Della’s Question of the Week #8: How many delegates should be elected to a Constitutional Convention?

[Della Au Belatti]

Turning away from substantive issues, this week’s question is prompted by Lt. Governor Duke Aiona’s ConCon Cost Task Force. At the Task Force’s June 26, 2008, meeting, State Budget and Finance Director Georgina Kawamura’s representative reported on some initial cost projections based on 25, 51, 76, and 102 delegates.

Opinion Polls & Market Research

I believe the rationale for these proposed numbers are based on the number of state senators (25), state representatives (51), combined number of state legislators (76), and two delegates per state representative district (2 x 51 = 102).

Thoughts or comments on these suggestions?

[Curtis Muraoka]

In '78, Hawaii was still a toddler as states go (less than 20 years old). It was the height of grassroots interest in politics: the Hawaiian Renaissance was in full swing; the Democratic Party was still in its heady salad days; 1960s hippies had grown up and settled down some--enough to enter or at least influence politics from the inside anyway.

Twenty years hence in 1998, many of these same folks were fearful of powerful special interests. Support of a Con Con was less than enthusiastic, even from some veterans of '78.

Since then, despite the fact that a Con Con was basically derailed because of union pressure, the Legislature has made many sincere inroads toward improving our constitution--but not as much as it could or should.

There are still issues that the Leg does not seem to have the political fortitude to attack in honest and candid fashion. Those very issues should be our focus in 2008.

That is why I don't think a full 102 delegate Con Con is needed at this juncture. I think it might be too unwieldy to use the Noah's Ark approach and insist on two of everyone. If you want anarchy to reign, insist on the-more-the-merrier approach.

A streamlined delegate count of 51 would lessen anonymity, force the convention to focus on a limited number of issues, yet still provide for representation of a fairly broad field.

As for special interests, with a single delegate from each representative district, the buck stops clearly at someone's feet. If your delegate sells out your interests, they will be remembered.

[Susan]

Think about the work of the ConCon. It's not done in the whole group; it's hammered out first in the small committees. If there is (for example - I think this was done in '78) one committee per article in the constitution, that's 17 committees (the 18th article was mainly housekeeping provisions). IMO you would need at least 102 members to staff the committees if each person were only on one committee (and whether that was done in 78 I don't know. 102 members would be 6 per committee. If each person were one two, that would be 12 per committee. Having members serve on 3 or more committees would be a tremendous scheduling headache.
...also, has it been decided how people will be placed on committees? What if the vast majority want to be on two committees, for example (Hawaii and Education)?

[Kaunaloa]

query -- how many were at the '78 concon? 102, right? if yes, good precedent was set. if not, would be curious how they arrived at whatever other figure they did and if said figure would still be relevant. 25 & 51 is too small imo to protect against a couple single issue groups riding roughshod over "regular" folks; 76 may be acceptable, with both that and 102 each voter is getting to choose 2 delegates i suppose ...