▁vot ers . ▁Ohio ▁County ▁was ▁the ▁only ▁one ▁where ▁the ▁majority ▁of ▁vot ers ▁rejected ▁the ▁new ▁constitution ▁( 3 1 5 ▁voted ▁in ▁favor ▁and ▁ 4 3 8 ▁opposed ). ▁ ▁On ▁September ▁ 3 , ▁ 1 8 5 1 , ▁Governor ▁Joseph ▁A . ▁Wright ▁issued ▁a ▁pro clam ation ▁cert ifying ▁the ▁favor able ▁results ▁for ▁the ▁new ▁constitution , ▁which ▁went ▁into ▁effect ▁on ▁November ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 8 5 1 . ▁Elect ed ▁officials ▁in ▁the ▁state ▁government ▁were ▁permitted ▁to ▁retain ▁their ▁seats ▁until ▁elections ▁were ▁held ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 8 5 2 , ▁but ▁had ▁to ▁take ▁an ▁o ath ▁to ▁u ph old ▁the ▁new ▁constitution . ▁Since ▁its ▁rat ification , ▁the ▁state ▁constitution ▁of ▁ 1 8 5 1 ▁has ▁been ▁am ended ▁several ▁times , ▁but ▁it ▁remains ▁the ▁highest ▁state ▁law ▁in ▁Indiana . ▁ ▁Notable ▁features ▁and ▁changes ▁The ▁new ▁constitution ▁did ▁not ▁rad ically ▁change ▁the ▁state ' s ▁existing ▁government . ▁Although ▁it ▁expanded ▁the ▁bill ▁of ▁rights ▁included ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 1 6 ▁document , ▁the ▁new ▁constitution ▁retained ▁other ▁features ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁basic ▁frame ▁of ▁a ▁limited ▁self - g overn ment ▁for ▁the ▁state . ▁The ▁ 1 8 5 1 ▁version , ▁which ▁was ▁longer ▁and ▁more ▁detailed ▁than ▁the ▁ 1 8 1 6 ▁constitution , ▁combined ▁" Jack son ian ▁Dem ocracy ▁with ▁a ▁vig orous ▁emphas is ▁on ▁economic ▁la isse z