Modify the constitution of the state of Minnesota in relation to the Organization, and Election of the legislature.

 

To limit polarization, inefficiencies in the legislature, political duopoly and to expand popular input into governance.

 

American politics has undergone a fundamental shift in the past decade. No longer do the two political parties represent

two sides of the same core ideology. America is in a period where two ideals of civic virtue are in conflict. The

current system for the election of the legislature is inadequate to ensure good governance and domestic stability in

such a time. To ensure the continuation of good governance in the State of Minnesota, the following statutes shall be

enacted if passed in a referendum

1 The State Senate and State House of Minnesota shall be permanently dissolved.

2 On the first Tuesday after the second Monday of January 2027 the House of Delegates shall be established with all

powers, privileges, responsibilities, and rules of the State Senate and State House of Minnesota

3 Three sets of representatives shall be selected. All representatives must be endorsed by a political party. The first

will be selected from the current state senate districts, by means of first past the post plurality voting. Elections of

this nature will occur every four years.

4 Each political party recognized by the secretary of state must submit an ordered list of candidates equal to the cube

root of the population of Minnesota rounded up, as defined by the last federal census. If a party submits a list of

candidates they will appear on the ballot as a state list option which will be separate from the district election. A

number of candidates on the list will be selected to have the closest possible number of members to the cube root of the

state population, where the party composition is within one divided by the cube root times one hundred percent of the

total party list vote result.

5 If two parties have received over 80% of seats then an additional number of seats equal to 10% of the total seats

shall be added for that session of the House of Delegates which will be allotted to parties other than the top two

parties based on the total number of party list votes via the Hare Method.

6 In the case of a member elected by a district being unable or ineligible to serve a special election to select a new

member shall be elected via special election as defined by the relevant state law.

7 In the case of a member being selected from a party list being unable, or ineligible to serve, the highest ranked

eligible candidate on their political party’s list will assume their position.

 

The Hare method is here defined as a method for seat allocation where the total population of votes for parties outside

of the two parties receiving 80% of the vote shall be divided by the number of seats to be allocated. This shall then be

rounded down, and then each party shall receive seats equal to this number. All seats which are not assigned shall be

given to the parties with the highest decimal in their quota.

 

All members of the house of delegates shall be paid the median weekly wage of the state of Minnesota on the Friday of

every week the house is in session. Delegates may claim a per menis for housing if their domicile is more than forty

miles from the state capital which shall be set by the House of Delegates, Delegates may claim a per diem for

transportation if their domicile is more than ten miles away from the state capitol. The amount of this per diem shall

be set by the house of Delegates.

If the state government has a lapse in appropriation a two week extension of government funding at the exact rates

before the lapse will be enforced, unless there is a contriving act by the House of Delegates.

 

Not Applicable

 

A referendum on the adoption of this amendment will take place during the next general election.

Upon the passage of that referendum all members of the house of representatives and senate of the state of Minnesota

will end on the Second Monday of January of the second odd number year after the passage of the referendum.

All sections except for section 1 will come into force upon the next adjournment of the regular sessions of both the

State House and Senate after the passage of the referendum.

Section one will come into effect on the Second Monday of January of the second odd numbered year after the passage of

the referendum.