New Jersey 2016 ballot measures

2017 →

← 2015

Two statewide ballot measures were certified to appear on the New Jersey ballot on November 8, 2016.

HIGHLIGHTS

Two legislative referrals appeared on the November 8, 2016, ballot in New Jersey. Issues on the ballot included casinos, budgets, and transportation.

Question 1 would have authorized two new casinos in northern New Jersey. It was defeated.

Question 2 dedicated all revenue from gas taxes to transportation projects. It was approved.

Public Question 1 addressed gambling and would have added two casinos in North Jersey, which would have ended a four-decade monopoly in Atlantic City. The measure was defeated.

Public Question 2 addressed taxes and dedicated all revenue from gas taxes to transportation projects. The measure was approved.

Both measures were legislatively referred constitutional amendments.

State law does not allow for initiatives or referendums; therefore, all measures are referred to the ballot by the New Jersey Legislature. The state's 2016 legislative session lasted from January 12, 2016, through January 10, 2017. The deadline for submitting proposed amendments the secretary of state's office was August 8, 2016.

The only way to amend the New Jersey Constitution is through a legislatively referred constitutional amendment. New Jersey is one of six states that has no provision for a constitutional convention. New Jersey has several unusual requirements for proposed amendments:

• It has an either/or system for qualifying a proposed amendment for the ballot. A proposed amendment can be passed by simple majority in two separate legislative sessions, or by a 60 percent supermajority vote of one session. Connecticut and Hawaii have a similar "either/or" requirement, except that Connecticut requires a 75 percent supermajority, and Hawaii requires a two-thirds supermajority.
• If state voters reject a proposed amendment, the same or a similar proposed amendment can't go back on the ballot "before the third general election thereafter."

New Jersey has several common requirements as well:

• Proposed amendments must adhere to the single-subject rule.
• Once on the ballot, a simple majority of voters must approve a measure for it to go in the constitution.

Historical facts

See also: List of New Jersey ballot measures

A total of 38 measures have appeared on New Jersey statewide ballots from 1996 to 2016.

• Between 1996 and 2016, an average of two measures appeared annually on the ballot in New Jersey during both even- and odd-numbered election years.
• From 1996 to 2016, the number of measures on statewide ballots ranged from zero to four.
• Between 1996 and 2016, about 89 percent (34 of 38) of the total number of measures that appeared on statewide ballots were approved, and about 11 percent (4 of 38) were defeated.

On the ballot

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Public Question 1	Gambling	Allows for two new casinos in northern New Jersey	d
LRCA	Public Question 2	Budgets	Dedicates all revenue from gas taxes to transportation projects	a

Not on the ballot

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Public Worker Pension Plan Amendment	Pension	Creates a quarterly pension payment plan, rather than annually

State profile

Demographic data for New Jersey
	New Jersey	U.S.
Total population:	8,935,421	316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):	7,354	3,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:	68.3%	73.6%
Black/African American:	13.5%	12.6%
Asian:	9%	5.1%
Native American:	0.2%	0.8%
Pacific Islander:	0%	0.2%
Two or more:	2.5%	3%
Hispanic/Latino:	19%	17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:	88.6%	86.7%
College graduation rate:	36.8%	29.8%
Income
Median household income:	$72,093	$53,889
Persons below poverty level:	12.7%	11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in New Jersey. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

Presidential voting pattern

See also: Presidential voting trends in New Jersey

New Jersey voted for the Democratic candidate in all seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.

Pivot Counties (2016)

Ballotpedia identified 206 counties that voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012. Collectively, Trump won these Pivot Counties by more than 580,000 votes. Of these 206 counties, two are located in New Jersey, accounting for 0.97 percent of the total pivot counties.

Pivot Counties (2020)

In 2020, Ballotpedia re-examined the 206 Pivot Counties to view their voting patterns following that year's presidential election. Ballotpedia defined those won by Trump won as Retained Pivot Counties and those won by Joe Biden (D) as Boomerang Pivot Counties. Nationwide, there were 181 Retained Pivot Counties and 25 Boomerang Pivot Counties. New Jersey had one Retained Pivot County and one Boomerang Pivot County, accounting for 0.55 and 4.00 percent of all Retained and Boomerang Pivot Counties, respectively.

More New Jersey coverage on Ballotpedia

• Elections in New Jersey
• United States congressional delegations from New Jersey
• Public policy in New Jersey
• Endorsers in New Jersey
• New Jersey fact checks
• More...

See also

• 2016 ballot measures
• New Jersey History of I & R
• Amending the New Jersey Constitution
• List of New Jersey ballot measures

External links

• Certification of Public Questions
• New Jersey proposed constitutional amendment search