How Many States Are Needed To Ratify An Amendment To The Constitution?
The U.S. Constitution is the fundamental document of laws and principles which govern our nation. Amendments to this document require ratification by a certain number of states in order for them to become part of the governing law. But how many states must ratify an amendment in order for it to become valid? Let’s take a look.
What Is the Amendment Process?
The amendment process for the U.S. Constitution takes several steps to reach completion. Generally, an amendment is proposed which puts it through the scrutiny of all 50 states. Then, if the amendment is approved, it is sent to the states for ratification. It is important to note that an amendment cannot become part of the Constitution until it has been ratified by 3/4 of the states.
How Many States Are Needed To Ratify an Amendment?
According to Article V of the U.S. Constitution, an amendment must be ratified by 3/4 of the states in order to be added to the document. This means that since we are currently comprised of 50 states, the number of states needed is 38. In other words, if at least 38 out of 50 states ratify an amendment then it will be added to the Constitution.
Other Facts about Constitutional Ratification
In addition to needing 38 out of 50 states to ratify an amendment, there are a few other key facts that are worth noting. For instance, it is important to be aware of the timeline and history of the process. Since the first ten amendments were passed, only 17 additional amendments have been put into effect. This means that since 1789, only 27 of the total number of proposed amendments have been scrutinized and ratified.
It is also important to note that each of the 50 states is given only one vote when it comes to ratifying an amendment. This means that each state has an equal say in whether or not an amendment is passed.
Lastly, the most important fact to remember is that an amendment can never be ratified without at least 38 out of 50 states approving it. It doesn’t matter how many states decide to vote against the amendment, it will still fail to receive the necessary 3/4 vote without at least 38 states in favor.
History of Ratified Amendments
The First Ten Amendments
The first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution, known as The Bill of Rights, all needed to be ratified in order to become part of the document. The first of these amendments was passed by the states in 1789, while the last was passed in 1791. Despite all being ratified relatively quickly, the individual processes of ratification took a varying amount of time.
Rare Ratifications
The most recent amendment to be ratified was the 27th Amendment, which was passed in 1992. Interestingly, this amendment was first proposed in 1789 and had to wait more than 202 years before it was finally able to be added to the Constitution. This lengthy wait is due to the fact that 17 states needed to be in its favor before it could receive the ratifications it needed.
It is not a simple process, but it is an important one. It is essential for the protection of our nation’s governing laws and principles for 38 out of 50 states to ratify any proposed amendment. Though it may require a hefty amount of research and debate before an amendment is finally approved, the process is necessary for our nation to stay on the path of freedom and prosperity.
