Opinion ID: 2096045
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution Reducing Residence Requirement for Voting to Thirty Days.

Text: Constitutional amendment. Resolved: Two-thirds of each branch of the Legislature concurring, that the following amendment to the Constitution of this State be proposed: Constitution, Article II, Section I, amended. The first sentence of section I of Article II of the Constitution, as amended, is further amended to read as follows: Every citizen of the United States of the age of eighteen years and upwards, excepting persons under guardianship for reasons of mental illness, having his or her residence established in this State for the term of six months thirty days next preceding any election, shall be an elector for Governor, Senators and Representatives, in the city, town or plantation where his or her residence has been established for the term of three months thirty days next preceding such election, and he or she shall continue to be an elector in such city, town or plantation for the period of three months thirty days after his or her removal therefrom, if he or she continues to reside in this State during such period, unless barred by the provisions of the second paragraph of this section; and the elections shall be by written ballot. Form of question and date when amendment shall be voted upon. Resolved: That the aldermen of cities, the selectmen of towns and the assessors of the several plantations of this State are empowered and directed to notify the inhabitants of their respective cities, towns and plantations to meet in the manner prescribed by law for calling and holding biennial meetings of said inhabitants for the election of Senators and Representatives at a special state-wide election on the Tuesday following the first Monday of November following the passage of this resolution to give in their votes upon the amendment proposed in the foregoing resolution, and the question shall be: Shall the Constitution be amended as proposed by a resolution of the Legislature reducing residence requirement for voting to thirty days? The inhabitants of said cities, towns and plantations shall vote by ballot on said question, and shall indicate by a cross or check mark placed against the words Yes or No their opinion of the same. The ballots shall be received, sorted, counted and declared in open ward, town and plantation meetings and returns made to the office of the Secretary of State in the same manner as votes for Governor and Members of the Legislature, and the Governor and Council shall review the same, and if it shall appear that a majority of the inhabitants voting on the question are in favor of the amendment, the Governor shall forthwith make known the fact by his proclamation, and the amendment shall thereupon, as of the date of said proclamation, become a part of the Constitution. Secretary of State shall prepare ballots. Resolved: That the Secretary of State shall prepare and furnish to the several cities, towns and plantations ballots and blank returns in conformity with the foregoing resolution, accompanied by a copy thereof.