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Different ways explored to resolve legal question on delegate election
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Posted on Jun 18 2008
Lawmakers are trying various ways to solve the legal question as to whether initiatives could be placed on the ballot this November.
The House of Representatives yesterday passed a bill to “localize” the federally mandated election for the Northern Marianas’ delegate to the U.S. Congress. The bill would also expand the definition of “regular general election” to include delegate elections, which will be held for the first time on Nov. 4 and every two years thereafter.
The Constitution requires that initiatives to amend the Constitution or a general law be placed on the ballot at a regular general election. The current definition of a “regular general election” only includes elections held in odd-numbered years on the first Saturday of November.
A separate resolution has been introduced in the Lower House to call a special election on Nov. 4 to ratify legislative and popular initiatives.
Rep. Heinz Hofschneider sponsored the resolution. He is undertaking two initiatives to amend the Constitution. One is to downsize the Legislature and the other is to amend the Commonwealth’s land alienation law.
Another legislative initiative passed by the previous Legislature is awaiting ratification. The initiative proposes to limit elected board members to two four-year terms. It would also increase the education system’s guaranteed budget from 15 percent to 25 percent of the general revenues of the Commonwealth.
In addition, there is a citizen-initiated proposal to re-apply the Open Government Act to the Legislature. Proponents of the popular initiative are hoping to get it voted on this election.
The House-passed delegate election bill would allow the governor to reprogram $60,000 from the budget of the soon-to-be-defunct Office of the Resident Representative to fund the election.
