‘Time to ask NMI voters whether to have another ConCon’

It’s been almost 30 years since the last constitutional convention to amend the NMI Constitution and Senate President Edith E. DeLeon Guerrero (D-Saipan) believes now is the time to ask CNMI voters whether another constitutional convention should be held.

In response to Saipan Tribune’s request for comments, DeLeon Guerrero said yesterday that Senate Legislative Initiative 23-03, which she just introduced, is not proposing any amendments to the CNMI Constitution.

“It is only asking and giving the CNMI people the power to decide almost 30 years from the last constitutional convention if today is the time to convene another constitutional convention,” she pointed out.

DeLeon Guerrero stated in the legislative initiative that its purpose is to present the question of whether to convene another constitutional convention to the voters of the CNMI during the next general election. The question could potentially be asked voters on the Nov. 5, 2024, election.

She said the initiative does not advocate nor recommend any position, but only poses that question to voters. Pursuant to the NMI Constitution, the question requires the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the total votes cast.

The last time the question to hold another constitutional convention was presented to voters was in 2005. In that election, 7,394 votes favored convening the constitutional convention, while 5,156 voted against it, failing to garner the requisite two-thirds affirmative vote.

Since the CNMI Constitution became effective in 1978, it has been amended over 50 times. After the adoption of the CNMI Constitution by the First Constitutional Convention in 1978, two subsequent constitutional conventions convened.

In November 1985, voters ratified all 44 amendments proposed by the Second Constitutional Convention that was held in the same year.

In November 1995, all 19 amendments proposed by the Third Constitutional Convention held that same year failed to garner the requisite votes for ratification.

Edith E. DeLeon Guerrero