This number increases at a much steadier
rate. If we go back to comparing 1962 to
1958, we find there was practically no in-
crease in the number of people who voted
for governor in 1962 over 1958. Therefore,
during that four-year period, despite the
fact that the number of registered voters
had increased, and the population had in-
creased, it was easier to get signatures,
despite the fact that for that four-year
period, there was practically no increase
in the number of signatures required, if
we applied the same percentages.
Consequently, we suggest that there will
be a much more practical and gradual af-
fecting of the number of signatures re-
quired if you use the basis which we have
suggested, the number of people who are
registered voters. It is much more relevant
to what you are trying to do, since every
registered voter can sign. It will result in
less upheaval at every election, simply
based upon whether the election was an
exciting one, a hot one, a well-organized
one.
In summary, let me say that we have
not attempted to knock down the referen-
dum by our amendment. We have attempted
to make it more usable by those who ought
to have the power to use it, and to make it
more difficult to use by those who would
misuse it.
Thank you.
THE CHAIRMAN: Are there any ques-
tions now for purposes of clarification?
DELEGATE HUTCHINSON: Mr.
President, first I would like to ask a ques-
tion of the Chair. Would it be possible to
vote on the two recommendations of the
Minority Report on separate votes, first,
increasing the number for the petition, and
second, increasing the number of days?
THE CHAIRMAN: Would you think
the question would be divisible? It seems
to the Chair it would be.
DELEGATE CHABOT: I suggest to the
Chairman that while as a theoretical mat-
ter, it may be divisible, as a practical mat-
ter, the two elements were combined to
form a package. Adoption of either one of
these elements without the other would so
change the package that we have presented
as to make it not acceptable to the movers
of this package.
THE CHAIRMAN: If the sponsors feel
it is a package, and since the Chair has not
had sufficient time to study it, the Chair
would have to rule it would not be divisible. |
DELEGATE HUTCHINSON: I would
like to ask a question of Delegate Chabot.
Do you have any idea how many signatures
would be required at present under the
prior proposal?
DELEGATE CHABOT: Yes, sir. This
is stated in the middle of page 3 of our
memorandum.
DELEGATE HUTCHINSON: Do you
have any idea how many would be required
in 1980.
DELEGATE CHABOT: This would de-
pend on the number of registered voters.
I would assume that as the population of
the State increased and the number of
registered voters increased, and parenthet-
ically both the density of the population
and the ease of obtaining signatures in-
creased, that this figure, too, would in-
crease.
THE CHAIRMAN: Any further ques-
tions? Delegate Rybczynski.
DELEGATE RYBCZYNSKI: Delegate
Chabot, is it not true that on the rolls of
all election boards there are a lot of people
who do not vote and the reason they do
not vote is that some of them are dead,
some have moved, and many are just plain
disinterested. Why would you want to use
their votes as a base for collecting signa-
tures to oppose a piece of legislation?
DELEGATE CHABOT: Delegate Rybc-
zynski, I would like to add to some of the
relevant facts that you have mentioned
the fact that many of these who were too
disinterested to vote might well sign a peti-
tion at the present time. Under either the
Committee's proposal, or under our pro-
posal, there are many people who regis-
tered after the last election who did not
vote at that time, but who could sign a
petition and increase your number. You
may well under the present proposal or
under any of the proposals thus far before
you obtain a valid petition without having
the signature of a single person who had
in fact voted in the last election. I suggest
that if you feel there is a substantial prob-
lem, and I agree with you that there prob-
ably is, as to the weeding out of improper
names on the registration books, then we
take care of this by appropriate methods
going to that question. I do not believe
that that would create any problem with
regard to the question before us.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Wheatley
was seeking the floor. Delegate Wheatley.
DELEGATE WHEATLEY: Would Dele-
gate Chabot yield for another question? |
