA	Amendment 8	Education	Authorizes the appointment of County Superintendents in Duval, Sarasota, Dade and Pinellas Counties	a
LRCA	Amendment 9	Judiciary	Transfers duties of the County Solicitor in Dade County to the State Attorney of the 11th Judicial Circuit	a
LRCA	Amendment 10	Gov't Finances	Requires that all money collected by Escambia County officers be paid into the county general fund	a
LRCA	Amendment 11	Civil Service	Provides for the establishment of civil service systems and civil service boards	a
LRCA	Amendment 12	Trials	Provides for Civil Jury Trials, as well as certain court officers, in Pinellas County	a

Georgia

See also: Georgia 1956 ballot measures

November 6

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Amendment 1	Judiciary	Confers jurisdiction on the supreme court to review all final judgments of juvenile courts	a
LRCA	Amendment 2	Con Language	Changes the method of amending the constitution	a
LRCA	Amendment 3	Judiciary	Authorizes the general assembly to create traffic courts	a
LRCA	Amendment 4	Legislature	Authorizes the general assembly to consider business pending at the adjournment of regular legislative sessions at any later regular session	a
LRCA	Amendment 5	Gov't Salaries	Changes language in the constitution in relation to legislative salaries	a
LRCA	Amendment 6	Judiciary	Provides that justices emeritus of superior courts be eligible to preside over their courts	a
LRCA	Amendment 7	Term Limits	Fixes terms of office of the judges of the Superior Court of the Atlanta Judicial Circuit	a
LRCA	Amendment 8	Resources	Authorizes the governor to pay $250,000 to the first corporation to bring the first commercial oil well to the state	a
LRCA	Amendment 17	Education	Provides for the merger of the school system of the city of Canton and the school system of Cherokee County	a
LRCA	Amendment 19	Education	Merges the school system of the city of Cordele and the school district of Crisp County	a
LRCA	Amendment 50	Taxes	Consolidates the board of tax assessors for real and personal property for the City Council of Augusta and Richmond County	a
LRCA	Amendment 57	Education	Provides that all of Walton County belong to one school district under one board of education	d

Idaho

See also: Idaho 1956 ballot measures

November 6

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	SJR 4	Judiciary	Describes powers and jurisdiction of probate courts	a
LRCA	SJR 5	Judiciary	Describes powers of the Justice of the Peace	a
LRCA	SJR 6	State Exec	Allows the Governor to succeed himself	a

Illinois

See also: Illinois 1956 ballot measures

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Revenue Amendment	Taxes	Shall the legislature have additional leeway in the levying of taxes?	d
LRSS	General Banking Law Amendment	Banking	Shall the banking law be modified?	a

Iowa

See also: Iowa 1956 ballot measures

November 6

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRSS	Referendum 1	Veterans	Relates to bonuses for veterans of the Korean War	a

Maryland

See also: Maryland 1956 ballot measures

November 6

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Amendment 1	Local gov't	Requires County Councils to sit to enact legislation for no more than 45 days	a
LRCA	Amendment 2	Legislature	Limits when a bill can originate during the calendar year	a
LRCA	Amendment 3	Admin of gov't	Provides that recess appointments of civil officers be returned on the first day of the next session of the Senate	a
LRCA	Amendment 4	Gov't Finances	Requires the governor to submit the budget to the general assembly within 20 days after its convening	a
LRCA	Amendment 5	Constitutions	Removes obsolete language from the Constitution	a
LRCA	Amendment 6	Elections	Provides for absentee voting for persons unable to vote due to physical disability	a
LRCA	Amendment 7	Judiciary	Provides compensation for judges of the Orphans' Courts	a

Michigan

See also: Michigan 1956 ballot measures

November 6, 1956

Type	Title	Description	Result	Yes Votes	No Votes
LRCA	Qualifications for Members of the Legislature Amendment	Establish qualifications for members of the state legislature	a	1,720,297 (86%)	276,229 (14%)

Minnesota

See also: Minnesota 1956 ballot measures

November 6

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Amendment 1	Judiciary	Permits the legislature to reorganize the judicial power of the state	a
LRCA	Amendment 2	Transportation	Increases state aid for public highways and apportions funds for highways	a
LRCA	Amendment 3	Taxes	Diverts 50% of the mining tax proceeds for educational needs	a

Missouri

See also: Missouri 1956 ballot measures

January 24

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Amendment 1	Bonds	Authorizes legislature to issue $75 million in bonds for educational institutions	a

November 6

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Amendment 1	Legislature	Changes legislative sessions and expense allowances	d
LRCA	Amendment 2	Taxes	Levies a tax on assessed properties for road and bridge fund	d
LRCA	Amendment 3	Gov't Finances	Authorizes investment of state funds	a

Montana

See also: Montana 1956 ballot measures

November 6

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Amendment 1	Taxes	Provides for usage of highway tax revenues	a

