Connecticut Question 1, Judicial Term Limits and Impeachment Procedures Amendment (1856)

Connecticut Question 1
Election date October 6, 1856
Topic Impeachment rules and Judicial term limits
Status Approved
Type Legislatively referred constitutional amendment	Origin State legislature

Connecticut Question 1 was on the ballot as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment in Connecticut on October 6, 1856. It was approved.

A "yes" vote supported amending the Connecticut Constitution to: establish a term length of eight years for judges of the supreme court of errors and the superior court; and establish a procedure for the governor to remove them after each house of the General Assembly, by a two-thirds vote, impeaches them.

A "no" vote opposed amending the Connecticut Constitution to: establish a term length of eight years for judges of the supreme court of errors and the superior court; and establish a procedure for the governor to remove them after each house of the General Assembly, by a two-thirds vote, impeaches them.

Election results

Connecticut Question 1
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		7,290	54.60%
No		6,062	45.40%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Question 1 was as follows:

“

The judges of the supreme court of errors and of the superior court appointed in the year 1855, and thereafter, shall hold their offices for the term of eight years, but may be removed by impeachment; and the governor shall also remove them on the address of two-thirds of each house of the general assembly. No judge of the supreme court of errors or of the superior court shall be capable of holding office after he shall arrive at the age of seventy years.

”

Path to the ballot

See also: Amending the Connecticut Constitution

In Connecticut, a constitutional amendment can be referred to the ballot after one legislative session or two legislative sessions depending on the vote count.

When an amendment receives a 75% vote in both legislative chambers, the amendment goes on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 114 votes in the Connecticut House of Representatives and 27 votes in the Connecticut State Senate, assuming no vacancies.

When an amendment receives a simple majority vote in both legislative chambers, the amendment must pass during two successive legislative sessions to go on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 76 votes in the Connecticut House of Representatives and 19 votes in the Connecticut State Senate, assuming no vacancies.

Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.

See also

1856 Measures

• 1856 Measures
• Impeachment rules on the ballot
• Judicial term limits on the ballot
• State executive powers and duties on the ballot
• State legislative authority on the ballot
• 1856 legislative sessions

Connecticut

• Connecticut ballot measures
• Connecticut ballot measure laws

News and analysis

• Ballot measure lawsuits
• Ballot measure readability
• Ballot measure polls

External links

• Connecticut Ballot Question Election Results Archive