Safe and Healthy Communities

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Citizens for Safe and Healthy Communities

Website Editorial: Two-Thirds Vote Is Democratic

The architects of America's democratic system wisely decided that many major issues should not be decided by a simple 50 percent majority.

Decisions that are easily changed, require fewer votes. For example, in elections where several candidates are running, the winner is the one with the most votes - which often is less than 50 percent of those cast. We accept this low percentage because an official can be turned out of office in the next election, if he or she does not perform as expected.

Similarly, many laws pass with a simple majority, because they readily can be changed, by another vote.

However, when an action can not readily be undone, or when the impact is serious and long lasting, we apply a higher standard such as the two-thirds majority vote. Most amendments to constitutions and by-laws require a two-third vote - whether they be for the nation as a whole or just for a local organization. We require a two-thirds vote for treaties, for lifetime appointments to the Supreme Court, and to impeach an official.

Under California law, new local taxes require a two-thirds vote of the people because taxes are hard to get rid of once they are imposed. Many of our long-term government bonds are approved by a two-thirds vote, because they must be be paid back by future taxpayers - who were not old enough to vote on the bonds for themselves.

In the extreme case, we require juries to vote unanimously before sending a person to prison. A simple majority is not good enough when such lasting action is taken regarding an individual's life.

The Safe and Healthy Communities Initiative, when passed, will require that two-thirds of the voters in the county agree, before any community is devastated by the construction of a nearby large jail, an airport, or a toxic dump. Once one of these projects is built, there is no way to undo the damage to the quality-of-life, and home values, of the impacted residents. American democratic principals require that this be allowed only if there is a clear will of the people.