1958 ballot measures

1958 State Ballot Measures
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17 states had ballots measures in 1958. California led the pack with 18 statewide ballot propositions. Oregon came in second, with 13 questions on its ballot, resulting in eight amendments to the Oregon Constitution.

By state

Alaska

See also: Alaska 1958 ballot measures

August 26

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
FedRef	Proposition 1	Statehood	Admits Alaska into the United States as a state	a
FedRef	Proposition 2	Statehood	Ratifies the state's boundaries as defined by Congress	a
FedRef	Proposition 3	Statehood	Ratifies other parts of the Alaska Statehood Act	a

Arizona

See also: Arizona 1958 ballot measures

September 9, 1958

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result	Yes Votes	No Votes
LRCA	Proposition 100	Govt salaries and State leg	Provide for the increase of state legislators’ salaries to $3,600 per year and $20 per day for special sessions and meetings	a	68,207 (59%)	47,281 (41%)
LRCA	Proposition 101	Govt salaries and State judiciary	Provide for the authorization of retired judges receiving retirement pay to serve as Supreme or Superior Court judges without additional compensation	a	84,502 (73%)	31,584 (27%)

November 4, 1958

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result	Yes Votes	No Votes
CISS	Proposition 200	Education	Provide for the change of the official name of the Arizona State College at Tempe to Arizona State University	a	151,135 (66%)	78,693 (34%)
CISS	Proposition 201	Labor and unions	Provide a merit-based system for state, county, and municipal employees		79,651 (39%)	122,071 (61%)

Arkansas

See also: Arkansas 1958 ballot measures

November 4

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
BI	Arkansas Repeal of Full Crew Laws Initiative (1958)	Admin. of gov't.	Would repeal specific laws in the state	d
LRCA	Arkansas Prohibition of State Ad Valorem Tax, Proposed Amendment 47 (1958)	Taxes	Would prohibit state ad valorem tax.	a
LRCA	Arkansas Legislative Salaries, Proposed Amendment 48 (1958)	State legislatures	Dealt with salaries for state lawmakers.	a
LRCA	Arkansas Industrial Development Bonds, Proposed Amendment 49 (1958)	Bond issues	Development bonds in the state.	a
VR	Arkansas Sales Tax Repeal, Referred Act 19 (1958)	Taxes	Repeal of state sales tax.	a

California

See also: California 1958 ballot propositions

November 4, 1958

Type	Title	Description	Result	Yes Votes	No Votes
LRCA	Proposition 10	Allow agencies to take property that will be used for schools or airports through eminent domain prior to the owner being paid and require a 90-day notice before such taking occurs.		1,277,452 (31%)	2,847,379 (69%)
LRCA	Proposition 11	Allow laws that authorize the issuance of bonds for streets and roads and establish that the repayment of such bonds be from the gasoline tax funds,		1,695,022 (41%)	2,410,850 (59%)
LRCA	Proposition 12	Allow members of the legislature to be notaries public.		1,798,069 (45%)	2,195,791 (55%)
LRCA	Proposition 13	Establish the office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction as a position appointed by the State Board of Education.		1,519,209 (38%)	2,522,998 (62%)
LRCA	Proposition 14	Eliminate the provision that prevents the compensation for county, township, or municipal officers to be increased during their term.		1,174,420 (29%)	2,825,189 (71%)
LRSS	Proposition 15	Repeal Penal Code Section 413 ½, allowing for boxing exhibitions on Sundays and Memorial Day.		1,874,135 (44%)	2,374,898 (56%)
CICA	Proposition 16	Exempt religious schools under the collegiate level from receiving the property tax exemption for schools.		1,686,122 (33%)	3,446,829 (67%)
CISS	Proposition 17	Establish provisions relating to the sales and use tax and the income tax.		888,523 (18%)	4,033,101 (82%)
CICA	Proposition 18	Enact a constitutional right-to-work law		2,079,975 (40%)	3,070,837 (60%)
BI	Proposition 1	Issue $300 million in bonds for veterans' home program	a	3,133,313 (74%)	1,103,800 (26%)
BI	Proposition 2	Allow for bonds up to $220,000,000 for schools for physically or mentally handicapped children and establish the terms of such bonds.	a	3,356,141 (74%)	1,168,786 (26%)
BI	Proposition 3	Allow for bonds up to $200,000,000 for the building of educational, mental, and correctional institutions and establish the terms of such bonds.	a	2,765,865 (64%)	1,579,031 (36%)
BI	Proposition 4	Allow for bonds up to $60,000,000 for the San Francisco Harbor and for financing a small craft harbor development program.	a	2,440,813 (57%)	1,878,742 (43%)
LRCA	Proposition 5	Allow the legislator to set legislators' salaries and cap the legislators' salaries to the average salary of county supervisors in the five most populous counties.		1,248,474 (30%)	2,916,671 (70%)
LRCA	Proposition 6	Require bond propositions to be published for 8 weeks before the election in newspapers in at least 50 counties, including the 5 most populous counties.		1,542,889 (38%)	2,487,240 (62%)
LRCA	Proposition 7	Add provisions to the state Constitution to allow for changes to the administration of government during times of war.	a	3,247,586 (78%)	902,328 (22%)
LRCA	Proposition 8	Allow those who have lived in California for at least 54 days and meet all other qualifications to vote in the election of President and Vice-President.	a	2,327,120 (55%)	1,914,294 (45%)
LRCA	Proposition 9	Establish regulations regarding the timing of general legislative sessions.	a	1,979,119 (50%)	1,940,351 (50%)

