High court gives GOP pair of amendment wins

[Valin]

West Central Tribune:

Minnesotans’ Nov. 6 ballots will show two proposed constitutional amendments with the titles the Republican-controlled Legislature wanted.

Don Davis

8/27/12

 

ST. PAUL — Minnesotans’ Nov. 6 ballots will show two proposed constitutional amendments with the titles the Republican-controlled Legislature wanted.

 

Four of six Minnesota Supreme Court justices ruled Monday that Secretary of State Mark Ritchie exceeded his authority in rewriting titles of the two amendments. The court ordered the Legislature-written titles to appear on ballots.

 

In another case, the same four justices ruled that the question voters will see on their ballots to require voters to produce photographic identification also will be as the Legislature wrote. The League of Women Voters and Common Cause challenged the question as being so vague that the court should have removed it from the ballot.

 

Titles on the amendments, like headlines on news stories, are important, Sen. Scott Newman, R-Hutchinson, said. “Unfortunately, there are a fair number of people who maybe don’t do the homework that they should. They will rely on what the title says.”

 

(Snip)