State ratifying conventions facts for kids

State ratifying conventions are one of the two ways established by Article Five of the United States Constitution for ratifying proposed constitutional amendments. Ratifying conventions have only been used on one occasion. This was in 1933 and was used to ratify the 21st Amendment. All other proposed constitutional amendments have been offered to the state legislatures for ratification.

The Constitution also provides that state ratifying conventions may also be used to propose a constitutional amendment. However, to date, none of the 27 amendments to the Constitution have been proposed by state conventions. A state ratifying convention may be called by a two-thirds vote by a state legislature.

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  The U.S. constitutional amendment process