Colorado

See also: Colorado 1958 ballot measures

Type	Title	Description	Result	Yes Votes	No Votes
LRCA	Amendment No. 1	Amend the state constitution relating to state civil service and the civil service commission.		218,426 (49%)	231,725 (51%)
LRCA	Amendment No. 2	Allow the General Assembly to set the salaries and term length for certain political subdivision officers.		146,328 (37%)	252,903 (63%)
LRCA	Amendment No. 3	Allow the General Assembly to create alternative forms of county government and authorize counties to provide local services.		158,666 (40%)	241,636 (60%)
CICA	Amendment No. 4	Allow certain non-profit organizations to conduct certain games of chance and establish provisions governing such games of chance.	a	244,929 (51%)	235,482 (49%)
CICA	Amendment No. 5	Establish that membership or non-membership to a labor organization may not be a term of obtaining or retaining employment.		200,319 (39%)	318,480 (61%)

Connecticut

See also: Connecticut 1958 ballot measures

November 4

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Question 1	Admin of Gov't	Prohibits current officeholders from holding other offices	a
LRCA	Question 2	Trials	Provides for the adjudication of claims against the state	a
LRCA	Question 3	Gov't Salaries	Concerns the salaries of General Assembly members	a

Florida

See also: Florida 1958 ballot measures

November 4

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Amendment 1	Constitutions	Allows legislature to tie proposed constitutional amendments in an election so that all must be approved for any one to be enacted	d
LRCA	Amendment 2	Judiciary	Closes office of Hillsborough County solicitor and transfers duties to the State Attorney of the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit of Florida	a

Georgia

See also: Georgia 1958 ballot measures

November 4

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Amendment 1	Veterans	Provides homestead tax exemptions for certain disabled veterans	a
LRCA	Amendment 2	Education	Grants scholarships to students lacking funds for higher education	a
LRCA	Amendment 3	Education	Disburses state funds to employees for graduate or post-graduate educational scholarships	a
LRCA	Amendment 4	Transportation	Creates the Brunswick Port Authority	d
LRCA	Amendment 5	Taxes	Authorizes counties to levy a tax for school lunches	d
LRCA	Amendment 6	Education	Grants scholarships to Georgia citizens to study to become teachers	a
LRCA	Amendment 7	Education	Provides scholarships to physicians for specialized training in psychiatry	d
LRCA	Amendment 8	Judiciary	Provides that chief justices emeritus and judges emeritus of other superior courts be eligible to preside over their courts	a
LRCA	Amendment 9	Transportation	Authorizes any county or municipality to issue revenue certificates for the purchase of buses and other transit equipment	d
LRCA	Amendment 10	Environment	Authorizes the payment of $100,000 to the first corporation to develop a practical method for eradicating boll weevils	d
LRCA	Amendment 11	Education	Authorizes certain political subdivisions of the state to establish colleges	d
LRCA	Amendment 12	Taxes	Authorizes the levy of taxes for paying retirement benefits to state peace officers	d
LRCA	Amendment 13	Judiciary	Relates to judicial service by judges emeritus of the Atlanta Judicial Circuit	d
LRCA	Amendment 14	Taxes	Extends the power of taxation over the state to include a tax for school lunches	d
LRCA	Amendment 15	Taxes	Allows taxation for the purpose of paying pensions under an ordinaries retirement system	d
LRCA	Amendment 16	Taxes	Exempts certain fraternity and sorority property from ad valorem taxation	d

