Shall Article 1 of the Constitution be amended, as agreed to by the Legislature, by the addition of the following paragraph? "20A. Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged on account of sex. The Legislature shall by law provide for the enforcement of the provisions of this paragraph."
Results
Choice
Votes
%
Yes
828,290
48.83%
No
868,061
51.17%
Yes
50%–60%
No
60%–70%
50%–60%
1975 New Jersey Public Question 2, also known as the Equal Rights Regardless of Sex Amendment,[1] was a proposed amendment to the Constitution of New Jersey to prohibit the denial or abridgment of equal rights on account of sex. The amendment failed, receiving 48.83% of the vote, and the support of 9 out of 21 counties.
Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 67 placed the amendment on the ballot. In the New Jersey Senate, the resolution was passed by a 32 to 1 vote.[3]
Discussion
State Senator Carol Bellamy: “There was such anxiety. So many women talked to had a sense that we wanted to take something away from them, some privilege or benefit that in most cases they don't really have.”
State Senator Karen S. Burstein: "It came down to a question of credibility. They'd say E.R.A. would mean unisex toilets. We'd say there was no way E.R.A. would mean unisex toilets. Well, if someone came away believing there was even a 1‐in‐100 chance of unisex toilets, then she'd vote against E.R.A.”[4]
Contents
PUBLIC QUESTION No. 2
EQUALITY OF RIGHTS OF WOMEN
Shall Article 1 of the Constitution be amended, as agreed to by the Legislature, by the addition of the following paragraph?
"20A. Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged on account of sex. The Legislature shall by law provide for the enforcement of the provisions of this paragraph."[5]
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