Nebraska

See also: Nebraska 1956 ballot measures

November 6

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Amendment 1	Transportation	Changes the allocation of fines and penalties for overloaded vehicles	a
LRCA	Amendment 2	Taxes	Relates to the grain tax	a
LRCA	Amendment 3	Taxes	Absolves the realty tax	d
LRCA	Amendment 4	Gov't salaries	Removes eight year restriction from state officer salaries	a
LRCA	Amendment 5	Admin of gov't	Relates to the appointment of the members of the tax commission	d
CISS	Initiative 1	Taxes	Relates to the ton mile tax	d

Nevada

See also: Nevada 1956 ballot measures

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
CISS	Question 1	Labor and unions	Proposes repealing the "Right to Work Law."	d
CICA	Question 2	Labor and unions	Proposes amending the Constitution to permit employers and employees to enter into collective bargaining agreements.	d
CISS	Question 3	Education	Proposes the creation of county school funds and state and county contributions.	d
LRCA	Question 4	Education	Proposes an amendment to Section 1 of Article 6 of the Constitution to make the office of Superintendent of Public Instruction an appointive office rather than an elective office as at present.	a
LRCA	Question 5	Direct democracy	Proposes an amendment to Section 3 of Article 2 of the Constitution to delete the word "enlistment" and substituting the words "entry into such service."	a
LRCA	Question 6	Constitutional language	Proposes amending the Constitution to add the words "unless otherwise provided by the congress of the United States."	a
LRCA	Question 7	Constitutional language	Proposes amending Section 2 of Article 4 of the Constitution to prevent any moneys collected by the Nevada Industrial Commission from being used in any other manner or for any other purpose that those specified.	a
VR	Question 8	Taxes	Measure asks the question as to whether the Sales and Use Tax Act should be retained or appealed.	a

New Hampshire

See also: New Hampshire 1956 ballot measures

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
CCR	Question 1	Elections	Shall absentee voting be permitted in primaries?	a
CCR	Question 2	Trials	Shall the right to a civil jury trial be preserved?	a
CCR	Question 3	State Exec	Shall a governor retain authority when absent from the state?	a

New Jersey

See also: New Jersey 1956 ballot measures

November 6

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Question 1	Law enforcement on the ballot	Lengthens the terms of sheriffs from three years to five.	d
LRCA	Question 2	Taxes	Allows municipalities to determine assessed to true value property tax ratios.	d

New York

See also: New York 1956 ballot measures

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRSS	Proposition 1	Bonds	Issues a $500 million bond for the contruction and recontruction of highways and parkways	a
LRSS	Proposition 2	Bonds	Issues a $100 million bond for limited profit housing	d

North Carolina

See also: North Carolina 1956 ballot measures

September 8

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Special Session Amendment	Education	Authorizes grants for private education expenses	a
LRCA	Amendment 1	Legislature	Compensates legislators on a daily basis during legislative sessions	a
LRCA	Amendment 2	Legislature	Changes the commencement date for legislative sessions	a
LRCA	Amendment 3	Marriage & family	Authorizes married women to exercise powers of attorney	a

North Dakota

See also: North Dakota 1956 ballot measures

June 26

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Referendum 1	Veterans	Permits bond issuance to pay for Korean War veterans benefits	a
LRCA	Referendum 2	Judiciary	Requires that the supreme court decisions be published in the manner prescribed by the legislative assembly	d
LRCA	Referendum 3	Bonds	Relates to issuing bonds to fund highway construction	d
LRCA	Referendum 4	American Indians	Relates to jurisdictions of the United States government and Native American lands	d
LRCA	Referendum 5	Eminent Domain	Allows for eminent domain claims to be made with compensation	a
LRCA	Referendum 6	Education	Relates to the Williston Educational Institution	d
LRCA	Referendum 7	Gov't Salaries	Changes compensation for members of the North Dakota Legislative Assembly	d
VR	Referendum 8	Taxes	Relates to county government powers to levy taxes	d
CICA	Initiative 9	Term Limits	Repeals term limit on county treasurers	a

November 6

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
VR	Referendum 1	Business	Requires $6,000 annual fee from merchants handling trading stamps	d
CISS	Initiative 2	Education	Creates of a scholarship fund and a board to oversee it	a

Ohio

See also: Ohio 1956 ballot measures

November 6, 1956

Type	Title	Description	Result	Yes Votes	No Votes
LRCA	Compensation for Veterans of the Korean Conflict Amendment	Allow for the issuance of up to $30,000,000 in bonds for providing compensation to those who served in the Korean conflict.	a	2,202,510 (71%)	889,245 (29%)
LRCA	Senate Term Length Amendment	Establish four-year terms for members of the Ohio state Senate.	a	1,636,449 (57%)	1,214,643 (43%)

Oklahoma

See also: Oklahoma 1956 ballot measures

July 3

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	State Question 369	Veterans	Creates a Veteran's Administration to issue $50 million in home loans	d
LRCA	State Question 370	Gov't Finances	Prohibits the investment of school funds in first mortgages given by veterans	d
LRCA	State Question 371	Education	Appoints a Board of Regents for the Oklahoma College for Women	d
LRCA	State Question 372	Education	Appoints a Board of Regents for the Military Academy at Claremore	d
LRCA	State Question 373	Water	Allows greater municipal indebtedness to build water supplies and facilities	d
LRCA	State Question 374	Admin of gov't	Creates the Department of Wildlife Conservation	a
LRCA	State Question 375	Business reg	Permits corporations to own stock in competitive corporations	d

