Vote YES – Public Ballot Question #4 in New Jersey on Nov 6, 2007

Should the words ‘idiot’ and ‘insane’ be removed from the                New Jersey Constitution ?

ABSOLUTELY!!!

Should these terms be replaced with more appropriate language ?

OF COURSE!!

Unfortunately, since 1844, these inappropriate and offensive words of ’idiot’ and ‘insane’  have been used to refer to people with disabilities in the State of New Jersey’s Constitution. Lets change it!

This is what will be listed on the Ballot for November 6, 2007

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT CONCERNING THE RIGHT TO VOTE FOR CERTAIN PERSONS
Shall the amendment of Article II, Section I, paragraph 6 of the Constitution, agreed to by the Legislature, revising the current constitutional language concerning denial of the right to vote by deleting the phrase “idiot or insane person” and providing instead that a “person who has been adjudicated by a court of competent jurisdiction to lack the capacity to understand the act of voting” shall not enjoy the right of suffrage, be adopted?

There will be an Interpretive Statement underneath that will read:
Approval of this amendment concerning the denial of the right to vote would delete the phrase “idiot or insane person” and replace that phrase with “person who has been adjudicated by a court of competent jurisdiction to lack the capacity to understand the act of voting” in describing those persons who shall be denied the right to vote. The phrase “idiot or insane person” is outdated, vague, offensive to many, and may be subject to misinterpretation. This constitutional amendment acknowledges that individuals with cognitive or emotional disabilities may otherwise be capable of making decisions in the voting booth and that their right of self-determination should be respected and protected in this regard. The amendment only denies the right of suffrage to those individuals determined by a court, on a case-by-case basis, to lack the capacity to understand the act of voting. 

resource : http://www.arcnj.org/html/ballot_question.html

So New Jersey people,

do the right thing 

 VOTE YES for public ballot question #4

Tags: 2007, NJ, November 6, Public Question #4, vote