Opinion ID: 2604575
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: As Written, the Plain Language of Article XVII, Section 2, Used in its Natural Sense, Includes Blank Ballots and Over Votes.

Text: Section 1 of article XVII prescribes two methods for initiating revisions or amendments to the Hawai`i Constitution: by constitutional convention or by the legislature. Section 2 describes the procedures for calling a constitutional convention, electing delegates, and ratifying revisions and amendments proposed by the convention. The relevant language of article XVII, section 2, which has remained largely unchanged since it was drafted by the delegates to the Constitutional Convention of 1950 and ratified by plebiscite in both 1950 and 1959, see 1 Proceedings of the Constitutional Convention of Hawai`i 1950, at xi (1960) [hereinafter, 1 Proceedings 1950 ], [2] provides as follows: