Iowa Constitutional Convention Question (2020)

Iowa Constitutional Convention Question
Election date November 3, 2020
Topic Constitutional conventions
Status d Defeated
Type Automatic referral	Origin Dictated by law

The Iowa Constitutional Convention Question was on the ballot in Iowa as an automatic ballot referral on November 3, 2020. It was defeated.

A "yes" vote supported holding a constitutional convention to explore proposals for changes to the state constitution.

A "no" vote opposed holding a constitutional convention to explore proposals for changes to the state constitution.

Election results

Iowa Constitutional Convention Question (2020)
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		408,746	29.58%
No		972,930	70.42%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Overview

Measure design

This automatic ballot referral asked voters whether or not to hold a constitutional convention for the purpose of proposing amendments to the Iowa Constitution.

Why this question is on the ballot

The question appears on the Iowa ballot automatically every 10 years as per the state constitution. This provision, which can be found in Article X, Section 3 of the Iowa Constitution, has been in the constitution since its inception in 1857.

If constitutional amendments are adopted at the convention, they will be placed on the ballot for voters to ratify or reject them. Once an amendment is on the ballot, it must be approved by a majority of voters voting on the question (rather than a majority of voters voting in the election) in order to become part of the constitution.

Constitutional conventions in Iowa

Three constitutional conventions have been held in Iowa—in 1844, 1846, and 1857— for the purpose of proposing constitutions for the state. The document proposed by the 1857 convention and ratified by the voters is the current, original Constitution of the State of Iowa. Leading up to the 2020 election, the last five constitutional convention questions in Iowa had been rejected. The average percentage of no votes on the question had been 64.09 percent. The average percentage of yes votes on the question had been 35.91 percent.

Constitutional conventions in other states

In fourteen states, the question of whether to hold a constitutional convention is automatically referred to a statewide ballot without any requirement for a vote of the state legislature to place the question on the ballot. Most recently, Hawaii voters decided a constitutional convention question in November 2018, rejecting it by 70 percent to 30 percent.

The last time voters approved a constitutional convention question was in 1996 in Hawaii. The question was approved in a vote of 50.5 percent to 49.5 percent. Although it was approved, its passage did not result in a convention being held. The last constitutional convention question that resulted in a convention being held was in Rhode Island in 1984. The approval of the question led to the state of Rhode Island holding a constitutional convention in 1986.

Text of measure

The ballot question was as follows:

“

Shall there be a convention to revise the constitution, and propose amendment or amendments to same?

”

Readability score

See also: Ballot measure readability scores, 2020

Using the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL and Flesch Reading Ease (FRE) formulas, Ballotpedia scored the readability of the ballot title and summary for this measure. Readability scores are designed to indicate the reading difficulty of text. The Flesch-Kincaid formulas account for the number of words, syllables, and sentences in a text; they do not account for the difficulty of the ideas in the text. The Iowa State Legislature (via the Constitution) wrote the ballot language for this measure. The FKGL for the ballot title is grade level 11, and the FRE is 48. The word count for the ballot title is 16, and the estimated reading time is 4 seconds.

Campaign finance

See also: Campaign finance requirements for Iowa ballot measures

Total campaign contributions:
Support:	$0.00
Opposition:	$0.00

Ballotpedia did not identify any committees registered in support of or in opposition to the measure.

If you are aware of a committee registered to support or oppose this measure, please email editor@ballotpedia.org.

Background

Past constitutional convention questions in Iowa

Three constitutional conventions have been held in Iowa—in 1844, 1846, and 1857— for the purpose of proposing constitutions for the state. The first proposed constitution was rejected, but the second and third proposed constitutions were ratified by voters. The document proposed by the 1857 convention and ratified by the voters is the current, original Constitution of the State of Iowa.

From 1970 to 2010, each of the five decennial constitutional convention questions were rejected. The average percentage of no votes on the question was 64.09 percent. The average percentage of yes votes on the question was 35.91 percent.

