IRI

Initiative & Referendum Institute

at the University of Southern California 

Ballotwatch® - 2003 Statewide Election Archives

November 4, 2003 - Colorado (election results), Maine, Mississippi, New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Washington State (election results)

Election summary: Odd -year elections are historically light on the number of statewide ballot measures to be voted on.  This year was no exception with voters deciding on 22 statewide ballot measures in eight states - 14 of which were approved.  The voters showed once again that they are willing to adopt fiscal measures if they can see where the money is going and voted down those measures that were nebulous or gave the government a blank check.  A complete list of November 2003 statewide ballot measures and their outcomes is available (in PDF format) by clicking here. 

October 7, 2003 - California (election held - click here for election results; here for recall information and here for ballot measure information)

Election summary: Voters removed Governor Gray Davis from office becoming only the second Governor in U.S. history to be removed from office via the recall.  Overshadowed by the gubernatorial recall campaign, the two statewide ballot measures were defeated. Proposition 53 would have amended the state Constitution to dedicate up to 3% of the state's main pool of taxes to modernize roads, bridges and other public structures. Proposition 54 would have stopped the state from collecting and using most racial and ethnic data.

October 4, 2003 - Louisiana (election held - click here for election results and here for information on the ballot questions)

Election summary: Voters approved 11 of the 15 Constitutional Amendments that appeared on the ballot.  Visit the Times-Pacayune's election page for more information and analysis of the election.

September 23, 2003 - New Mexico (election held - click here for election results and here for information on the ballot question)

Election summary: "Voters have given Gov. Bill Richardson new powers he had sought over public schools, but it remained in doubt whether they also would also agree to increase education funding. In a special election Tuesday that represents Richardson's first real test since coming to power last year, 55 percent of voters favored his plan to revamp the governing system for public schools and 45 percent were opposed. " Associated Press

September 16, 2003 - Oregon (election held - click here for election results and information on the ballot question)

Election summary: "Oregon voters on Tuesday night approved the Legislature's attempt to cut public pension debt by taking advantage of low interest rates. Measure 29, among more than a dozen changes lawmakers made this year to reduce the Public Employees Retirement System's costs, captured about 55 percent of the vote -- and the attention of fewer than half of registered voters. Legislators had to ask voters to approve the general obligation bonds because using them requires a change in the Oregon Constitution. The bonds offer lower interest rates than the current PERS financing." The Oregonian

September 13, 2003 - Texas (election held - click here for election results, Houston Chronicle article on election)

Election summary: Voters approved all 22 of the proposed constitutional amendments on the ballot including controversial Proposition 12 that gave the Legislature constitutional authority to set limits on damages in medical malpractice and other lawsuits. "Voters amended the state constitution Saturday by a narrow margin to permit new limits on lawsuit damages, ending an expensive and heated campaign that pitted doctors against trial lawyers.  Nearly complete but unofficial returns early today showed the vote was closer and turnout was higher than many had predicted. Proposition 12 passed 51 percent to 49 percent. The 12 percent voter turnout topped the 9 percent projected by the secretary of state." Houston Chronicle
 

September 9, 2003 - Alabama (election held - click here for election results)

Election summary: "Alabama's conservative Republican governor yesterday met resounding defeat in his highly publicized crusade for a $1.2 billion tax increase -- eight times the biggest previous increase in state history -- to resolve an unprecedented fiscal crisis, shift the tax burden from poor to rich and improve public schools funded at the nation's lowest level per child. With 94 percent of precincts reporting, Alabama voters were rejecting Gov. Bob Riley's ambitious package 67 percent to 33 percent, consistent with recent polls that had shown it likely to fail by 20 or more percentage points, even among low-income people who stood to receive large tax cuts." Washington Post.

Additional Election Information

Land Vote 2003

Center for Transportation Excellence - 2003 Transportation Ballot Measures