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The Nevada Constitution is the highest law within the US state of Nevada and can be amended via three paths: a constitutional convention, a legislatively referred constitutional amendment, or an initiated constitutional amendment. The Nevada Constitution has been amended over 112 times since its adoption in 1864, with voters approving amendments as recently as 2024. Amendments can be proposed and passed by the state legislature and must be approved and ratified by voters at a general election. This process requires significant time, with some amendments taking up to three years to pass through the legislature and receive voter approval.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of amendments | 112+ |
| Number of articles | 19 |
| Number of amendments requiring voter approval | 2 |
| Number of signatures required for an initiated constitutional amendment | 10% of total votes cast in the preceding general election |
| Legislative votes required for a legislatively referred constitutional amendment | 22 in the Nevada State Assembly, 11 in the Nevada State Senate |
| Legislative votes required to refer a constitutional convention question to the ballot | Two-thirds of the Nevada State Legislature |
| Legislative votes required to propose an amendment | Majority of all members of both houses |
| Voter approval required for an amendment | Majority of registered votes |
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What You'll Learn
The Nevada Constitution amendment process
The Nevada Constitution, the highest law within the state, can be amended via three paths: a constitutional convention, a legislatively referred constitutional amendment, or an initiated constitutional amendment.
A legislatively referred constitutional amendment requires a simple majority vote during two successive legislative sessions for the Nevada State Legislature to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. This amounts to a minimum of 22 votes in the Nevada State Assembly and 11 votes in the Nevada State Senate, assuming no vacancies.
An initiated constitutional amendment is a citizen-led ballot measure. In Nevada, the number of signatures required for an initiated constitutional amendment is equal to 10% of the total number of votes cast in the preceding general election. A simple majority vote in two consecutive elections is required for voter approval.
A constitutional convention requires a two-thirds vote of the Nevada State Legislature to refer a constitutional convention question to the ballot, and a simple majority vote of the electorate is required to call a convention.
The Nevada Constitution has been amended over 112 times since its adoption in 1864. The process for amending the constitution is outlined in Article 19, which specifies that a majority of all members of both houses must pass a proposed amendment. The proposed amendment must then pass the next consecutive biennial session before being sent to the people for a vote. If the majority of registered votes pass the amendment, the constitution is amended.
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Legislative and voter ratification
The Nevada Constitution is the highest law within the US state of Nevada and defines the structure, power, and limits of the state government, as well as the basic rights and responsibilities of Nevada citizens. It can be amended via three paths: a constitutional convention, a legislatively referred constitutional amendment, or an initiated constitutional amendment.
A legislatively referred constitutional amendment requires a simple majority vote during two successive legislative sessions for the Nevada State Legislature to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. This amounts to a minimum of 22 votes in the Nevada State Assembly and 11 votes in the Nevada State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Once an amendment is proposed and passed by the Legislature, it must be agreed to and passed by the subsequent Legislature, after which it is approved and ratified by the voters at a General Election. For example, the second amendment was proposed and passed by the 1993 Legislature, agreed to and passed by the 1995 Legislature, and approved and ratified by the voters at the 1996 General Election.
An initiated constitutional amendment is a citizen-initiated ballot measure that amends a state's constitution. In Nevada, the number of signatures required for an initiated constitutional amendment is equal to 10% of the total number of votes cast in the preceding general election. A simple majority vote in two consecutive elections is required for voter approval.
A constitutional convention is a gathering for the purpose of writing a new constitution or revising an existing constitution. According to Section 2 of Article 16 of the Nevada Constitution, a two-thirds vote of the Nevada State Legislature is required to refer a constitutional convention question to the ballot, and a simple majority vote of the electorate is required to call a convention. Nevada's first constitutional convention met in 1863, and the draft was rejected by voters in 1864 due to its taxation policies. The current constitution was written at a second constitutional convention in Carson City in 1864.
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Constitutional convention
The Nevada Constitution, the highest law within the state, can be amended through three paths: a constitutional convention, a legislatively referred constitutional amendment, or an initiated constitutional amendment.
