Model State Constitution, 20 Oct 1998

[Charles Fiterman]

>From ugly experience I propose the following additions.

Terms and conditions of elections may only be modified
by a citizen originated referendum. (the legislature
has lost all trust)

Petition requirements may never exceed 0.01% of the
electorate in the district where the election is to
be held. Nor may any issues or parties have preferred
status over others. (open ballot access)

Parities or interest blocks may be put on the ballot
which select candidates or advance candidates or any
combination of the two. Where this is done a vote for
the party or interest block will be counted and the
candidates they voted for will be counted. All counted
votes will be publicly reported regardless of how few
votes any candidate or party received. (interest groups
like friends of the spotted aardvark get counted. If 
they only get two votes everybody knows it.)

Candidates selected by an interest block will have
that noted under their name on the ballot. Candidates
may refuse such support selectively or in general. Voters
may vote of a party or interest group and override parts
of the implied ballot. (You can refuse the endorsement
of the American Nazis. You can vote straight aardvark
and override some or all implied votes.)

Candidates may designate successors to take their place
on the ballot in event of their death or other 
disqualification. If election is held before ballots
can be changed votes are counted as votes for the successor.
(assassination clause alas we need one)

Ballots shall be open to new candidates up to 7 days before
election but not after. No write in candidates will be
accepted. (open elections, but we get more election judges
if they can go home before midnight)

All district boundaries shall be compact, contiguous, on
precinct boundaries and selected by a standard computer
program which is informed of nothing but precinct boundaries
and populations. Once chosen the program may only be changed 
by voter initiated referendum. (no gerrymandering)