stonedseals t1_iupbfbq wrote
Reply to comment by motayba in Voters can erase racist wording in Alabama Constitution by motayba
Well we already passed the Amendment to allow it to be revised. It would be silly if we didn't ratify it now.
That's all this vote is, a ratification of the changes which we already voted yes to change.
Matthew_C1314 t1_iuph2c6 wrote
Wait. They have to ratify an amendment that was voted for by the people? Why would you need to? It’s like having to click “are you sure” when leaving a website.
GuudeSpelur t1_iupj8j3 wrote
All acts of the Alabama government come in the form of constitutional amendments. They literally do not have "laws" like any other state or country does. In order to hold a referendum, they have to pass an amendment to authorize the referendum.
If they want to so much as rename a post office in some sleepy little town, they have to pass a constitutional amendment.
Matthew_C1314 t1_iupk5g0 wrote
That is ridiculous. My understanding is other states have them proposed and get enough signatures to have it appear on the ballot. If it passes, it passes.
GuudeSpelur t1_iupl1dz wrote
Well you see, about 120 years ago, city governments in Alabama were passing local ordinances to try to treat black people slightly less like subhumans. The very fine people of the Alabama state government decided they couldn't be letting that kind of thing go on, so they rewrote the constitution to centralize 100% of governmental authority directly into the constitution, as written by the state government. Ever since, absolutely no act of governance happens in the state without having the state legislature go through the full constitutional amendment process.
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