Equality by lot

In November 2008, the following non-binding question was placed on the ballot of the Somerville district, MA:

Shall the state representative from this district be instructed to vote in favor of a proposal to amend the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to replace the state Legislature with 100 randomly selected adult residents of the Commonwealth, each serving a one year term, to be called the Commonwealth Jury and to have all the legislative and other powers of the current Legislature?

The upcoming vote triggered an exchange of mostly scornful comments at the Davis Square discussion board.

The initiator of the proposal was apparently, John Spritzler, Research Scientist at a major School of Public Health in Boston, MA. Spritzler reports that the question won the support of 23% of the voters.

Filed under: Initiatives, Sortition |