Idaho

See also: Idaho 1958 ballot measures

November 4

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
CISS	INIT 1	Labor and unions	Gives the right to employment regardless of labor organization membership or non-membership	d

Illinois

See also: Illinois 1958 ballot measures

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Amendment 1	Judiciary	Shall major changes to the judicial system be adopted?	d
LRCA	Amendment 2	Local Gov't	Shall county sheriffs and treasurers be able to be elected to successive terms?	d
LRSS	General Banking Law Amendment	Banking	Shall the banking law be modified?	a

Maine

See also: Maine 1958 ballot measures

March 10

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
VR	Referendum Question	Transportation	Increases vehicle registration and license fees	d

Maryland

See also: Maryland 1958 ballot measures

November 4

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Amendment 1	Local gov't	Allows the mayor of Baltimore to change the compensation of any of its appointed public officers	a
LRCA	Amendment 2	Admin of gov't	Provides for filling vacancies in the State's Attorneys offices	a
LRCA	Amendment 3	Admin of gov't	Abolishes the office of State Librarian	a

Massachusetts

See also: Massachusetts 1958 ballot measures

November 4

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
IndISS	Question 1	Pension	Authorizes former public employees to refund portions of their pensions depending upon yearly earnings	a

Michigan

See also: Michigan 1958 ballot measures

November 4, 1958

Type	Title	Description	Result	Yes Votes	No Votes
CCQ	Constitutional Convention Question	Call a constitutional convention to revise the state constitution	a	821,282 (57%)	608,365 (43%)

Minnesota

See also: Minnesota 1958 ballot measures

November 4

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Amendment 1	Local gov't	Permits the legislature to revise provisions for home rule	a
LRCA	Amendment 2	Term limits	Provides for four year terms for state constitutional officers	a
LRCA	Amendment 3	Legislature	Permits members of the legislature to hold state offices	d

Missouri

See also: Missouri 1958 ballot measures

November 4

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Amendment 1	Admin of Gov't	Provides guidelines for the manner in which money may be withdrawn from the state treasury	a
LRCA	Amendment 2	Elections	Permits citizens to vote in presidential elections upon 60 days residence in Missouri	a
CISS	Proposition 3	Business regulation	Permits banking institutions to establish and operate branches	d

Montana

See also: Montana 1958 ballot measures

November 4

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Amendment 1	Education	Relates to indebtedness of high school districts	a
VR	IR-59	Alcohol	Establishes an excise tax on the sale of liquor	a
LRSS	R-61	Education	Enacts a levy to benefit the University of Montana	a

Nebraska

See also: Nebraska 1958 ballot measures

November 4

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Amendment 1	State exec	Changes residence requirements of executive officers	a
LRCA	Amendment 2	Taxes	Cancels unpaid property taxes and assessment charges	a
LRCA	Amendment 3	State exec	Revises line of succession to the office of the governor	a
LRCA	Amendment 4	Admin of gov't	Abolishes the Board of Control	a
LRCA	Amendment 5	Gov't salaries	Increases legislative salaries	d
LRCA	Amendment 6	Judiciary	Creates a separate juvenile court	a
LRCA	Amendment 7	Local gov't	Allows municipalities to lease property to private enterprises	d
CICA	Amendment 8	Utilities	Relates to public power districts	a
CICA	Amendment 9	Gambling	Relates to bingo	a

Nevada

See also: Nevada 1958 ballot measures

November 4

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
CICA	Question 1	Direct democracy	Proposes amending Section 3 of Article 19 of the Constitution to require that an initiative petition has to have the signatures of 10% of the qualified electors of each of the 75% of the counties in Nevada.	a
CISS	Question 2	Labor and unions	This measure was removed from the ballot.	a
LRCA	Question 3	State legislatures measures	Proposes amending Section 29 of Article 4 of the Constitution to remove the 60 and 20 day time limits placed upon regular and special sessions.	a
LRCA	Question 4	Wages and pay	Proposes amending Section 33 of Article 4 of the Constitution to limit the payment of legislators for service beyond 60 or 20 days in each regular or special session.	a
LRCA	Question 5	State legislatures measures	Proposes amending Section 2 of Article 4 of the Constitution to change the session schedule of the Legislature so that it would meet once each year instead of once every two years.	a

