Rhode Island Question 2, Judicial Nominating Commission, Discipline Authority, and Mandatory Retirement Age Amendment (1986)

Rhode Island Question 2
Election date November 4, 1986
Topic Age limits for officials and State judicial selection
Status Defeated
Type Legislatively referred constitutional amendment	Origin State legislature

Rhode Island Question 2 was on the ballot as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment in Rhode Island on November 4, 1986. It was defeated.

A "yes" vote supported this constitutional amendment to: establish an independent commission to nominate judicial candidates for appointment, with the legislature selecting from nominees for Supreme Court and the governor selecting from nominees for other judicial vacancies; empower the commission to investigate and discipline judges, including removal; and set a mandatory judicial retirement age of 72.

A "no" vote opposed establishing an independent commission for judicial nominations, authorizing the commission to discipline judges, and setting a mandatory retirement age of 72 for judges.

Election results

Rhode Island Question 2
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		126,535	46.16%
No		147,587	53.84%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Question 2 was as follows:

“

Shall a non-partisan, independent commission be established to nominate judges for appointment by the general assembly in the case of supreme court vacancies and for appointment by the governor in the case of vacancies in other courts? Shall the commission have authority to discipline or remove all judges? Shall judges appointed hereafter be required to retire at 72 years of age? Shall the duty of the supreme court to give advisory opinions be abolished?

”

Full Text

The full text of this measure is available here.

Path to the ballot

See also: Amending the Rhode Island Constitution

The Rhode Island Constitutional Convention of 1986 voted to place Resolution 86-00080-A on the ballot as Question 2. In 1984, voters approved a question to hold the state constitutional convention.

See also

1986 Measures

• 1986 Measures
• Age limits for officials on the ballot
• State judicial selection on the ballot
• State judiciary oversight on the ballot
• 1986 legislative sessions

Rhode Island

• Rhode Island ballot measures
• Rhode Island ballot measure laws

News and analysis

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

External links

• Rhode Island Constitutional Convention 1986 Voter's Guide