The Democracy Principle
A project of the State Democracy Research Initiative
State constitutions reflect a powerful commitment to democracy. Through extensive text, including provisions with no federal analogue, state constitutions have been drafted and amended to prioritize popular sovereignty, majority, and political equality.
This website highlights constitutional provisions across the nation that contribute to the democracy principle. You can explore the site in two ways: by state or by category. Exploring by category—popular sovereignty, suffrage, government institutions, political equality, direct democracy, and constitutional change—also displays featured cases.
Explore by State
Choose your state from the map or from the list.
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Explore by Category
Choose a category below to see constitutional provisions for all states in that category.
