NYPEOPLESCONVENTION.ORG THE NEW YORK CONSTITUTION OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017 9
Vote YES for
constitutional
convention
Municipal races may
dominate the attention
and the
ballot this November, but
there is one thing about
this election that no voter
should overlook.
Every 20 years, New York
State voters are given a ballot
question on whether to
call for a state constitutional
convention. The last vote
came in 1997, so alas, it’s
time once again for Empire
State voters to answer such
an important question.
In the weeks leading up
to Election Day, you’ll hear
more about this referendum
from its supporters and detractors
alike. But make no
mistake — if voters want to
really change the way Albany
operates on a colossal scale,
this is the perfect opportunity
to do it.
People have become numb
to dysfunction in Albany.
It comes in many forms:
internal power struggles,
public corruption charges,
stalled government reform
efforts, gerrymandering,
the “three men in the room”
that seemingly make all the
important decisions when it
comes to state government.
The list goes on and on.
Much of the problem in
Albany stems from a state
constitution filled with
antiquated statutes that
either make it difficult to
modernize state government
and remedy problems, or
give the status quo the protection
needed to preserve
the dysfunction and mollify
special interests that benefit
from it.
New Yorkers can use the
constitutional convention as
a way to reform state government
from the inside out,
and make the Empire State
the national, progressive
trendsetter it proclaims
itself to be. But some,
however, fear that the convention
will turn our state
into something that doesn’t
ref lect progressivism or
New York values as a whole.
Those fears are unfounded.
Vot ing yes on this
November’s amendment
merely sets into motion
the constitut ional convention
process; it does not
nullify the laws already on
the books. The people who
vote yes or no on the convention
will be asked again
to vote for constitutional
delegates: 3 in each of the
state’s 63 senate districts,
plus 15 at-large delegates.
Those delegates will then
propose a brand-new
constitution or a series of
amendments that can only
be ratified by the voters of
New York in yet another
ballot referendum.
In other words, New York
voters who have the power
to start a constitutional
convention also have the
power to stop a convention’s
proposals dead in its tracks.
If we want our state
government to work for us
again — to guarantee equal
rights for women, to legalize
marijuana, to institute term
limits on state lawmakers,
to stop gerrymandering,
among other issues — then
a constitutional convention
is our best hope at making
it happen.
We urge you vote “Yes”
for a Constitutional convention
on Nov. 7.
Convention Timeline
New York’s Constitutional Convention referendum
must be placed on the Nov. 7, 2017 ballot as
specified in New York’s Constitution
VOTE
November 7, 2017
New Yorkers vote whether
to hold a Convention
YES
VOTE
November 6, 2018
New Yorkers elect delegates to represent
them at the Convention
VOTE
April 2, 2019
The Convention convenes. Over the months
that follow the delegates propose
amendments to the state Constitution
November 5, 2019
New Yorkers vote on event amendment
proposed by the Convention
NO
RATIFY REJECT
Amendment
Ratified
Amendment
Rejected
No
Convention
AS APPEARED IN...
SEPTEMBER 21, 2017
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