The chart below displays election results for constitutional convention questions in Iowa from 1970 to 2010. No votes are shaded red and yes votes are shaded green.

Constitutional convention referrals in other states

In fourteen states, the question of whether to hold a constitutional convention is automatically referred to a statewide ballot without any requirement for a vote of the state legislature to place the question on the ballot.

Every 10 years

Like Iowa, four other states have a Constitutional Convention question on the statewide ballot every ten years: Alaska, Hawaii, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island.

Every 16 years

One state, Michigan, has a Constitutional Convention question on the statewide ballot every sixteen years. The question will next appear on Michigan's ballot in 2026.

Every 20 years

Eight states have a Constitutional Convention question on the statewide ballot every twenty years: Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, New York, Ohio, and Oklahoma.

Recent constitutional convention questions

• Hawaii voters rejected a constitutional convention question in 2018 by a vote of 70 percent to 30 percent.

• New York voters rejected a constitutional convention question in 2017 by a vote of 83 percent to 17 percent.

• Rhode Island voters rejected a constitutional convention question in 2014 by a vote of 55 percent to 45 percent.

Last ConCon question that was approved

The last time voters approved a constitutional convention question was in 1996 in Hawaii. The question was approved in a vote of 50.5 percent to 49.5 percent. Although it was approved, its passage did not result in a convention being held. The Hawaii 1996 constitutional convention question was considered to be approved at first, but due to a situation in which many voters left their ballots blank when answering the question, the Hawaii Supreme Court ruled that the question had actually not passed, and therefore no convention was held.

Last ConCon question that was approved and resulted in a convention being held

The last constitutional convention question that resulted in a convention being held was in Rhode Island in 1984. The approval of the question led to the state of Rhode Island holding a constitutional convention in 1986.

Scheduled constitutional convention questions

Scheduled automatic ballot referrals for constitutional convention questions include: Alaska (2022), Missouri (2022), New Hampshire (2022), Rhode Island (2024), Michigan (2026), Connecticut (2028), Hawaii (2028), Illinois (2028), Iowa (2030), Maryland (2030), Montana (2030), Alaska (2032), New Hampshire (2032), and Ohio (2032).

Path to the ballot

See also: State constitutional conventions and Amending the Iowa Constitution

This question was an automatic ballot referral. Constitutional convention ballot propositions are a form of automatic ballot referral in some states whose constitutions state that every so often, a statewide ballot proposition must be placed on the general election ballot asking the voters of the state if they wish to have a constitutional convention.

Section 3 of Article X of the Iowa Constitution says that, starting in 1970 and every ten years thereafter, there is to be an automatic ballot referral on the Iowa ballot about whether to hold a constitutional convention. The Iowa State Legislature can also vote to put the question on the ballot.

If constitutional amendments are adopted at the convention, they will be placed on the statewide ballot for voters to ratify or reject them. Once an amendment is on the ballot, it must be approved by "a majority of the electors qualified to vote for members of the general assembly, voting thereon" in order to become part of the constitution.

Constitutional provision for constitutional convention question referrals

See also: Iowa Constitution: Section 3, Article X

The provision for automatic ballot referrals asking voters whether or not a constitutional convention should be held has been in the Iowa Constitution since its inception in 1857. The section— Section 3 of Article X— was re-written in 1964 with the approval of Iowa Constitutional Amendment 22.

Original Section 3 of Article X

“ Sec 3. At the general election to be held in the year one thousand eight hundred and seventy, and in each tenth year thereafter, and also at such times as the General Assembly may, by law, provide, the question, “Shall there be a Convention to revise the Constitution, and propose amendment or amendments to same?” shall be decided by the electors qualified to vote for members of the General Assembly; and in case a majority of the electors so qualified, voting at such election, for and against such proposition, shall decide in favor of a Convention for such purpose, the General Assembly, at its next session, shall provide by law for the election of delegates to such Convention. ”

Underlined text was added to Section 3 of Article X in 1964.

