Malcolm Rivera
The Florida Constitution has been amended 140 times in the last 50 years, and there is a current measure to increase the percentage needed to amend the constitution. The measure would raise the existing 60% voter threshold for amending the Constitution to a two-thirds majority. The Constitution can be amended through a citizen's initiative, legislative proposals, a constitutional convention, the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, and the Constitution Revision Commission. All methods require voter approval.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Percentage of votes required to ratify the Florida Constitution in 1886 | 59.4% |
| Percentage of votes required to amend the Florida Constitution | 60% |
| Percentage of votes required to amend the U.S. Constitution | 66.6% |
| Number of times the U.S. Constitution has been amended since 1789 | 27 |
| Number of times the Florida Constitution has been amended in the last 50 years | 140 |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
- The Florida Constitution has been amended 140 times in the last 50 years
- The U.S. Constitution has been amended 27 times since 1789
- The 1885 Constitution was ratified by a 31,803 to 21,243 vote
- The 2022 ballot could raise the existing 60% voter threshold to a two-thirds majority
- The Florida Constitution mandated racial segregation in schools and prohibited interracial marriage
The Florida Constitution has been amended 140 times in the last 50 years
The Constitution of the State of Florida was revised in 1968 and consisted of certain revised articles as proposed by three joint resolutions which were adopted during a special session of June 24-July 3, 1968. The revised constitution was ratified by the electorate on November 5, 1968, together with one article carried forward from the Constitution of 1885, as amended. The 1885 Constitution was ratified by a 31,803 to 21,243 vote.
The Florida Constitution has been amended far more times than the U.S. Constitution, which has been amended just 17 times since the Bill of Rights was ratified, or 27 times since 1789. Florida's leadership is in the process of assembling the Constitution Revision Commission, which will propose amendments for vote in the 2018 midterm election.
There is a measure to raise the existing 60% voter threshold for amending the Constitution to a two-thirds majority. This measure is intended to safeguard against deceptive ballot campaigns waged by special interest groups who want to circumvent the Legislature.
The Constitution Ratified: What Happened Next?
You may want to see also
The U.S. Constitution has been amended 27 times since 1789
The U.S. Constitution was ratified in 1789, and the first ten amendments, collectively known as the Bill of Rights, were adopted and ratified simultaneously on 15 December 1791. Amendments 13-15 are known as the Reconstruction Amendments. The Twenty-seventh Amendment was pending before the states for 202 years, 225 days, and the Twenty-second Amendment took 3 years, 343 days to be ratified. The Twenty-sixth Amendment was ratified in the shortest time, 100 days.
The Florida Constitution was ratified in 1886, and legitimised a poll tax as a prerequisite for voting, effectively causing the disfranchisement of Black people and many poor white people. It also mandated racial segregation in schools and prohibited interracial marriage.
In April 2022, Rep. Spencer Roach, R-North Ft. Myers, said that Florida has more avenues for amending the Constitution than any other state. In addition to the citizen's initiative and legislative proposals, the Constitution can be amended through a constitutional convention, the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, and the Constitution Revision Commission. All methods require voter approval. However, Rep. Rick Roth, R-Palm Beach Gardens, said that citizens' rights are under attack and that the Constitution needs to be protected. He proposed a measure that would raise the existing 60% voter threshold for amending the Constitution to a two-thirds majority.
The Constitution's Ratification: What Were the Conditions?
You may want to see also
The 1885 Constitution was ratified by a 31,803 to 21,243 vote
The 1885 Constitution was a highly controversial document, as it legitimised a poll tax as a prerequisite for voting, effectively causing the disenfranchisement of black people and many poor white people. It also mandated racial segregation in schools and prohibited interracial marriage between "a white person and a person of negro descent". As a result of these provisions, voter turnout decreased by 27% by 1888, and additional measures were adopted that further suppressed voter registration and turnout.
It is unclear what percentage of the vote was required to ratify the 1885 Constitution. However, it is worth noting that the Florida Constitution has been amended 140 times in the last 50 years, indicating that it is relatively easy to amend the Constitution. There have been measures proposed to increase the percentage of votes required to amend the Constitution, with some suggesting a two-thirds majority.
The high number of amendments to the Florida Constitution may be due in part to the fact that Florida has more avenues for amending the Constitution than any other state. In addition to citizen initiatives and legislative proposals, the Constitution can be amended through a constitutional convention, the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, and the Constitution Revision Commission. All methods require voter approval, but the Legislature has also considered measures to abolish the Constitution Revision Commission.
Virginia's Constitution Ratification: The Deciding Factors
You may want to see also
Explore related products
$39.95 $39.95
![Hot Wheels Rat-ified, HW Racing 146/250 [Gold]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81ZR-CbRYFL._AC_UL320_.jpg)
The 2022 ballot could raise the existing 60% voter threshold to a two-thirds majority
The Florida Constitution has been amended 140 times in the last 50 years, and there is a measure to up the percentage needed to amend it. The Legislature is on the verge of putting a measure on the 2022 ballot that would raise the existing 60% voter threshold for amending the Constitution to a two-thirds majority. This is because the Florida Constitution is too easy to amend, according to Rep. Spencer Roach, R-North Ft. Myers. Florida has more avenues for amending the Constitution than any other state. In addition to the citizen's initiative and legislative proposals, the Constitution can be amended through a constitutional convention, the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, and the Constitution Revision Commission. All methods require voter approval.
The measure would be a safeguard against deceptive ballot campaigns waged by special interest groups who want to circumvent the Legislature, according to Rep. Rick Roth, R-Palm Beach Gardens. Roth said that protecting the Constitution is paramount after government-imposed lockdowns to fight COVID-19, and “citizens’ rights are under attack everywhere.” The measure would require a “66 and two-thirds percent” majority.
Nearly two-thirds of the 140 amendments Roach referred to were sponsored by the Legislature. The list includes property tax rollbacks, and tax breaks for veterans and their surviving spouses, measures that did not garner a two-thirds majority, according to Florida AFL-CIO lobbyist Rich Templin. Florida is a highly diverse state, Templin stressed.
Federalists' Constitution Ratification: Overcoming Adversity and Division
You may want to see also
The Florida Constitution mandated racial segregation in schools and prohibited interracial marriage
The Florida Constitution has been amended 140 times in the last 50 years. A measure to raise the existing 60% voter threshold for amending the Constitution to a two-thirds majority was proposed in 2022.
The Florida Constitution of 1885 mandated racial segregation in schools (Article XII, Section 12) and prohibited marriage between "a white person and a person of negro descent" (Article XVI, Section 24). The Constitution was ratified by a 31,803 to 21,243 vote. By legitimising a poll tax as a prerequisite for voting, the Constitution effectively caused the disfranchisement of blacks and many poor whites. Voter turnout decreased by 27% by 1888, and additional provisions were adopted that further suppressed voter registration and turnout.
Challenges to Constitution Ratification: Overcoming Obstacles
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
A 60% voter threshold is currently required to ratify the Florida Constitution.
The Florida Constitution has been amended 140 times in the last 50 years.
The Florida Constitution can be amended through a citizen's initiative, legislative proposals, a constitutional convention, the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission, and the Constitution Revision Commission.
Rep. Spencer Roach, R-North Ft. Myers, and Rep. Rick Roth, R-Palm Beach Gardens, are in favour of raising the percentage of votes required to ratify the Florida Constitution.
