Minnesota 2012 ballot measures

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Two ballot measures have been certified for the 2012 ballot in the state of Minnesota.

• Both measures were legislatively referred constitutional amendment.

• Both measures were defeated.

• Since only legislatively referred constitutional amendments are allowed in Minnesota, proposals must be made during the state's legislative session. The 2011 regular session began on January 4 and ended on May 23.
• The 2012 state legislative session began on January 24, 2012 and ended on May 21, 2012. Legislative referrals could have been sent to the 2012 ballot during this time.

On the ballot

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Amendment 1	Marriage	Would ban same-sex marriage.	d
LRCA	Amendment 2	Elections	Would require people to present photo identification to vote.	d

Not on the ballot

Type	Title	Subject	Description	Result
LRCA	Active Duty Legislators Amendment	Admin. of gov't	Would establish a defined succession procedure for members of the Legislature that are called into military service.
LRCA	Early Childhood Education Amendment	Education	Would require the state to provide early childhood education.
LRCA	"Right to Work" Amendment	Labor	Would ban mandatory union membership and/or payment of union dues.
LRCA	Judicial Retention Election Amendment	Judicial reform	Would replace judicial contests with retention elections.
LRCA	Legislator Compensation Amendment	Admin. of gov't	Would give control of legislator salaries to the Compensation Council.
LRCA	Lt. Governor Abolishment Amendment	Admin. of gov't	Would abolish the office of Lieutenant Governor.
LRCA	Longer Legislative Terms Amendment	Admin. of gov't	Would lengthen the terms of legislators by two years.
LRCA	Majority Vote Amendment	Elections	Would require that any single-member district office holder be elected by a majority of the votes cast.
LRCA	Corporate Personhood Amendment	Elections	Would define the term "person" as "natural person" wherever it appears in the MN Constitution, excluding corporations as persons.
LRCA	Property Owner Voting Amendment	Elections	Would permit the owners of agricultural land, noncommercial real estate, or small business properties to vote on local levies where the property is located.
LRCA	Right to Bear Arms Amendment	Hunting	Would guarantee the right for citizens to keep and bear arms.
LRCA	Sales Tax Increase Repeal	Taxes	Would repeal the 2008 Minnesota Sales Tax Increase.
LRCA	Spending Cap Amendment	State budgets	Would establish a cap on state spending, provide exemptions in exigent circumstances.
LRCA	Staggered Senate Elections Amendment	Elections	Would establish staggered senate elections.
LRCA	Standing Appropriations Amendment	State budgets	Would forbid standing appropriations.
LRCA	Supermajority for Tax Increases Amendment	Taxes	Would require a three-fifths majority in both chambers to approve any state tax increase.
LRCA	Term Limits Amendment	Term limits	Would impose term limits on state legislators.

Local ballot measures

See also: Local ballot measure elections in 2012; Local ballot measures, Minnesota

• Vikings Stadium Local Tax Referendum (2012)

History

Since 2000, Minnesotans have considered only 2 ballot measures. Of these two, all two have passed. Both of these ballot measures focused on tax issues. However, the nineties saw a greater diversity of ballot measures with amendments concerning veterans affairs, state lottery proceeds, and hunter's rights.

See also

• 2012 ballot measures
• List of Minnesota ballot measures
• Campaign finance requirements for Minnesota ballot measures
• Laws governing ballot measures in Minnesota
• History of direct democracy in Minnesota

External links

• Minnesota Secretary of State
• Minnesota Election Results
• Amending the Minnesota State Constitution

Additional reading

• KARE 11, "Republicans are pushing for dozens of changes to Minnesota's constitution," January 28, 2012
• Crookstone Daily Times, "Minn. legislative session could see lots of voter amendments," January 23, 2012
• Associated Press, "Yes, no, maybe? '12 Minn. session could see raft of conservative goals become voter amendments," January 22, 2012
• ABC.com, "State Senator Takes On Minnesota Unions," January 22, 2012
• Forbes, "With budget stalled, GOP eyes Minn. Constitution," May 6, 2011 (dead link)