Public Responses to State Constitutional Revision.

Using simple correlations and step-wise multiple regression analyses, we examine the bases of public support and opposition for seven constitutional revision calls and nine ratification referenda in the American states. On the calls, increased support for conventions came from among higher socio-economic groups or from a combination of these groups and specific partisan support within a state. Contextual variables accounted for 75 percent of the variance in three of five states where we could use the step-wise analysis, but less than 50 percent in the other two. On ratification, the same general pattern appeared. In three states the contextual variables were more powerful on the call. The call as an independent variable did not add much cumulative explanation of variance, but it was associated with support for ratification in five of seven states. The conventions and the constitutions they produce act as intervening variables in the public consciousness, probably through the mechanism of the ratification campaigns. There are state-to-state uniformities of behavior on constitutional revision, though state uniqueness of culture or circumstance can result in exceptional behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]