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Minnesota Constitution
| Minnesota Constitution |
|---|
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| Preamble |
| Articles |
| I • II • III • IV • V • VI • VII • VIII • IX • X • XI • XII • XIII • XIV |
The Minnesota Constitution is the state constitution of Minnesota.
- The current Minnesota Constitution was adopted on October 13, 1857.[1]
- Minnesota has had one state constitution.
- The Minnesota Constitution has 14 articles.
- The current constitution has been amended 121 times.[2]
- Voters last approved a new amendment to the Minnesota Constitution on November 5, 2024, when voters approved Amendment 1.
Minnesota does not feature a process for initiated constitutional amendments. Thus, amendments in Minnesota can be put on the ballot through referral by the legislature or by a constitutional convention.
A state constitution is the fundamental document that outlines a state's framework for governance, including the powers, structure, and limitations of the state government, individual and civil rights, and other matters.
Background
Minnesota became the 32nd state on May 11, 1858. The Minnesota Constitution was adopted on October 13, 1857. In 1971, the Minnesota State Legislature established a constitutional study commission. After studying the state's 1857 constitution, the commission recommended it be restructured for easy reference and rewritten in modern language. An amendment to revise the constitution was passed by the state legislature and ratified by voters on November 5, 1974.[3]
Preamble
The preamble to the constitution states:
Article I
- See also: Article I, Minnesota Constitution
Article I of the Minnesota Constitution is entitled "Bill of Rights" and consists of 17 sections.
Click here to read this article of the Minnesota Constitution.
Article II
- See also: Article II, Minnesota Constitution
Article II of the Minnesota Constitution is entitled "Name and Boundaries" and consists of two sections.
Click here to read this article of the Minnesota Constitution.
Article III
- See also: Article III, Minnesota Constitution
Article III of the Minnesota Constitution is entitled "Distribution of the Powers of Government" and consists of one section.
Click here to read this article of the Minnesota Constitution.
Article IV
- See also: Article IV, Minnesota Constitution
Article IV of the Minnesota Constitution is entitled "Legislative Department" and consists of 26 sections.
Click here to read this article of the Minnesota Constitution.
Article V
- See also: Article V, Minnesota Constitution
Article V of the Minnesota Constitution is entitled "Executive Department" and consists of seven sections.
Click here to read this article of the Minnesota Constitution.
Article VI
- See also: Article VI, Minnesota Constitution
Article VI of the Minnesota Constitution is entitled "Judiciary" and consists of 13 sections.
Click here to read this article of the Minnesota Constitution.
Article VII
- See also: Article VII, Minnesota Constitution
Article VII of the Minnesota Constitution is entitled "Elective Franchise" and consists of nine sections.
Click here to read this article of the Minnesota Constitution.
Article VIII
- See also: Article VIII, Minnesota Constitution
Article VIII of the Minnesota Constitution is entitled "Impeachment and Removal from Office" and consists of six sections.
Click here to read this article of the Minnesota Constitution.
Article IX
- See also: Article IX, Minnesota Constitution
Article IX of the Minnesota Constitution is entitled "Amendments to the Constitution" and consists of three sections.
Click here to read this article of the Minnesota Constitution.
Article X
- See also: Article X, Minnesota Constitution
Article X of the Minnesota Constitution is entitled "Taxation."
Click here to read this article of the Minnesota Constitution.
Article XI
- See also: Article XI, Minnesota Constitution
Article XI of the Minnesota Constitution is entitled "Appropriations and Finances" and consists of 15 sections.
Click here to read this article of the Minnesota Constitution.
Article XII
- See also: Article XII, Minnesota Constitution
Article XII of the Minnesota Constitution is entitled "Special Legislation; Local Government" and consists of five sections.
Click here to read this article of the Minnesota Constitution.
Article XIII
- See also: Article XIII, Minnesota Constitution
Article XIII of the Minnesota Constitution is entitled "Miscellaneous Subjects" and consists of 12 sections.
Click here to read this article of the Minnesota Constitution.
Article XIV
- See also: Article XIV, Minnesota Constitution
Article XIV of the Minnesota Constitution is entitled "Public Highway System" and consists of 13 sections.
Click here to read this article of the Minnesota Constitution.
Amending the constitution
The Minnesota Constitution provides two mechanisms for amending the state's constitution— a legislative process and a state constitutional convention. Ratification of amendments proposed by a convention require a 60% supermajority of those voting on the amendment question, while an amendment proposed by the legislature requires a simple majority (50%+1) of those voting in the election.[4]
Legislature
A simple majority vote is required during one legislative session for the Minnesota State Legislature to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 68 votes in the Minnesota House of Representatives and 34 votes in the Minnesota State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.
Ratifying an amendment requires a 'Yes' vote from a simple majority of all voters casting a ballot in the election, rather than a simple majority of those voting on the question.
Convention
According to Section 3 of Article IX of the Minnesota Constitution, a two-thirds (66.67%) vote in each chamber during one legislative session is required to send a constitutional convention question to voters. A simple majority vote by the electorate is required to call the convention. Any proposed amendments approved by the convention require a 60% vote of the electorate to be ratified.
See also
- State constitution
- Constitutional article
- Constitutional amendment
- Constitutional revision
- Constitutional convention
- Amendments
External links
- Minnesota State Legislature, "Constitution of the State of Minnesota"
- Minnesota Secretary of State, "Amendments to Minnesota's Constitution proposed to the voters since 1858"
- Minnesota Historical Society, "Minnesota's Constitution(s)"
- MinnPost, "An interactive history of constitutional amendments in Minnesota"
Footnotes
- ↑ Minnesota Legislature, "Minnesota Constitution," accessed April 28, 2015
- ↑ Minnesota Law Review', "State Constitutional Amendments Considered," April 18, 2023, accessed December 12, 2023
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 The Office of the Revisor of Statutes, "Constitution of the State of Minnesota," accessed June 18, 2014
- ↑ The Pink Ballot Statute, 204D.15
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