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Massachusetts Question 4, Representative and Senatorial Districts Amendment (1970)
| Massachusetts Question 4 | |
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| Election date |
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| Topic Redistricting policy |
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| Status |
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| Type Legislatively referred constitutional amendment |
Origin |
Massachusetts Question 4 was on the ballot as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment in Massachusetts on November 3, 1970. It was approved.
A “yes” vote supported redividing state representative and senatorial districts. |
A “no” vote opposed redividing state representative and senatorial districts. |
Election results
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Massachusetts Question 4 |
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| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
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779,885 | 58.52% | ||
| No | 552,878 | 41.48% | ||
Text of measure
Ballot title
The ballot title for Question 4 was as follows:
| “ | Do you approve of the adoption of an amendment to the Constitution summarized below, which was approved by the General Court in a joint session of the two branches held July 15, 1968, received 181 votes in the affirmative and 66 in the negative, and in a joint session of the two branches held May 15, 1969, received 208 votes in the affirmative and 54 in the negative? | ” |
Ballot summary
The ballot summary for this measure was:
| “ |
The proposed Constitution amends the existing constitutional provisions which direct the division of the Commonwealth into 240 representative districts and 40 senatorial districts. It provides for a census of the inhabitants of each city and town in The Commonwealth in the year 1971 and in every tenth year thereafter. The census in 1971 is to be the basis for determining the representative and senatorial districts for me ten-year period beginning January 1, 1975. Each subsequent census shall be the basis for determining the districts for each ten-year period beginning the fourth January following each census, so that the census in 1981 will determine the districts as of January, 1985, etc. The amendment provides that the house of representatives shall consist of two hundred and forty members and the senate of forty members. In its first regular session following each census, the Legislature shall divide the Commonwealth to two hundred and forty representative districts of contiguous territory and forty senatorial districts so of contiguous territory. Each representative district shall contain, s nearly as may be, an equal number of inhabitants according to the census. Each senatorial district shall also contain as nearly as may be n equal number of inhabitants according to the census. A representative district shall not unite two or more counties, towns, or cities, or parts thereof, or a city and a town, or parts thereof, in one district unless the same is unavoidable. Further, no town of less than ix thousand inhabitants shall be divided in forming representative districts. It is also provided that the County of Dukes County and Nantucket County shall each be a representative district, notwithstanding the foregoing. The senatorial districts, each of which shall elect one Senator, shall be formed without uniting two counties or marts of two or more counties, unless the same is unavoidable. Each representative shall be an inhabitant of the district for which me is chosen at least one year immediately preceding his election, and each senator shall be an inhabitant of the district for which me is chosen at the time of his election and shall have been an inhabitant of the Commonwealth For at least five years immediately preceding his election. Any representative or senator who ceases to be an inhabitant of the Commonwealth shall cease to represent his district. The amendment also provides that The Legislature 11 may by law limit the time within which judicial proceedings may be instituted calling in question any such division and (2) shall prescribe by law the manner of calling and conducting elections for the choice of representatives and of ascertaining their election. Finally, the amendment annuls the existing constitutional provisions with respect to apportionment of representatives and senatorial districts, although those provisions will remain in effect until January 1, 1975. | ” |
Path to the ballot
- See also: Amending the Massachusetts Constitution
A simple majority vote is required during two successive joint legislative sessions for the Massachusetts State Legislature to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 101 votes in the joint session of the state legislature, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.
See also
External links
- William Francis Galvin Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, "Massachusetts Statewide Ballot Measures: 1919-Present"
- The Boston Globe, "CITY OF BOSTON STATE ELECTION," October 23, 1970
Footnotes
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