The U.S. Constitution Series: Amendment 23 - D.C. Allowed to Vote for Prez

[OfTheCross]

Passed by Congress June 16, 1960. Ratified March 29, 1961.

Section 1.
The District constituting the seat of Government of the United States shall appoint in such manner as the Congress may direct:

A number of electors of President and Vice President equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives in Congress to which the District would be entitled if it were a State, but in no event more than the least populous State; they shall be in addition to those appointed by the States, but they shall be considered, for the purposes of the election of President and Vice President, to be electors appointed by a State; and they shall meet in the District and perform such duties as provided by the twelfth article of amendment.

Section 2.
The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

The Constitution: Amendments 11-27

Previous Threads:
Amendment 27
Amendment 26 - Voting Age
Amendment 25 - Presidential Disability
Amendment 24 - Poll Taxes Barred




What are your thoughts on Amendment 23 ?

Would you vote to Ratify it, Reject it or Modify it?

 

[mastermind]

Modify, statehood.

 

[OfTheCross]

Modify, statehood.

what would be the benefit to the residents of them becoming a State?

Has there ever been a vote on that idea? Is that something residents want?

 

[mastermind]

what would be the benefit to the residents of them becoming a State?

Has there ever been a vote on that idea? Is that something residents want?

THe benefits is having two senators and a representative in the house.

House of Rep just had a vote on it, and residents overwhelmingly support it.

 

[OfTheCross]

THe benefits is having two senators and a representative in the house.

House of Rep just had a vote on it, and residents overwhelmingly support it.

 

[King Static X]

what would be the benefit to the residents of them becoming a State?

Has there ever been a vote on that idea? Is that something residents want?

Yeah. DC held a statehood referendum in 2016. Statehood won with 86% of the vote.

 

[newworldafro]

I like DC as neutral ground, so giving them ability to vote for Presidents still makes residents part of process, but still preventing Senators and reps.

Ratify this one.

 

[Mr Rager]

Taxation without representation

 

[the cac mamba]

i cant wait til they make DC a state, 2 more permanent dem senators. rethugs are gonna be furious

its needed though the senate as-is does not represent america. its a trash system that's past its usefulness

 

[OfTheCross]

I'm thinking now...maybe no one should be allowed to live in DC...since they don't actually have representation.

Or maybe the residents should be allowed to vote in Maryland or Virgina's Statewide elections

 

[Professor Emeritus]

Modify, statehood.

THe benefits is having two senators and a representative in the house.

House of Rep just had a vote on it, and residents overwhelmingly support it.

My immediate thought as well.

Would be the only majority-black senate election in the entire USA. With 50 million black people in the country, it seems like there should be at least one, no? It's fukking crazy that Idaho + Wyoming + Montana + Utah + North Dakota + South Dakota + Alaska + Nebraska + Kansas + Oklahoma get two senators EACH (20 senators total, 40% of a majority) even though combined they only represent 17 million people, about 5% of the US population. And their views were already represented by the ruling party in another 10-11 small states. Where Black folk can be nearly 15% of the population and don't have even 2 senators who can represent their views unless they also please a few million White people in their state too.

 

[mastermind]

My immediate thought as well.

Would be the only majority-black senate election in the entire USA. With 50 million black people in the country, it seems like there should be at least one, no? It's fukking crazy that Idaho + Wyoming + Montana + Utah + North Dakota + South Dakota + Alaska + Nebraska + Kansas + Oklahoma get two senators EACH (20 senators total, 40% of a majority) even though combined they only represent 17 million people, about 5% of the US population. And their views were already represented by the ruling party in another 10-11 small states. Where Black folk can be nearly 15% of the population and don't have even 2 senators who can represent their views unless they also please a few million White people in their state too.

I agree that it's not gone anywhere due to racism.

 

[2Quik4UHoes]

I think this is a great start, not having a say politically is a disadvantage no matter what people think of voting these days. What I think would be interesting is to reincorporate the Virginia portion of DC and then have each side have their votes, senators, and reps counted through MD and VA. That way the increased population merits the voting rights. That would easily be a million plus.

It’s a niche topic politically, but both sides should be pushing for more states imo. Adds potential senators for both sides. Pacific island territories might lean more red while PR is kinda in the middle and VI/DC are more blue.

With that said, none of that will happen due to racism, etc.