HJ0143

LRB095 22557 RLC 52943 r






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HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, The proposed wording of the statewide referendum 
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on whether to call a constitutional convention, set to appear 
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on the November 4, 2008 General Election ballot, contains an 
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inappropriately biased "explanation of proposed call" 
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paragraph, which, among other things, informs voters that the 
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1988 constitutional convention referendum was defeated by a 
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margin of 75% to 25%; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Recounting the results of the 1988 referendum, 
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apart from being irrelevant to the consideration of the merits 
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of this year's question, violates State and federal 
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constitutional guarantees of a neutral, fairly-arbitrated 
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election; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The abrupt insertion of this fact, out of its 
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historical context, amounts to a subtle and derogatory argument 
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against the affirmative case for the calling of a convention; 
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and

 
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    WHEREAS, In addition to containing an impermissibly 
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prejudicial statement, the entire "explanation of proposed 
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call" paragraph is illegally appended to the constitutional 
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convention referendum question in blatant defiance of the 
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express command of Section 16-6 of the Election Code; and

 
 


 






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    WHEREAS, Illinois voters have the right, under the federal 
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Constitution, and the existing State constitution, to have free 
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and fair elections, devoid of misleading and superfluous ballot 
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language which, under the guise of educating voters, in fact 
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expresses the biases and preferences of political elites;


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therefore, be it


 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE  HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE 
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SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that the proposed ballot question 
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wording for the constitutional convention referendum is, 
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unconstitutional on its face, violative of State statute, and 
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therefore unacceptable; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That House Joint Resolution 137 notwithstanding, 
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the question of whether to call a constitutional convention 
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required by Article XIV of the Illinois Constitution to appear 
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on the November 4, 2008 general election ballot should be 
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reworded, and all ballots altered accordingly, to conform to 
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the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of 
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the State of Illinois, as well as the laws of the State of 
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Illinois, particularly  Section 16-6 of the Election Code, such 
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that voters are presented with the following question:
 
 
 


 






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       YES            For the calling
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----------       of a Constitutional

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       NO         Convention.

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