Delaware Constitution of 1853 Ratification Measure (October 1853)
| Delaware Constitution of 1853 Ratification Measure | |
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| Topic State constitution ratification |
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| Type Constitutional convention referral |
Origin |
Delaware Constitution of 1853 Ratification Measure was on the ballot as a constitutional convention referral in Delaware on October 11, 1853. It was defeated.
A "yes" vote supported ratifying the proposed Constitution of 1853. |
A "no" vote opposed ratifying the proposed Constitution of 1853. |
Election results
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Delaware Constitution of 1853 Ratification Measure |
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| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
| Yes | 2,716 | 36.25% | ||
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4,777 | 63.75% | ||
Path to the ballot
The Delaware General Assembly passed legislation for a state constitutional convention on February 4, 1852. The Delaware Constitutional Convention of 1852-1853 convened on December 7, 1852, and selected Truston B. McColley, a businessman and preacher from Milford, to serve as convention president. Delegates debated whether the convention was legitimate under the existing 1831 Constitution, which said, "No Convention shall be called but by authority of the people. ... and if a majority of all the citizens of the State having a right to vote for representatives vote for a Convention, the next General Assembly shall call one."[1] On November 4, 1851, a majority of voters supported a constitutional convention question, but it did not receive approval from a majority of all eligible citizens. Delegate Andrew C. Gray (Whig) introduced a resolution stating that the convention lacked constitutional power. Some, including former Gov. David Hazzard (Whig), resigned from the convention. According to Randy Holland, "... as part of resolving the dispute over the legitimacy of the convention, the delegates had unanimously decided to submit the final product to the people of Delaware for ratification. Before adjourning, the convention set October 11, 1853, as the date for this vote. Only twenty-one of the original thirty delegates signed the final document."[2]
See also
Footnotes
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