Proposal and ratification Twenty-third Amendment to the United States Constitution

the twenty-third amendment in national archives


adoption congress

senate joint resolution–39, become twenty-third amendment, introduced in 1959 tennessee democratic senator estes kefauver. proposal provide emergency functioning of congress , continuity of legislative process authorizing governors fill vacancies in house of representatives “on date total number of vacancies ... exceeds half of authorized membership.” governor’s appointive authority have been limited 60 days, , appointee have served until successor elected in special election. bill amended twice on senate floor. 1 added provision, proposed new york republican kenneth keating, grant district of columbia electoral votes in national elections , non-voting delegate(s) house. other, offered florida democrat spessard holland, eliminate poll tax or other property qualification prerequisite voting in federal elections. senate passed sjr–39 in three-amendment form on february 2, 1960, vote of 70–18, , sent forward house.

the house judiciary committee, after setting aside anti-poll tax , house emergency appointment provisions of sjr–39, sent own proposal, house joint resolution–757, devoted solely presidential electors district of columbia, house floor consideration. adopted in house without amendment, voice vote, on june 14, 1960. then, unanimous consent, text of hjr–757 inserted sjr–39, original language of removed. senate adopted revised resolution voice vote on june 16, 1960.

ratification states

to become valid part of constitution, twenty-third amendment needed ratified legislatures of three-quarters of states (38, following admission of alaska , hawaii union in 1959) within 7 years submission states congress (june 16, 1967). president eisenhower, along both major party candidates in 1960 presidential election, vice-president richard nixon , senator john f. kennedy, endorsed proposal. amendment supporters ran effective ratification campaign, mobilizing persons in every state press approval.

the following states ratified amendment:

ratification completed on march 29, 1961, 9 months , 12 days after being proposed congress. amendment subsequently ratified following states:

39. new hampshire – march 30, 1961 (date in official notice; preceded ratification on march 29, 1961, 37th state ratify, annulled , repeated later same day.)
40. alabama – april 11, 2002

on april 3, 1961, john l. moore, administrator of general services, certified amendment had been adopted requisite number of states , had become part of constitution.

the amendment rejected arkansas on january 24, 1961. 9 states took no action on amendment: florida, kentucky, mississippi, georgia, south carolina, louisiana, texas, north carolina, , virginia.