Section 2. Same; initiative; referendum
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Amendment by petition and vote of electors. Submission of proposal; publication. Ballot, statement of purpose. Approval of proposal, effective date; conflicting amendments
Amendments may be proposed to this constitution by petition of the registered electors of this state. Every petition shall include the full text of the proposed amendment, and be signed by registered electors of the state equal in number to at least 10 percent of the total vote cast for all candidates for governor at the last preceding general election at which a governor was elected. Such petitions shall be filed with the person authorized by law to receive the same at least 120 days before the election at which the proposed amendment is to be voted upon. Any such petition shall be in the form, and shall be signed and circulated in such manner, as prescribed by law. The person authorized by law to receive such petition shall upon its receipt determine, as provided by law, the validity and sufficiency of the signatures on the petition, and make an official announcement thereof at least 60 days prior to the election at which the proposed amendment is to be voted upon.
Submission of proposal; publication
Any amendment proposed by such petition shall be submitted, not less than 120 days after it was filed, to the electors at the next general election. Such proposed amendment, existing provisions of the constitution which would be altered or abrogated thereby, and the question as it shall appear on the ballot shall be published in full as provided by law. Copies of such publication shall be posted in each polling place and furnished to news media as provided by law.
Ballot, statement of purpose
The ballot to be used in such election shall contain a statement of the purpose of the proposed amendment, expresses in not more than 100 words, exclusive of caption. Such statement of purpose and caption shall be prepared by the person authorized by law, and shall consist of a true and impartial statement of the purpose of the amendment in such language as shall create no prejudice for or against the proposed amendment.
Approval of proposal, effective date; conflicting amendments
If the proposed amendment is approved by a majority of the electors voting on the question, it shall become part of the constitution, and shall abrogate or amend existing provisions of the constitution at the end of 45 days after the date of the election at which it was approved. If two or more amendments approved by the electors at the same election conflict, that amendment receiving the highest affirmative vote shall prevail.
This item is based on 2 items:
Same; initiative; referendum
Amendments may also be proposed to this constitution by petition of the qualified and registered electors of this state. Every such petition shall include the full text of the amendment so proposed, and be signed by qualified and registered electors of the state equal in number to not less than 10 per centum of the total vote cast for all candidates for governor at the last preceding general election, at which a governor was elected. Petitions of qualified and registered electors proposing an amendment to this constitution shall be filed with the secretary of state or such other person or persons hereafter authorized by law to receive same at least 4 months before the election at which such proposed amendment is to be voted upon. The legislature may prescribe penalties for causing or aiding and abetting in causing any fictitious or forged name to be affixed to any petition, or for knowingly causing petitions bearing fictitious or forged names to be circulated. Upon receipt of said petition the secretary of state or other person or persons hereafter authorized by law shall canvass the same to ascertain if such petition has been signed by the requisite number of qualified and registered electors, and may, in determining the validity thereof, cause any doubtful signatures to be checked against the registration records by the clerk of any political subdivision in which said petitions were circulated, for properly determining the authenticity of such signatures. If the secretary of state or other person or persons hereafter authorized by law to receive and canvass same determines the petition is legal and in proper form and has been signed by the required number of qualified and registered electors, the proposed amendment shall be submitted to the electors at the next regular election at which any state officer is to be elected. An official declaration of the sufficiency or insufficiency of the petition shall be made by the secretary of state or such other person or persons as shall hereafter be authorized at least 2 months prior to such election. Any constitutional amendment initiated by the people as herein provided, shall take effect and become a part of the constitution if the same shall be approved by the number of qualified electors required in section 1 hereof for the approval of amendments proposed by the legislature, and not otherwise. Every amendment shall take effect 30 days after the election at which it is approved. The secretary of state or such other person or persons as may be hereafter authorized by law shall submit all proposed amendments to the constitution initiated by the people for adoption or rejection in compliance herewith. The petition shall consist of sheets in such form and having printed or written at the top thereof such heading as shall be designated or prescribed by the secretary of state, or such other person or persons hereafter authorized by law to receive, canvass and check the same. Such petition shall be signed by qualified and registered electors in person only with the residence address of such persons, showing street names and also residence numbers in cities and villages having street numbers, and the date of signing the same. To each of such petitions, which may consist of 1 or more sheets, shall be attached the affidavit of the qualified and registered electors circulating the same, who shall be required to identify himself by affixing his address below his signature, stating that each signature thereto was signed in the presence of such qualified and registered elector and is the genuine signature of the person signing the same, and that to the best knowledge and belief of the affiant each person signing the petition was at the time of signing a qualified and registered elector.
