Two non-binding questions on November ballot

[ron_newman]

By now, everyone should know that that November's ballot has three statewide binding questions. But if you live in Denise Provost's state rep district (27th Middlesex, covering about half of Somerville), your ballot will also contain these two non-binding "public policy" questions:

Question 4: Shall the state representative from this district be instructed to vote in favor of a non-binding resolution calling on the federal government to support the right of all people, including non-Jewish Palestinian citizens of Israel, to live free from laws that give more rights to people of one religion than another? (EDIT: This is also on the ballot in Alice Wolf's 25th Middlesex district, covering about half of Cambridge.)

Question 5: Shall the state representative from this district be instructed to vote in favor of amending the state Constitution 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?

Question 4 is the Somerville Divestment Project's latest local campaign; you can read here and here about the two (failed) questions they put on the 2006 ballot. Regardless of the merits of their proposals, I strongly dislike the way this organization operates and the way they attempt to divide Somerville residents.

I haven't a clue who's behind Question 5. Perhaps someone who's a fan of ancient Greek democracies, and wants to try replicating their structures here? EDIT: No, actually it's this guy who doesn't even live in Somerville.

(If you live in Cambridge, Medford, or Arlington, you may have different non-binding questions than the ones I listed here. Any 200 voters can put questions like this on the ballot.)

Comments

[ilai]

I've been wondering about them since a friend showed me their brochures over the weekend--I couldn't find a reference to a list of them online. How does one actually find out about these local ballot questions, other than getting the brochures on your doorstep? (I live in Carl Sciortino's district so I guess we don't get to vote on those.)

[ron_newman]

You saw a brochure about the non-binding questions? What does it look like?

[ilai]

There were actually separate brochures for each question. Both of them were on white glossy paper with various garish primary colors on them--I think both one was a pamphlet folded in three and the other one just folded in half, but I don't remember precisely.

[ron_newman]

I'd love to see those, if you can get a hold of them and scan them in.

[xlerb.livejournal.com]

I recall seeing a pamphlet or two on Question 4 set out in front of Tags in Porter a couple weeks ago, but I didn't take one.

[aquaflame16.livejournal.com]

these brochures showed up in my mailbox about a week ago (I think). The question 4 one was tucked inside the question 5 one, but I chucked it in disgust the minute I looked at it, as I have about the same opinion you do about SDP and their tactics. The question 5 one I saved to show the ridiculousness to my husband (their arguments are almost funnier than the question itself!) so I still have that.

Here is the outside (http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa55/aquaflame16/question5brochure002-1.jpg)and the inside (http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa55/aquaflame16/question5brochure001-1.jpg). Sorry they are a bit blurry, hopefully they are still somewhat legible if you zoom in.

[ron_newman]

Thank you! I could read that just fine.

[aquaflame16.livejournal.com]

you're welcome, glad that worked okay.

I noticed, btw, in scanning this, which I hadn't read all of in detail before, that there is a very small line at the end on the back that says it is endorsed by SDP. interesting.

[ron_newman]

That makes sense if one leaflet was inside the other. Did it have US postage and a mailing address on it, or did someone just stuff it into your mailbox?

[aquaflame16.livejournal.com]

just stuffed (technically not in my mailbox but in a separate bin my landlord has out for catalogs/flyers/etc. because our mailbox is pretty small)

[ilai]

I've checked with a few people, and they've all recycled them or otherwise done away with them, unsurprisingly :-) I'll check with others though.