New Hampshire

See also: New Hampshire 1958 ballot measures

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
CCR	Question 1	Constitutional Rights	Shall the provision preventing women from voting for state offices be removed?	a
CCR	Question 2	Local Gov't	Shall the name of the elected county legal representative be changed?	a
CCR	Question 3	Con Language	Shall certain obsolete phrases be removed from the constitution?	a

New Jersey

See also: New Jersey 1958 ballot measures

November 4

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
BI	Question 1	Bond issues on the ballot	Allows for $45.85 million in bonds for water supplies.	a
LRCA	Question 2	Education	Allows the use of the state public school fund to invest in local school bonds.	a

New York

See also: New York 1958 ballot measures

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRSS	Proposition 1	Housing	Creates a state debt of $100 million for slum clearance and low-rent housing	a
LRSS	Proposition 2	Housing	Creates a state debt of $100 million for loans to limited-profit housing companies	a
LRCA	Proposed Amendment No. 1	Local Gov't	Grants additional powers of home rule to counties	a
LRCA	Proposed Amendment No. 2	Bonds	Extends payment time of notes or obligations for money borrowed for housing purposes	a

North Carolina

See also: North Carolina 1958 ballot measures

November 4

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Amendment 1	Judiciary	Expands the jurisdiction of justices of the peace	d

North Dakota

See also: North Dakota 1958 ballot measures

June 24

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Referendum 1	American Indians	Authorizes the legislature to accept jurisdiction over Native American lands as delegated to the state by the U.S. Congress	a
LRCA	Referendum 2	Suffrage	Reforms elective enfranchisement language	a
CISS	Initiative 3	Education	Authorizes the state government to give $450,000 to build a new School for the Blind	a

November 4

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Referendum 1	Taxes	Levies a tax to fund college buildings	d
LRCA	Referendum 2	Direct Democracy	Changes number of signatures to qualify an initiative from 20,000 signatures to 10 percent of votes cast for governor at last general election	d
LRCA	Referendum 3	Term limits	Changes election terms of most state and county offices from two to four years	d
CICA	Initiative 4	Education	Changes the name of the North Dakota Agricultural College to the North Dakota State University of Agriculture and Applied Sciences	d
CISS	Initiative 5	Education	Annexes school districts not operating a high school into districts that operate high schools	d

Ohio

See also: Ohio 1958 ballot measures

November 4, 1958

Type	Title	Description	Result	Yes Votes	No Votes
LRCA	Formation of Metropolitan Federations Amendment	Permit the electors of Ohio counties to form metropolitan federations.		1,108,383 (44%)	1,410,277 (56%)
CICA	Prohibition of Union Membership Mandate for Employment Initiative	Forbid labor contracts from establishing union membership as a condition for achieving or continuing employment.		1,160,324 (37%)	2,001,512 (63%)

Oklahoma

See also: Oklahoma 1958 ballot measures

July 1

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	State Question 379	Taxes	Provides that ad valorem taxes be assessed at not more than 35 percent	a
LRCA	State Question 380	Water	Authorizes municipalities to enter into contracts to purchase water and secure water facilities	a

Oregon

See also: Oregon 1958 ballot measures

November 8

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Measure 1	Admin of Gov't	Repeals an obsolete provision describing state boundaries and authorizes boundaries to be defined by interstate agreement with approval from the U.S. Congress	a
LRCA	Measure 2	Gov't Finances	Increases the issuance of bonds amount from four percent to six percent of valuation of property within the state to raise funds for loans for veterans of World War II and the Korean War	d
LRCA	Measure 3	Gov't Salaries	Increases the annual salaries of state legislators from $600 to $1,200	d
LRCA	Measure 4	Death Penalty	Removes the death penalty for first degree murder from the constitution and empowers the legislature to determine appropriate penalty	d
LRCA	Measure 5	Development	Levies property taxes against property in an urban redevelopment project upon the property’s increase in value to pay any indebtedness incurred from the development	d
LRCA	Measure 6	Gov't Finances	Authorizes the legislature to fix the maximum limitation on county indebtedness incurred	a
LRCA	Measure 7	Trials	Empowers the legislature to enact laws permitting the calling of a special grand jury	a
LRCA	Measure 8	Admin of Gov't	Allows the legislature to change or terminate the purpose or use of any state institution after ten years from the date of the institution's founding	a
LRCA	Measure 9	Judiciary	Authorizes the Oregon Supreme Court to appoint temporary judges to state courts and to assign lower court judges to serve temporarily outside the districts for which they were elected	a
LRCA	Measure 10	Energy	Allows the state to acquire and develop hydroelectric, thermal and nuclear power generating facilities for electrical transmission and sale	d
LRCA	Measure 11	Local Gov't	Allows any county to adopt a home rule charter, upon the approval of voters, to provide for the exercise of authority over county-level concerns	a
LRCA	Measure 12	Admin of Gov't	Permits the Board of Control to discontinue using the Eastern Oregon and University State Tuberculosis Hospitals and allows the board to designate the hospitals’ future uses	a
CICA	Measure 13	Legislature	Grants employees or members of a school board or the Board of Higher Education the ability to serve as legislators	a

