Re-Districting Information for Governors

[Peter]

Would either the Supreme Court or the Attorney General care to express an opinion on whether with vacant governorships the number of governors needed to approve a plan remains the same or does it decrease.  i.e, if Governor Seige40 wins the Senate race whether we will the approval of 2/3 of 5 governors which is 4 and thus impossible or the approval of 2/3 of 3 governors and thus possible.

The Supreme Court cannot rule unless it actually has a case, and soon, hopefully, won't be able to rule unless the plaintiff has standing. I'll have a look at it over the next few hours and give you an opinion on the matter myself though.

[Peter]

I read all the relevant bits of the Constitution. I am of the opinion that it would disenfranchise regions if they did not have a chance for their voice to be heard in the redistricting process. I will not consider a vote will be valid unless all Governorships are occupied at the time a vote is taken.

[Peter]

Does that mean you would consider a vote of four governors for a proposal to be invalid because the fifth governorship was vacant even tho four governors out of five would be sufficient to pass a plan if all were filled?

Yes. All regions have the right to have input into the redistricting plan and to come a comprimise amenable to all regions. I consider that all five regions have the right to be heard in the deliberations, the only way I have of objectively testing this is to make sure that all governorships are occupied at the time the vote takes place.

[Peter]

Given the extraordinary nature of redistricting the States into new Districts, I feel it is necessary that all Regions submit a delegation so as not to violate Amendment V of the Bill of Rights - equality is no longer ensured if one Region is disenfranchised because of vacancy in its Governorship.  Equality is a guaranteed right in the process of elections, I consider this to extend to the deciding of electoral boundaries; This is only ensured where all Governors are present.

On a more practical note: In all likelihood, you will have a full quorum by next Monday, and elections are not until December 10th, so I'm personally not too worried.

[Peter]

Yes it will. Assuming of course that we get done by then. I'm not really sure what happens if we don't.

[Peter]

Really the Senate ought to think about setting a date via legislation that the census is taken on every four months - this would then eliminate the constant recalculation of numbers.

I am going to move to Indiana in the not too distant future - I will do it before the re-registration deadline for the midterms, but I can do it forthwith if this helps the redistricting process.