Same; initiative; referendum
Amendments may also be proposed to this constitution by petition of the qualified electors of this State. Every such petition shall include the full text of the amendment so proposed, and be signed by not less than ten per cent of the legal voters of the State. Initiative petitions proposing an amendment to this constitution shall be filed with the Secretary of State at least four months before the election at which such proposed amendment is to be voted upon. Upon receipt of such petition by the Secretary of State he shall canvass the same to ascertain if such petition has been signed by the requisite number of qualified electors, and if the same has been so signed, the proposed amendment shall be submitted to the electors at the next regular election at which any State officer is to be elected. Any constitutional amendment initiated by the people as herein provided, shall take effect and become a part of the constitution if the same shall be approved by a majority of the electors voting thereon and not otherwise. Every amendment shall take effect thirty days after the election at which it is approved. The total number of votes cast for Governor at the regular election last preceding the filing of any petition proposing an amendment to the constitution, shall be the basis upon which the number of legal voters necessary to sign such a petition shall be computed. The Secretary of State shall submit all proposed amendments to the constitution initiated by the people for adoption or rejection in compliance herewith. The petition shall consist of sheets in such form and having printed or written at the top thereof such heading as shall be designated or prescribed by the Secretary of State. Such petition shall be signed by qualified voters in person only with the residence address of such persons and the date of signing the same. To each of such petitions, which may consist of one or more sheets, shall be attached the affidavit of the elector circulating the same, stating that each signature thereto is the genuine signature of the person signing the same and that to the best knowledge and belief of the affiant each person signing the petition was at the time of signing a qualified elector. Such petition so verified shall be prima facie evidence that the signatures thereon are genuine, and that the persons signing the same are qualified electors. The text of all amendments to be submitted shall be published as constitutional amendments are now required to be published.
Same; initiative; referendum
Amendments may also be proposed to this constitution by petition of the qualified electors of this state but no proposed amendment shall be submitted to the electors unless the number of petitioners therefor shall exceed twenty per cent of the total number of electors voting for secretary of state at the preceding election of such officer. All petitions shall contain the full text of any proposed amendment, together with any existing provisions of the constitution which would be altered or abrogated thereby. Such petitions shall be signed at the regular registration or election places at a regular registration or election under the supervision of the officials thereof, who shall verify the genuineness of the signatures and certify the fact that the signers are registered electors of the respective townships and cities in which they reside, and shall forthwith forward the petitions to the secretary of state. All petitions for amendments filed with the secretary of state shall be certified by that officer to the legislature at the opening of its next regular session; and, when such petitions for any one proposed amendment shall be signed by not less than the required number of petitioners, he shall also submit the proposed amendment to the electors at the first regular election thereafter, unless the legislature in joint convention shall disapprove of the proposed amendment by a majority vote of the members elected. The legislature may, by a like vote, submit an alternative or a substitute proposal on the same subject. The action of the legislature shall be entered on the journal of each house, with the yeas and nays taken thereon. But no amendment to this section may be proposed in the manner herein prescribed.
If a majority of the electors qualified to vote for members of the legislature voting thereon shall ratify and approve any such amendment or amendments, the same shall become a part of the constitution: Provided, That for any amendment proposed under this section, the affirmative vote shall be not less than one-third of the highest number of votes cast at the said election for any office. In case alternative proposed amendments on the same subject are submitted at the same election, the vote shall be for one of such alternatives or against such proposed amendment as a whole. If the affirmative vote for one proposed amendment is the required majority of all the votes vast for against such proposed amendments, it shall become a part of the constitution. If the total affirmative vote for such alternative proposed amendments is the required majority of all the votes for and against them, but no one proposed amendments receives such majority, then the proposed amendment which receives the largest number of affirmative votes shall be submitted at the next regular election, and if it then receives the required majority of all the votes cast thereon it shall become a part of the constitution. The legislature shall enact appropriate laws to carry out the provisions of this section.