November 6

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
CISS	State Question 357	Redistricting	Re-draws U.S. Congressional districts	d
CICA	State Question 377	Term limits	Sets length of terms of county officials at four years	d

Oregon

See also: Oregon 1956 ballot measures

November 6

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Measure 1	Taxes	Authorizes the legislature to place an emergency clause on any tax law, thus permitting the tax to become effective immediately, and provides that tax suspensions can not occur due to a filed initiative petition	d
LRCA	Measure 2	Admin of Gov't	Allows the state to accept, hold and dispose of corporate stock which has been gifted to the state by will	a
LRCA	Measure 3	Gov't Salaries	Fixes the annual salary of the Governor and Secretary of State at $1,500, Treasurer at $800 and Supreme Court Judges at $2,000	a
LRCA	Measure 4	Admin of Gov't	Authorizes the legislature to prescribe qualifications for the offices of county coroner and county surveyor	a
LRCA	Measure 5	Gov't Salaries	Increases the annual salaries of state legislators from $600 to $1,200	d
VR	Measure 6	Taxes	Imposes a sales tax of three cents on a package of cigarettes	d
CISS	Measure 7	Hunt & Fish	Prohibits fishing for salmon or trout by any method except hook and line in any coastal streams, but continues to allow commercial chum salmon fishing in Tillamook Bay	a

Rhode Island

See also: Rhode Island 1956 ballot measures

November 6:

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LBM	Proposal 1	Bond issues		a
LBM	Proposal 2	Bond issues		a
LBM	Proposal 3	Bond issues		a
LBM	Proposal 4	Bond issues		a
LBM	Proposal 5	Bond issues		a
LBM	Proposal 6	Bond issues		a
LBM	Proposal 7	Bond issues		a

South Dakota

See also: South Dakota 1956 ballot measures

November 6

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Succession of County Officials	Local gov't	Allows county officials to succeed themselves indefinitely	d
VR	State Soldiers' Home	Veterans	Relates to the administration of a state soldiers' home	d

Texas

See also: Texas 1956 ballot measures

November 6

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Proposition 1	Welfare	Provides aid for those improperly fined or imprisoned	a
LRCA	Proposition 2	Local gov't	Allows county commissioners to levy several taxes in any amount up to a total of 80 cents per $100 valuation	a
LRCA	Proposition 3	Gov't Finances	Provides new methods of payment on construction for institutions of higher learning	a
LRCA	Proposition 4	Pension	Expands benefits of employees under the Teacher Retirement System	a
LRCA	Proposition 5	Veterans	Increases the amount of the Veterans' Land Fund	a
LRCA	Proposition 6	Admin of gov't	Provides the form of the oaths of office for elected and appointed officials	a
LRCA	Proposition 7	Trials	Sets guidelines for trials for persons of unsound mind	a
LRCA	Proposition 8	Law enforcement	Allows courts and judges to deny bail to persons convicted of two previous felonies	a

November 13

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Proposition 9	Welfare	Provides assistance to needy persons with disabilities	a

Washington

See also: Washington 1956 ballot measures

November 6, 1956

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result	Yes Votes	No Votes
LRCA	HJR 22	Eminent domain	Permit the state, in the case of eminent domain, to take immediate possession of property before final settlement.		292,750 (39%)	466,193 (61%)
ITP	Initiative 198	Labor and unions	Prohibit employment discrimination based on labor organization membership status and define "employer" and "labor organization."		329,653 (32%)	704,903 (68%)
ITP	Initiative 199	Elections and Redistricting	Provide reapportionment and redistricting for state legislature districts by creating three new districts and adding three more state senate members.	a	448,121 (52%)	406,287 (48%)
LRCA	SJR 14	Elections and State leg	Provide that vacancies in the state legislature shall be filled by a county commissioner of the political party of the preceding legislator.	a	454,199 (61%)	293,159 (39%)
LRCA	SJR 3	Pension	Permit an increase in pensions paid to public officials during their term.		261,419 (32%)	548,184 (68%)
LRCA	SJR 4	Direct dem	Establish the number of required signatures to certify initiative measures and veto referendums at eight percent and four percent of the previous governor election's voter turnout.	a	413,107 (54%)	351,518 (46%)
LRCA	SJR 6	Term limits	Remove the constitutional limitation prohibiting successive terms for state treasurers.	a	411,453 (52%)	374,905 (48%)

Wisconsin

See also: Wisconsin 1956 ballot measures

April 3

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Question 1	Pension	Allows for increases in teacher retirement benefits when approved by the legislature on a three-forth vote	a
LRCA	Question 2	Local budgets	Allows for municipal acquisition of land for public purposes	a
LRCA	Question 3	Term limits	Removes consecutive term limits for sheriffs	d
LRCA	Question 4	Government Accountability	Allows employees of railroads and public utilities who are also public office holders to receive privileges similar to other company employees only when not performing official public duties	d