There’s been a lot of talk recently about how delegates might be selected to a constitutional convention.
The state constitution provides a method: elections. "Delegates to a constitutional convention shall be voters elected from districts as nearly equal in population as may be practicable."
The last constitutional convention, in 1878 and 1879, offered elections with a twist. 120 of the 152 delegates were elected from districts (representing counties). The other 32 were elected at large. When the then-governor showed up, several delegates yelled at him, claiming that they had a popular mandate to be there and he had none. (The governor quickly left his post as chair).
Recently, several folks (including Steve Hill of the New America Foundation, which employs me) have suggested that the constitutional convention delegates be selected, wholly or in part, randomly from the citizenry.
Many arguments are being made for this. (A few of the better ones are here). But the simplest – and best — argument is that those responsible for California’s constitutional troubles should be the ones to fix it.
Yes, you can blame politicians for a lot of California’s problems. But there can be no argument – from left, right or center – with the plain fact that the voting public is to blame for California’s constitutional defects. Only the people can alter the document (either through initiative or by voting to approve constitutional amendments put on the ballot by the legislature).
So let the citizens clean up their own mess.