Gubernatorial Succession Study
Stage One: Ballot Question Consensus - Explanation
and Schedule
At the May 2005 biennial convention of the League of Women
Voters of New Jersey, delegates approved a non-recommended study of
gubernatorial succession. Although the League does not have a formal
position on gubernatorial succession, we did support creating the office
of Lieutenant Governor at the 1947 Constitutional Convention, but were
unable to gain support from the majority of delegates.
Shortly after the May 2005 convention, the study committee
received the precise wording of a proposed amendment to the New Jersey
constitution which will appear as a ballot question on November 8, 2005.
The ballot question asks voters to approve the establishment of the
office of Lieutenant Governor effective for the election of 2009.
Given the immediacy of the question of gubernatorial succession,
the study committee refocused its short-term work from a broad-scale
study of succession as approved by convention delegates, to an analysis
of the ballot question to be presented to New Jersey voters on November
8, 2005. Depending on the outcome of the ballot question, the study
will continue to stage two after the election. Here is the timetable
for completing stage one:
-
-
Saturday, September 10 - 9:00 - 11 a.m. at
Eagleton Institute in New Brunswick ( directions):
a free panel with Ingrid Reed from Eagleton and two state senators,
Minority Leader Leonard Lance who opposed the ballot question and
Senator Barbara Buono, who voted yes to put the question on the ballot
for November 8.
-
September 15: The state office will send out
a brief one-question survey to local
Leagues and MALs asking what position LWVNJ should take on the
ballot question. The questionnaire will also provide for additional
room for comments. Except for the individual MALs, we are looking
for local League and MAL unit responses as a group. Please convene
a meeting before Oct. 7th to discuss this issue.
-
October 7: Local League and MAL responses to
state office DUE (may be done by fax or by e-mail (please note
"ballot question" in subject line).
-
October 15: LWVNJ State Board determines if
we have a consensus to take action. If so, the LWVNJ State Office
will prepare press releases and a press conference.
Thank you for your attention to and participation in this
exciting opportunity to have a timely position on gubernatorial succession.
The Study Committee:
Roberta Spray (Chair. tel: 973-299-0919), Joy Buchfirer, Minna Greenberg,
Lucy Heller, Sue Lederman, Jeana Macleod, Machiko Nagata, Louise Murray
and Michelle Bobrow (LWVNJ Board representatives), Danzey Burnham (Executive
Director)
|
