California Proposition 2, Intoxicating Liquor Prohibition Amendment (1920)

California Proposition 2
Election date November 2, 1920
Topic Alcohol
Status d Defeated
Type Referendum	Origin Citizens

California Proposition 2 was on the ballot as a veto referendum in California on November 2, 1920. It was defeated.

A “yes” vote supported upholding the Act passed by the state legislature, which was designed to define intoxicating liquor, prohibit the sale, manufacture, possession, or gifting of liquor for beverage purposes (with certain exceptions), and create rules regarding the certain allowed uses of intoxicating liquor.

A “no” vote supported repealing the Act passed by the state legislature, which was designed to define intoxicating liquor, prohibit the sale, manufacture, possession, or gifting of liquor for beverage purposes (with certain exceptions), and create rules regarding the certain allowed uses of intoxicating liquor.

Election results

California Proposition 2
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		400,475	46.24%
No		465,537	53.76%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Proposition 2 was as follows:

“

Prohibition Enforcement Act

”

Ballot summary

The ballot summary for this measure was:

“

PROHIBITION ENFORCEMENT ACT. Submitted to electors by referendum. Defines intoxicating liquor as that containing over one-half of one per cent of alcohol; with certain exceptions relating to religious, medicinal and home use, prohibits the manufacture, possession, receiving, serving, gift and transportation thereof, and also the advertising and soliciting the sale thereof, for beverage purposes; declares nothing therein shall authorize anything prohibited by any act of Congress, nor limit the power of any city or county to prohibit the manufacture and sale of such liquor; regulates the dealing in intoxicating liquor for nonbeverage purposes; and prescribes penalties.

”

Full Text

The full text of this measure is available here.

Support

Arguments

You can share campaign information or arguments, along with source links for this information, at editor@ballotpedia.org

Opposition

Arguments

• California Grape Protective Association: "Unless the people want to go far beyond what congress has done, and at the same time set up a system of double permits and double machinery for enforcement, surrendering the privacy of the home and render the whole situation one of confusion and uncertainty, they should vote "NO" on Proposition 2."
• President of the California Grape Growers' Exchange, E.M. Sheehan: "I repeat that the proposed law is superfluous, would bar light wines and beer in the home, and does not reflect the true sentiment of our glorious hospitable California."

Path to the ballot

See also: Signature requirements for ballot measures in California

In California, the number of signatures required for a veto referendum is equal to 5 percent of the votes cast at the preceding gubernatorial election. For veto referendums filed in 1920, at least 34,434 valid signatures were required. Proponents of the veto referendum had 90 days from the date that the bill was signed to collect signatures.

See also

1920 Measures

• 1920 Measures
• Alcohol laws on the ballot
• 1920 legislative sessions

California

• California ballot measures
• California ballot measure laws

News and analysis

• Ballot measure lawsuits
• Ballot measure readability
• Ballot measure polls

External links

• California Voter Guide (November 1920)