Current Section 3 of Article X

“ Constitutional convention. Section 3. At the general election to be held in the year one thousand nine hundred and seventy, and in each tenth year thereafter, and also at such times as the General Assembly may, by law, provide, the question, “Shall there be a Convention to revise the Constitution, and propose amendment or amendments to same?” shall be decided by the electors qualified to vote for members of the General Assembly; and in case a majority of the electors so qualified, voting at such election, for and against such proposition, shall decide in favor of a Convention for such purpose, the General Assembly, at its next session, shall provide by law for the election of delegates to such Convention, and for submitting the results of said Convention to the people, in such manner and at such time as the General Assembly shall provide; and if the people shall approve and ratify such amendment or amendments, by a majority of the electors qualified to vote for members of the General Assembly, voting thereon, such amendment or amendments shall become a part of the constitution of this state. If two or more amendments shall be submitted at the same time, they shall be submitted in such a manner that electors may vote for or against each such amendment separately. ”

How to cast a vote

See also: Voting in Iowa

Click "Show" to learn more about voter registration, identification requirements, and poll times in Iowa.

How to cast a vote in Iowa

The information below covers regular voting policies in the state. Information may have not applied to the election on November 3, 2020, because of temporary changes in response to coronavirus. Click here to read about changes made for the 2020 elections. Poll times In Iowa, all polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Central Time. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote. Registration requirements Check your voter registration status here. To vote in Iowa, one must be a United States citizen, a resident of Iowa, and at least 18 years old by Election Day. A voter that is 17 years old may participate in a primary election if they will be 18 by the time of the next general election. The deadline to register is 15 days prior to the election. Iowans may register online or by completing a form and returning to their county auditor’s office by mail or in person. Registration is permitted on Election Day with proof of identification. Automatic registration Iowa does not practice automatic voter registration. Online registration See also: Online voter registration Iowa has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website. Same-day registration Iowa allows same-day voter registration. In order to register and vote on Election Day, voters must go to the correct polling place with proof of their identity and residence (i.e. a valid Iowa driver's license or another acceptable form of photo identification and proof of residency). Residency requirements To register to vote in Iowa, you must be a resident of the state. State law does not specify a length of time for which you must have been a resident to be eligible. Verification of citizenship See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States Iowa does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual applying to register to vote must attest that they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury. All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment. As of January 2025, six states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, and New Hampshire — had passed laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration. However, only two of those states' laws were in effect, in Arizona and New Hampshire. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allowed noncitizens to vote in some local elections as of November 2024. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters. Verifying your registration The Iowa secretary of state’s office maintains a page that allows residents to check their voter registration status online. Voter ID requirements Iowa requires voters to present identification while voting. Voters who do not have a photo ID can obtain an Iowa voter ID card for free by mail. Voters can present the following forms of identification: Iowa voter ID card Iowa driver’s license Iowa non-operator ID U.S. passport U.S. military ID or veteran ID Tribal ID card/document Voter who do not have one of the IDs listed above may have another voter attest to their identity, or they may provide a combination of other documents to verify their identity and residence. The following additional documents are acceptable proof of identity: Out-of-state driver's license or non-driver ID card ID card issued by employer Student ID issued by Iowa high school or college Another photo ID that is current, valid, and contains an expiration date The following documents are acceptable proof of residence: A photo ID from one of the lists above that includes the voter's current address Residential lease Utility bill (including a cell phone bill) Bank statement Paycheck Government check or other government document Property tax statement Voters without the required identification or another voter to attest to their identity will be offered a provisional ballot.

See also

2020 measures

• 2020 ballot measures
• Constitutional conventions on the ballot

Iowa

• Iowa ballot measures
• Iowa ballot measure laws

News and analysis

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

External links

• Iowa Secretary of State: Voter Information