Court Opinion

ID: 9883427
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-10-06 01:42:33.342322+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:48:23.249342
License: Public Domain

TAYLOR, Justice
(concurring specially).
I concur in the majority opinion except that I would also resolve the issue as to whether an initiative measure may be submitted to the voters at a general election at which the office of governor is not to be filled. This issue was argued and submitted on this appeal. It being a question of great public importance, it should be resolved in order to avoid confusion in the future.
It is appellant’s position that an initiative is proper at every biennial general election, regardless of whether a governor is to be elected. Although the respondent attorney general does not challenge this contention, it is attacked by respondent Idaho Mining Association and by amici curiae. Both argue that the constitution limits initiatives to election years in which the governor’s office is to be filled.
Idaho Constitution, art. Ill, § 1, in reserving the initiative power to the people, provides that:
“ * * * legal voters may, under such conditions and in such manner as may be provided by acts of the legislature, initiate any desired legislation and cause the same to be submitted to the vote of the people at a general election for their approval or rejection provided that legislation thus submitted shall require the approval of a number of voters equal to a majority of the aggregate vote cast for the office of governor at such general election to be adopted.”
Appellant argues that the clause referring to the number of votes cast for governor is “directory” only; that it constitutes only a measure for determining the adoption or rejection of the initiative and does not purport to govern the time for holding an initiative. It is to be noted however, that the clause specifically refers to the votes cast for governor “at such general election,” [emphasis added] clearly indicating that a governor is to be elected in the same general election. It is also noteworthy that the constitution authorizes the initiative at “a” general election, rather than at any general election, which indicates that an initiative need not be held available at all general elections; rather, the conclusion is unavoidable that the constitution as now amended provides for the submission of initiative measures only at gubernatorial general elections.
At the time the constitution was amended in 1912 to allow the initiative, a governor *486was elected every two years. In 1944, art. 4, § 1, of the constitution was amended, extending the governor’s term from two to four years.
Appellant contends that if the amendment extending the governor’s term is construed as limiting initiatives to quadrennial elections, art. 3, § 1, must be regarded as ■•■amended by implication, likewise, to limit initiative measures to quadrennial elections. ^Such a construction, it is agreed, would violate art. 20, § 2, which prohibits a constitutional amendment from dealing with more than one subject. Therefore, the appellant argues, the provision allowing initiatives at every biennial election remains in effect. On the contrary, the amendment of art. 4, § 2, extending the governor’s term to four years did not make that section inconsistent with art. 3, § 1, which remains unchanged;2 it authorizes initiative proposals at “a” general election at which the governor is elected, albeit such elections are now less frequent. Amendment by implication is not favored, especially when constitutional provisions are involved, and can be justified only where the two provisions are irreconcilable.
Since the office of governor is not to be filled at the election to be held in November, 1968, the proposed initiative measure cannot be placed upon the ballot to be voted upon at that election.

. See H.J.R. No. 7, S.L.1933, pp. 473-4. Tlie proposed amendment to eliminate the requirement that adoption of an initiative measure must be by vote equal to a majority of the vote east for governor, was rejected by the voters at the general election in 1934.