2003 ballot measures

2003 State Ballot Measures
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Sixty-six statewide ballot measures were on the 2003 ballot in fifteen states.

Number of measures

2003 was a year with a far-above-average number of measures on the ballot for an odd-numbered election year. Going back to 1989, the average number of measures on the ballot in an odd-numbered year is 45.

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

Alabama

See also: Alabama 2003 ballot measures

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Amendment 1	budgets, spending and finance	Concerning the Alabama Excellence Initiative Fund	d

California

See also: California 2003 ballot propositions

Type	Title	Description	Result	Yes Votes	No Votes
LRCA	Proposition 53	dedicate upwards of 3% of General Fund revenues each year to fund state and local infrastructure projects		3,020,577 (36%)	5,318,065 (64%)
CICA	Proposition 54	prohibit government from classifying people based on race, ethnicity, color, or national origin in public education, contracting, or employment		3,144,145 (36%)	5,541,314 (64%)

Colorado

See also: Colorado 2003 ballot measures

November 4, 2023

Type	Title	Description	Result	Yes Votes	No Votes
CICA	Amendment 32	Increase the taxable portion of residential property.		203,449 (22%)	702,829 (78%)
CICA	Amendment 33	Require the creation of a state-sponsored video lottery program and establish the distribution of funds from such program.		180,959 (19%)	766,893 (81%)
BI	Referendum A	Allow the Colorado Water Conservation Board to borrow up to $2 billion through bonds for water projects.		307,412 (33%)	627,716 (67%)

Louisiana

See also: Louisiana 2003 ballot measures

October 4

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Measure 1	Environment	Concerning funding for the Wetlands Conservation and Restoration Fund	a
LRCA	Measure 2	Environment	Concerning the establishment of the Louisiana Coastal Restoration Fund	a
LRCA	Measure 3	Property	Concerning the state's liability for property damage	a
LRCA	Measure 4	Education	Concerning the state takeover of failing schools	a
LRCA	Measure 5	Labor	Concerning the Louisiana Workers' Compensation Corporation	a
LRCA	Measure 6	Transportation	Concerning the highway widening program	a
LRCA	Measure 7	Public Works	Concerning a state infrastructure bank	d
LRCA	Measure 8	Taxes	Concerning property taxes on drilling rigs	a
LRCA	Measure 9	Lottery	Concerning dedicating lottery funds to education	a
LRCA	Measure 10	Admin of Gov't	Concerning a system of administrative law	d
LRCA	Measure 11	Gov't Finances	Concerning mineral revenues	a
LRCA	Measure 12	Law Enforcement	Concerning the seizure of private property related to illegal activities	a
LRCA	Measure 13	Development	Concerning encouraging economic development	d
LRCA	Measure 14	Admin of Gov't	Concerning the political activities of the legislative auditor and staff	d
LRCA	Measure 15	Property	Concerning donation of abandoned properties to nonprofit groups	a

Maine

See also: Maine 2003 ballot measures

June 10

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
BI	Question 1	Development	$60 million in bonds for economic growth	a

November 4

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
IndISS	Question 1 (1A, 1B, 1C)	Education	Increase spending on K-12 schools to 55%/expand taxes or increase spending to 55% over 5 years	a
IndISS	Question 2	Gambling	Allow slot machines at horse racing tracks	a
IndISS	Question 3	Gambling	Gambling site for the Passamaquoddy and Penobscot tribes	d
BI	Question 4	Water	$6.95 million in bonds for water-related projects	a
BI	Question 5	Education	$19 million in bonds for educational facilities and the state library	a
BI	Question 6	Transportation	$63.45 million in bonds for expansion of air-medical response system	a

Mississippi

See also: Mississippi 2003 ballot measures

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Amendment 1	Education	Selection of members of state's higher education board	a

New Jersey

See also: New Jersey 2003 ballot measures

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Question 1	Bonds	Increase cap on borrowing limit of Garden State Preservation Fund	a
LRCA	Question 2	Budget	Increase authorized uses of revenues from the Corporation Business Tax	a
BI	Question 3	Bonds	$200 million for various projects including flood control	a

New Mexico

See also: New Mexico 2003 ballot measures

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Amendment 1	Education	Transfer the state Department of Public Education to a cabinet department	a
LRCA	Amendment 2	Education	Provide for a limited additional distribution from the permanent funds	a

New York

See also: New York 2003 ballot measures

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Proposal 1	Budget	Exclude the indebtedness contracted for sewage facilities	a
LRCA	Proposal 2	Education	Eliminate small city school districts from constitutional debt limits	d

