What are the key facts and issues surrounding the NY Constitution Convention? (Identifying facts)

After going through some articles that you and the group have contributed, what are some of the key facts of the NY state constitution convention?  What facts or statistics would an informed citizen need to know?  Please discuss with your group and add as many as your group can come up.  Reminder to check what the other people have posted and either extend their fact or add new ones.

8 thoughts on “What are the key facts and issues surrounding the NY Constitution Convention? (Identifying facts)

  1. The process for selecting the delegates and then how they will ratify the clauses is incredibly hazy. Once the voters elect to have a Con Con, the rest of the process may be largely out of their hands.

    • I wonder if a lot of people have considered the whole process. What is the process for selecting delegates? Is it a straight election on the ballot the next year?

      • This is what the NY Constitution states…

        ARTICLE XIX
        AMENDMENTS TO CONSTITUTION
        [Future constitutional conventions; how called; election of delegates; compensation; quorum; submission of amendments; officers; employees; rules; vacancies]
        “… the electors of every senate district of the state, as then organized, shall elect three delegates at the next ensuing general election, and the electors of the state voting at the same election shall elect fifteen delegates-at-large. The delegates so elected shall convene at the capitol on the first Tuesday of April next ensuing after their election, and shall continue their session until the business of such convention shall have been completed. Every delegate shall receive for his or her services the same compensation as shall then be annually payable to the members of the assembly and be reimbursed for actual traveling expenses, while the convention is in session, to the extent that a member of the assembly would then be entitled thereto in the case of a session of the legislature. A majority of the convention shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, and no amendment to the constitution shall be submitted for approval to the electors as hereinafter provided, unless by the assent of a majority of all the delegates elected to the convention, the ayes and noes being entered on the journal to be kept.”(https://www.dos.ny.gov/info/constitution/article_19_amendments.html)

  2. Key facts –

    -can happen every 20 years
    -the decision to have one or not will be made through a vote in November
    -the union is against a re-vote: even just the potential risk of losing benefits is no great to touch the constitution even if that meant putting in other new, more helpful provisions
    -once voters agree to have the con-con, there are no limits about what could happen-for some it is an opportunity to fix elements in a corrupt bureaucracy, while others are nervous that it could take away protections
    -further drives a wedge between people upstate vs people who live in the city
    -there are some people with a clear goal in mind who want to fight for this to happen, whereas the average NYer with no skin in the game don’t know this is happening or have any desire one way or another
    -there are so many different factions who each want specific outcomes and are willing to fight other factions to get it
    -people who want to legalize marijuana want to use this platform to get that through
    -people have a lack of confidence in the federal government and are turning toward states protections

  3. The last time a constitutional convention’s amendments were adopted was in 1938, which addressed social protections and transportation. A convention was last held in 1967, though its recommendations were rejected by voters.

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