Louisiana Elections 2023 Results – The 4 Constitional Amendments on the October 14 Ballot

BATON ROUGE, La. (KPEL News) - The October 14th Election has come and gone across Louisiana.

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While there were statewide races on the ballot such as Governor, Secretary of State, and others  - as well as local races in your area - there were also four Constitutional Amendment proposals up for your vote.

(Update to voting numbers highlighted in red below.)

Brief History of the Louisiana State Constitution

The Louisiana State Constitution is the 11th version and was approved by voters in 1974. That's according to ballotpedia.org, which points out that the current constitution has been amended 203 times, most recently in 2021.

Louisiana tends to say "yes" to proposed Constitutional Amendments, approving 77 of the 108 proposed amendments between 2006 and 2021. As ballotpedia.org points out, that's the most of any state during that time frame.

PAR's Guides to the Constitutional Amendments

Every election cycle that contains any proposed Constitutional Amendments, the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana puts out an excellent guide to them. Amendment proposals are full of legal jargon and PAR does a fantastic job of putting that language in layman's terms. They make it clear not only what the Constitutional Amendment actually says but also what a Yes or No vote actually means for you.

Moon Griffon's Guide to the 4 Constitutional Amendments

Each election cycle, voters ask "The Voice of Louisiana" Moon Griffon to give his take on proposed Constitutional Amendments.

AMENDMENT 1

Do you support an amendment to prohibit the use of funds, goods, or services
from a foreign government or a nongovernmental source to conduct elections
and election functions and duties unless the use is authorized by the secretary
of state through policies established in accordance with law?

Moon Griffon: "I am voting 'Yes.' This amendment passed as a bill overwhelmingly in the Louisiana Legislature, only to be vetoed by Governor John Bel Edwards, and then the Senate let it die the second time it was brought before legislators after the House overwhelmingly passed it. This has to be passed because we need to protect our elections from outside money!"

UPDATE: The amendment passed with 73% of the vote.

AMENDMENT 2

Do you support an amendment to provide that the freedom of worship in a
church or other place of worship is a fundamental right that is worthy of the
highest order of protection?

Moon Griffon: "I am voting 'Yes." A common sense one here. It gives our churches protection that we thought they had before the COVID pandemic came along."

UPDATE: The amendment passed with 79% of the vote.

AMENDMENT 3

Do you support an amendment to require that a minimum of twenty-five
percent of any money designated as nonrecurring state revenue be applied
toward the balance of the unfunded accrued liability of the state retirement
systems?

Moon Griffon: "I'm voting 'Yes' on this one. If we don't get a grip on our debt, it will take our state down."

UPDATE: The amendment passed with 56% of the vote.

AMENDMENT 4

Do you support an amendment to deny a property tax exemption to a nonprofit corporation or association that owns residential property in such a state
of disrepair that it endangers public health or safety?

Moon Griffon: "Here we go again with yet another property tax exemption. I am voting 'Yes' on this one. Be careful how you read this one. We need to quit with these special exemptions on taxes."

UPDATE: The amendment passed with 66% of the vote.