Thursday, March 17, 2011

Harvannah To Switch To Two-Year Gubernatorial Terms

Measure needed 60 per cent to pass


CLEVEY SPRINGS, Harvannah--The voters of Harvannah have voted to reduce the governor's term from four years to two.

Harvannah Secretary of State Jennifer Giorchani told the NPF Wednesday evening the elections data for State Measure 67 has been finalized.

The vote was held back during the December 2010 election, but the count was never publicized or certified due to litigation over the validity of the elections process.

But on Wednesday, the lawsuit against the state was thrown out, and the numbers were released by Giorchani's office. Those numbers show Harvannans narrowly approved Measure 67, which called for a reduction in a governor's term from the current four years to two.

"Approving Measure 67 means voters will elect a new governor every two years, as opposed to the current four year system we have now," Todd Garrett, spokesman for Greater Democracy, the main group behind the measure, said. "We are thrilled this passed, finally."

Proponents of the measure, namely Greater Democracy and the state Conservative Party, said it would allow voters to elect a governor more often, giving average citizens a stronger voice in state politics and lessening the power of the governorship.

Opponents, including Nationalist incumbent Gov. Mark Andres, said the measure would complicate Harvannah elections, cost more money, and reduce the effectiveness of government.

"If a governor has to face election every two years, then it's going to be very difficult for he or she to get a decent agenda passed through the legislature in that amount of time. Two years is just not enough time," Andres told the Harlyne Sun newspaper back in August 2010.

This wasn't the first time the idea was proposed. Back in 2008, backers of the two-year term idea got the measure on the ballot. It passed, but did not earn the necessary 60 per cent needed to amend the state's constitution.

This time around, however, just over 60 per cent of voters approved the measure. That means the state's constitution will now be amended, and Gov. Mark Andres will be running for a two-year term in 2012 when he's up for re-election.

While the measure calls for two-year terms, it does not provide for any term limits, so candidates can serve as many terms as they'd like, so long as they're elected.

Under the measure, the lieutenant governor also will be elected to two-year terms, while the positions of Attorney General and Secretary of State will remain four-year terms, something critics say is unfair.

"How is it that the governor and lieutenant governor will only be elected for two years but the AG and secretary of state will keep serving four?" state Sen. Jim McGibbons (N-Henotia) told the Sun.

Supporters of Measure 67 say the answer is simple: the governorship and lieutenant governorship are decidedly political positions, while attorney general and secretary of state are more non-partisan, in nature.

"The governor and lieutenant governor positions are much more ideologically-driven, much more political than the attorney general or secretary of state, who have no real interest in a political agenda but in protecting the people of Harvannah," state Rep. Gerry Edmundson (C-Ashfords Landing) said on WCVS 1050 am radio.

Opponents of Measure 67 have 90 days to appeal the voters' decision.

If Measure 67 survives a potential legal challenge, Harvannah will become the second state in the country to elect a governor every two years rather than four. New Portsmouth is the only state to currently employ the two-year term.

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