1981 ballot measures

1981 State Ballot Measures
1982 » « 1980
Part 1: Overview
Measures by state
Measures by topic
Measures by year
Current measures
2024 measures
2024 Scorecard
2024 Tuesday Count
Measure Monthly

By state

Kentucky

See also: Kentucky 1981 ballot measures

May 26

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Amendment 2	Taxes, Property	Proposes that property owners which are disabled can be exempt from taxation on the property up to $6500.	a

November 5

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Amendment 1	Term Limits	Proposes that public officials cannot serve another term until 4 years have expired after their two successive terms.	d

Maine

See also: Maine 1981 ballot measures

November 3

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
IndISS	Maine Energy Commission Question	Utilities	Creates a Maine Energy Commission	d
BI	Referendum Question No. 1	Development	Issues $33.3 million in bonds for agricultural and economic development	a
BI	Referendum Question No. 2	Transportation	Issues $12.3 million for bridge and highway improvements	a
BI	Referendum Question No. 3	Energy	Issues $2 million for energy conservation improvements to state-owned buildings	a
BI	Referendum Question No. 4	Forests & Parks	Issues $1.5 million for the development of state parks facilities	d
BI	Referendum Question No. 5	Local Gov't	Issues $1 million in bonds to assist municipalities with solid waste for resource conservation	a
BI	Referendum Question No. 6	Media	Issues $600,000 in bonds to replace equipment at the Maine Public Broadcasting Network	d
LRCA	Proposed Constitutional Amendment No. 1	Direct Democracy	Places one-year validity limit on initiative petition signatures	a
LRCA	Proposed Constitutional Amendment No. 2	Legislatures	Requires candidates for house to reside in the district they represent	a
LRCA	Proposed Constitutional Amendment No. 3	Bonds	Decreases the bonding limit of the Maine School Building Authority to $6 million	a

Michigan

See also: Michigan 1981 ballot measures

May 19, 1981

Type	Title	Description	Result	Yes Votes	No Votes
LRCA	Proposal A	Reduce certain taxes, raise the sales tax with additional funds going to local governments and schools, and direct lottery profits to the school aid fund		560,924 (28%)	1,451,305 (72%)

New Jersey

See also: New Jersey 1981 ballot measures

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
BI	Question 1	Bond issues	Allows for $350 million in bonds for improvements to water supply systems.	a
BI	Question 2	Bond issues	Allows for $100 million in bonds for the cleanup of hazardous waste.	a
BI	Question 3	Bond issues	Allows for $50 million in bonds for farmland preservation grants.	a
BI	Question 4	Bond issues	Removes the 6 percent interest rate ceiling on previous water conservation bonds.	a
LRCA	Question 5	Taxes	Allows for the use of gambling revenues to fund the expansion of health and transportation services for senior and disabled citizens.	a
LRCA	Question 6	State executive officials	Requires the Governor to consider all bills at least 10 days before the end of a legislative term, extends the consideration period to 45 days and provides for a special legislative session to reconsider bills vetoed by the governor.	a
LRCA	Question 7	Property	Allows the state to claim land flowed over by a high tide in the preceding 40 years as riparian land, and bars claims to such land flowed over more than 40 years prior if not presented within one year.	a
LRSS	Question 8	Gambling	Allows a state commissioner to determine entry fees and prize values of licensed amusement games.	a

New York

See also: New York 1981 ballot measures

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
BI	Proposal 1	Bond issues	Creates a state debt for improving correctional facilities	d
LRCA	Amendment 1	Bond issues	Permits the legislature to increase the amount the state may guarantee for bonds issued by a public corporation	a

Ohio

See also: Ohio 1981 ballot measures

November 3, 1981

Type	Title	Description	Result	Yes Votes	No Votes
CICA	Establishment of Reapportionment and Redistricting Commission Initiative	Establish new methods for establishing general assembly and congressional districts		1,093,485 (42%)	1,513,502 (58%)
CICA	Private Worker's Compensation Insurance Initiative	Authorize the sale of workers compensation insurance coverage by private insurance companies		572,227 (21%)	2,164,395 (79%)

Pennsylvania

See also: Pennsylvania 1981 ballot measures

Type	Name	Subject	Description	Result
BI	Question 1	Bonds	Authorizes $300 million in bonds to repair and improve water systems	a
BI	Question 2	Bonds	Authorizes $15 million in bonds for volunteer emergency services	a
LRCA	Question 3	Redistricting	Establishes a legislative reapportionment commission after each decennial census	a
LRCA	Question 4	Pension	Authorizes the legislature to extend increased pension benefits to the spouse of the pensioner	d
LRCA	Question 5	Taxes	Requires that aviation fuel excise tax proceeds may only be used for purposes related to air navigation	a

Rhode Island

See also: Rhode Island 1981 ballot measures

November 3:

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LBM	Proposal 1	Bond issues	Authorizes $25 million in bonds for mass transit and highways.	d

Texas

See also: Texas 1981 ballot measures

November 3

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Proposition 1	Local gov't	Encourages municipalities to provide tax relief or bonds for development	a
LRCA	Proposition 2	Property	Authorizes the issuance of patents for public free school fund land	a
LRCA	Proposition 3	Gov't finances	Grants a state finance management committee with power to manage expenditure of appropriated funds	d
LRCA	Proposition 4	Water	Dedicates excess state revenue to water related projects	d
LRCA	Proposition 5	Taxes	Exempts livestock and poultry from taxation	a
LRCA	Proposition 6	Taxes	Provides tax relief for owners of residence homesteads	a
LRCA	Proposition 7	Veterans	Authorizes the issuance of additional bonds to finance the veterans' land program	a

Washington

See also: Washington 1981 ballot measures

November 3, 1981

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result	Yes Votes	No Votes
LRCA	HJR 7	Bonds and City bonds	Authorize state and local governments to issue industrial development bond to be repaid by such developments and not by public funds.	a	450,580 (56%)	357,944 (44%)
ITP	Initiative 394	Bonds, Elections, and Energy	Require that the state must obtain approval from voters before selling bonds to finance a major public energy project.	a	532,178 (58%)	384,419 (42%)
ITP	Initiative 402	Taxes	Provide for the abolition of inheritance and gift taxes and substitute with taxes on net estate transfers.	a	610,507 (67%)	297,445 (33%)
LRCA	SJR 107	State judiciary	Remove constitutional limitations on the numbers and powers of superior court commissioners.		385,796 (47%)	439,542 (53%)
LRCA	SJR 133	Direct dem	Make changes to the signature submission and verification timelines for Initiatives to the Legislature	a	581,724 (74%)	199,516 (26%)

Wisconsin

See also: Wisconsin 1981 ballot measures

April 7

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Question 1	Recall measures	Separates primary and election must be held for the recall of officials	a
LRCA	Question 2	Bond issues	Extends time that cities and certain counties have to retire debt from bonds for sewerage collection	a
LRCA	Question 3	Law enforcement	Permits legislature to allow courts to deny, revoke, or set terms of bail	a
LRCA	Question 4	Constitutional language	Deletes obsolete constitutional reference to creation of corporations by special act of legislature	a
LRCA	Question 5	Constitutional language	Removes requirement that banking laws be by passed by a two-thirds vote of the legislature	a

If you know of a statewide measure that is not listed here or if you notice an error, please email editor@ballotpedia.org.