A constitutional convention is a gathering of elected delegates who propose changes to the constitution. Nevada's first constitutional convention took place in 1863, and the resulting draft was rejected by voters due to its taxation policies. The current constitution was drafted during the second constitutional convention, held in Carson City from July 4 to July 28, 1864. The constitution was approved by the people of Nevada on September 14, 1864, and took effect on October 31, the same year, when President Abraham Lincoln declared Nevada a state.
A legislatively referred constitutional amendment involves the state legislature proposing and passing an amendment, which is then approved and ratified by the voters in a general election. For instance, the second amendment was proposed and passed by the 1993 Legislature, agreed to and passed by the 1995 Legislature, and finally ratified by the voters in the 1996 General Election.
An initiated constitutional amendment, on the other hand, is a citizen-led process. In Nevada, an amendment proposed by citizens must gather signatures equal to 10% of the total votes in the previous general election to qualify for the ballot. If a simple majority of voters approve the amendment in two consecutive elections, the constitution is amended. An example of this process is the approval of an equal rights amendment, which included sexual orientation and gender identity, by 58% of voters in the November 2022 general election.
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Legislatively referred amendment
The Nevada Constitution, which was adopted in 1864, has been amended over 112 times. The constitution can be amended via three paths: a constitutional convention, a legislatively referred constitutional amendment, or an initiated constitutional amendment.
Legislatively referred constitutional amendments are a common feature of the United States' political system, with 49 of the 50 states allowing for them. Nevada is one of these states. This process allows the legislature to put proposed legislation up for a popular vote, either voluntarily or, in the case of a constitutional amendment, as an obligatory part of the procedure.
In the case of Nevada, a simple majority vote is required during two successive legislative sessions for the state legislature to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. This amounts to a minimum of 22 votes in the Nevada State Assembly and 11 votes in the Nevada State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Once an amendment is on the ballot, it must be approved and ratified by voters at a general election. For example, the second amendment was proposed and passed by the 1993 Legislature, agreed to and passed by the 1995 Legislature, and finally approved and ratified by voters at the 1996 General Election.
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Citizen-initiated ballot measure
The Nevada Constitution is the state constitution of Nevada. The current constitution was adopted in 1864 and has been amended over 112 times. The constitution outlines the state's framework for governance, including the powers, structure, and limitations of the state government, individual and civil rights, and other matters.
One way to amend the Nevada Constitution is through a citizen-initiated ballot measure, also known as an initiated constitutional amendment. This process allows citizens to directly propose and vote on amendments to the state's constitution. Nevada is one of 18 states that allow citizens to initiate constitutional amendments through this process.
To place an amendment on the ballot in Nevada, supporters must gather a certain number of signatures. The number of signatures required is equal to 10% of the total number of votes cast in the preceding general election. Once the required number of signatures is collected, the amendment is placed on the ballot for the next general election.
To approve an amendment, a simple majority vote is required in two consecutive general elections. This means that the amendment must be approved by a majority of voters in two separate elections to become part of the constitution. The process of citizen-initiated ballot measures gives Nevadans a direct role in shaping their state's constitution and ensures that the document reflects the will and interests of the people.
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Frequently asked questions
The Nevada Constitution can be amended via three paths: a constitutional convention, a legislatively referred constitutional amendment, or an initiated constitutional amendment. A simple majority vote of the electorate is required to call a convention. For a legislatively referred constitutional amendment, a simple majority vote is required during two successive legislative sessions to place the amendment on the ballot. For an initiated constitutional amendment, citizens must gather signatures equal to 10% of the total votes cast in the preceding general election, and a simple majority vote in two consecutive elections is required for voter approval.
The current Nevada Constitution has been amended over 112 times. The first amendment was proposed and passed by the 1885 Legislature and approved by voters in 1889. The most recent amendments were approved by voters on November 5, 2024.
The Nevada Constitution is the highest law within the state of Nevada and defines the structure, power, and limits of the state government, as well as the basic rights and responsibilities of Nevada citizens. It was ratified in 1864 and has had one state constitution since.