Ohio

See also: Ohio 2003 ballot measures

November 4, 2003

Type	Title	Description	Result	Yes Votes	No Votes
LRCA	Issue No. 1	Authorize the issuance of bonds and other financial assistance to support science and technology research and development for the purpose of creating jobs and stimulating economic growth		1,195,706 (49%)	1,235,323 (51%)

Oregon

See also: Oregon 2003 ballot measures

January 28

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRSS	Measure 28	Taxes	Increases state income tax rates for three years	d

September 16

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Measure 29	Gov't Finance	Authorizes the state to incur indebtedness for savings on pension liabilities	a

Pennsylvania

See also: Pennsylvania 2003 ballot measures

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Question 1	Civil and criminal trials and Constitutional rights	Amends the state constitutional language to match that of the United States Constitution providing that a person accused of a crime has the right to be "confronted with the witnesses against him," instead of the right to "meet the witnesses face to face," therefore allowing witnesses to testify without being physically present with the accused person	a
LRCA	Question 2	Civil and criminal trials	Allows the state legislature to provide laws concerning the testimony of children in criminal proceedings, including using videotaped depositions and closed-circuit television testimony	a

Texas

See also: Texas 2003 ballot measures

September 13

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Proposition 1	Veterans	Housing for aged or infirm veterans	a
LRCA	Proposition 2	Resources	Period for redemption of mineral interests after delinquent tax sale	a
LRCA	Proposition 3	Taxes	Tax exemptions for religious organizations	a
LRCA	Proposition 4	Parks	Financing of parks and recreation facilities	a
LRCA	Proposition 5	Taxes	Exemption of travel trailers from property taxes	a
LRCA	Proposition 6	Regulation	Reverse mortgage lending	a
LRCA	Proposition 7	Trials	Six-person jury in misdemeanor trials	a
LRCA	Proposition 8	Elections	Elections with only one candidate on ballot	a
LRCA	Proposition 9	Budgets	Permanent School Fund	a
LRCA	Proposition 10	Local gov't	Donations of surplus fire fighting equipment to rural departments	a
LRCA	Proposition 11	Regulation	Authorize wineries	a
LRCA	Proposition 12	Tort	Damages in lawsuits against health care providers	a
LRCA	Proposition 13	Taxes	Freeze property taxes for disabled and elderly	a
LRCA	Proposition 14	Transportation	Authorization to borrow money for transportation projects	a
LRCA	Proposition 15	Pension	Prohibit local retirement systems from reducing certain benefits	a
LRCA	Proposition 16	Regulation	Provide rules governing home equity loans	a
LRCA	Proposition 17	Taxes	Prohibit property tax increases on homes of disabled persons	a
LRCA	Proposition 18	Elections	Circumstances for assuming office without an election	a
LRCA	Proposition 19	Admin of gov't	Repeal legislature's authority to create rural fire prevention districts	a
LRCA	Proposition 20	Bonds	Bonds to defense-related communities	a
LRCA	Proposition 21	Admin of gov't	Compensation to faculty members serving on water district boards	a
LRCA	Proposition 22	Admin of gov't	What to do when officers are called to active military service	a

Washington

See also: Washington 2003 ballot measures

November 4, 2003

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result	Yes Votes	No Votes
LRCA	HJR 4206	Elections	Permit new officers to assume office early when a vacancy occurs after the general election if they are of the same political party as the previous one.	a	1,008,710 (83%)	207,720 (17%)
ITP	Initiative 841	Labor and unions	Repeal ergonomics regulations and prohibit the department of labor and industries not to adopt new ergonomics regulations unless required.	a	656,737 (53%)	570,980 (47%)

Wisconsin

See also: Wisconsin 2003 ballot measures

April 1

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Question 1	Hunting	Explicit constitutional right to fish, hunt, trap, and take game	a

External links

Cover art of California's October 7, 2003 voter guide

• Overview of the September 9 Alabama ballot measure election
• Official October 2003 California ballot proposition guide
• Official declaration of California 2003 proposition results
• Colorado Blue Book on the three 2003 ballot measures
• Louisiana Board of Elections October 4, 2003 constitutional amendment election results
• November 2003 Maine ballot measure descriptions
• November 2003 Maine ballot measure election results
• 2003 New Mexico constitutional amendment election results
• Election results for New York Proposal 1
• Election results for New York Proposal 2
• Online Voter's Guide to Oregon Measure 28
• Online Voter's Guide to Oregon Measure 29
• Constitutional amendments on the September 13, 2003 Texas ballot
• State of Washington 2003 ballot measure election results