Pennsylvania

See also: Pennsylvania 1958 ballot measures

Type	Name	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Private Forest Reserves Amendment	Forests	Creates standards and qualifications for private forest reserves	a

Rhode Island

See also: Rhode Island 1958 ballot measures

November 4:

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

South Dakota

See also: South Dakota 1958 ballot measures

November 4

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Municipal Home Rule	Local gov't	Allows municipal home rule	d
LRCA	Tax Exemption for Highway Property	Taxes	Exempts public highway property from taxation	a
LRCA	Gubernatorial Succession	State exec	Changes gubernatorial succession	a
LRCA	Voting Age	Suffrage	Reduces voting age to eighteen	d
LRCA	Voting Residence	Elections	Provides for maintaining old voting residence	a

Texas

See also: Texas 1958 ballot measures

November 4

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Proposition 1	Legislature	Provides for annual legislative sessions and an increase in compensation for legislators	d
LRCA	Proposition 2	Pension	Establishes county retirement funds for elected and appointed officers and employees of the county	d
LRCA	Proposition 3	Judiciary	Provides that county judge vacancies be filled by county commissioners until the next general election	a
LRCA	Proposition 4	Local gov't	Requires county and district officers to resign from current office before announcing as a candidate for another office	a
LRCA	Proposition 5	Term limits	Allows home rule cities to vote to extend terms of office from two to four years	a
LRCA	Proposition 6	Pension	Provides pensions for retired Texas Rangers	a
LRCA	Proposition 7	Gov't Finances	Empowers the legislature to spend funds on promoting the state	a
LRCA	Proposition 8	Healthcare	Provides for the payment of medical care of the needy elderly, blind, children and disabled	a
LRCA	Proposition 9	Local gov't	Authorizes the creation of hospital districts in certain counties	a

Utah

See also: Utah 1958 ballot measures

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
CISS	Initiative A	Gambling	Permits pari-mutuel wagering at horse races and created a state horse-racing commission	d

Washington

See also: Washington 1958 ballot measures

November 4, 1958

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result	Yes Votes	No Votes
ITP	Initiative 202	Labor and unions	Provide for the nullification of agreements that require labor organization membership as a condition of employment.		339,742 (36%)	596,949 (64%)
ITL	Initiative 23	Civil service and Law enforcement	Provide civil service status for certain county sheriffs' employees and a civil service commission to administer the act and set rules.	a	539,640 (65%)	289,575 (35%)
BI	Referendum 10	Bonds and Education	Provide $25 million for buildings for state charitable, educational, and penal institutions.	a	402,937 (51%)	391,726 (49%)
VR	Referendum 30	Insurance and Taxes	Provide for the taxation of insurance policy proceeds payable upon death under the inheritance tax.		52,223 (6%)	811,539 (94%)
LRCA	SJR 10	Admin of gov't	Adjust the state's boundaries with Oregon along the Columbia River.	a	395,969 (56%)	309,922 (44%)
LRCA	SJR 14	Religion	Provide the legislature with the authority to employ a chaplain for custodial, correctional, and mental institutions.	a	492,047 (64%)	279,700 (36%)
LRCA	SJR 18	Labor and unions and Govt salaries	Prohibit the legislature from increasing compensation, excluding pensions, to public employees after they have provided their services.	a	388,797 (51%)	371,652 (49%)
LRCA	Substitute HJR 4	Education, Property, and Taxes	Permit school district electors to authorize excess tax levies at a maximum rate of two years for operation and six years for capital outlay.		293,386 (38%)	483,165 (62%)
LRCA	SJR 9 Part 1	Govt salaries and State leg	Provide for the legislature to increase or decrease the compensation of all elected state and county officials.		199,361 (27%)	539,483 (73%)
LRCA	SJR 9 Part 2	Govt salaries and State leg	Allow legislators to be elected or appointed to an office where the compensation has increased during their legislative term.		140,142 (20%)	570,630 (80%)