Washington Randomly Selected State Legislature Measure, Initiative 1354 (2014)
| Not on Ballot |
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| This measure was not put on an election ballot |
The Washington Randomly Selected State Legislature Measure, Initiative 1354 was not on the November 4, 2014 ballot in Washington as an Initiative to the People. The measure would have encouraged the Washington State Legislature to hire a law firm to draft a constitutional amendment which would have provided for the selection of state legislators at random from the qualified electors of the state. The selection of decision makers by lottery is sometimes called "sortition." It would have allowed private deliberation and votes by the legislature. It would also have paid the citizen-legislators and provided them with lodging, food and medical care. Interference with the legislature, interference with the selection of legislators or failing to serve if selected would all have been punishable by law. Even if this measure had been approved by voters, it would have had no binding authority to force the state legislature to draft such a constitutional amendment, which would have subsequently required two-thirds legislative approval and a majority approval by voters at a general election.[1]
Text of measure
Ballot title
The official ballot title read as follows:[1]
| “ | Initiative Measure No. 1354 concerns the legislature.
This measure would encourage the legislature to pay a law firm to write a constitutional amendment creating a randomly-selected legislature that could deliberate and vote in private, and punishing interference with the legislature. Should this measure be enacted into law? Yes [ ] No [ ][2] |
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Ballot measure summary
The official ballot summary read as follows:[1]
| “ | This measure would encourage the legislature to pay a law firm to write a constitutional amendment to create a legislature of at least one hundred members selected at random from eligible voters. Legislators could deliberate and vote in private, and would be paid and provided with lodging, food, security, and medical care. Persons who interfere with legislative actions or the selection of legislators, or who fail to serve if selected, would be subject to punishment.[2] | ” |
Support
John Woods was the primary sponsor of Initiative 1354's proposal.[1]
Path to the ballot
Supporters were required to collect at least 246,372 valid signatures by July 3, 2014 in order to land the initiative on the ballot. No signatures were submitted by the prescribed deadline.[1]
See also
- 2014 ballot measures
- Washington 2014 ballot measures
- Laws governing the initiative process in Washington
External links
Footnotes
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State of Washington Olympia (capital) |
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