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February 2003 Press
Release
Constitutional Amendment Information
Available - February 03, 2003
Secretary of State
Offers New Web Based Resource
Secretary of State Markowitz Convenes
Election Reform Advisory Committee - February 10, 2003
Advisory Committee
To Help Develop State Plan To Implement Federal "Help America Vote Act"
Three Vermonters To Be Recognized
For Contributions to Vermont's Democracy - February 12, 2003
ANational
Association of Secretaries of State Medallion Award To Presented Today
Town Meeting Curriculum Teaches Vermont Children The Importance of
Direct Democracy - February 19, 2003
Secretary of State Publishes Curriculum for Vermont’s Elementary
and Middle School Students
Press
Release
For Immediate Release:
February 3, 2003
Contact:
Marianne Lynch 802-828-2148
Constitutional Amendment Information Available
Secretary of State Offers New Web Based
Resource
Montpelier. Secretary of State
Deb Markowitz today announced a new website devoted to amending the Vermont Constitution. Markowitz said, "The Vermont
Constitution limits proposed amendments to every other biennial session of the
legislature. Because this is the year new proposals can be accepted
we have put together a web resource to help Vermonters understand the amending
process."
The Secretary of State’s Archives web site has added a
history of proposals of amendment to the Constitution from 1880 to
2002. The web site explains the amending process, list all proposals
of amendment since 1880, what happened to them, and the full text of
each.
Markowitz said, "since 1880 there have been 174
proposals of amendment. Twenty-eight of those survived the rigorous
legislative process and were put before the voters. Twenty-six of
those proposals were ratified. The two that failed were a 1971
proposal to create four-year terms for statewide officers and the 1986
equal rights proposal. Ten percent of all proposals have sought to
extend the terms of either state officers or legislators."
Several proposals have already been suggested this
year, including lengthening the terms of office for state officers and
having candidates for governor and lieutenant governor to run on the
same ticket (similar to presidents and vice-presidents).
"Vermont’s amending process was designed to allow due
deliberation and substantial voter input," Secretary Markowitz noted.
A constitutional amendment may only be proposed every other biennium,
and then must pass two consecutive legislatures, after which it is put
to a public referendum.
Markowitz said, "Vermont’s amendment process is one of
the toughest in the country. Vermont’s forefathers wanted to protect
their organic law, their constitution, from the political passions of
the moment. As a result it is the shortest and least amended state
constitution," said Markowitz.
"We are using the Internet to make records on the
continuing issues and core processes of government accessible to
Vermonters and their elected officials," said Markowitz. "We realize
that not everyone can come to the Archives so, as time and other
resources allow, we are making key information available on-line."
The Archives "Continuing Issues" web site
received the 2002 Hamer-Kegan Award from the Society of American
Archivists, the first time the publication award has been accorded a
web publication. To access the site, go to the Secretary of State’s
page at www.sec.state.vt.us and click on "Archives" and then "Continuing
Issues."
Press
Release
For Immediate Release: February 10, 2003
Contact:
Marianne Lynch 802-828-2148
Secretary of State Markowitz Convenes Election
Reform Advisory Committee
Advisory Committee To Help Develop State Plan To
Implement Federal "Help America Vote Act"
Montpelier.Today at 1:30, Secretary of State Deborah Markowitz will convene the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) Advisory Committee to help her office develop a state plan to implement HAVA. Members of this committee include town clerks from across Vermont, members of boards of civil authority, representatives from organizations working with disabled Vermonters and the elderly, a representative of the governor's office as well as legislators from the committees charged with overseeing Vermont's elections.
The Secretary of State’s Archives web site has added a
history of proposals of amendment to the Constitution from 1880 to
2002. The web site explains the amending process, list all proposals
of amendment since 1880, what happened to them, and the full text of
each.
HAVA was passed into law in November and requires broad changes to the way Vermont conducts its elections. Most notably HAVA mandates the adoption of a statewide voter checklist, the purchase of voting machines for every community that allow individuals with visual disabilities to vote privately and independently. It mandates extensive poll worker and voter education programs, and requires new voters to show identification when they register or vote. Vermont expects to receive five million dollars to assist the state and municipalities in meeting the new federal mandates.
HAVA requires every state to form an advisory committee that includes the chief election officials from the two most populous jurisdictions, other election officials, stakeholders (including representatives of groups of individuals with disabilities) and citizens. In order to include as many people as possible we have formed an Advisory Committee of 15 members, with "working groups" that include additional members. The working groups will study particular mandates of HAVA and make recommendations to the Advisory Committee.
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Press
Release
For Immediate Release:
February 12, 2003
Contact:
Marianne Lynch 802-828-2148
Three
Vermonters To Be Recognized For Contributions to Vermont's Democracy
National Association of Secretaries
of State Medallion Award
To Be Presented Today
Montpelier.Today, Secretary of State Deb Markowitz, on behalf of the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS), recognized three Vermonters for their extraordinary commitment to promoting democracy in the Vermont.
An award ceremony and reception to recognize recipients of this year's NASS Medallion Award, Deb Beckett, Paul Gillies and the Burlington Free Press was held today at 3:30 in the Cedar Creek Room at the Vermont Statehouse. Local officials from across Vermont as well as friends and family members were on hand to help honor the award recipients.
Secretary Markowitz said, " Williston Town Clerk Deb Beckett is being recognized for her extraordinary commitment to promoting voter participation in Vermont." Markowitz cited Beckett's work as the town clerk, her support for Williston's Kids Voting program, and her work to develop Vermont's Honor a Vet with your Vote program. Beckett has also assisted the Secretary of State's Office in creating the voter education video "its Every Citizen's Right to Vote - Why Don't You?" and she regularly hosts training sessions for Boards of Civil Authority in her area.
Markowitz said, "Attorney, and Former Deputy Secretary of State Paul Gillies is being recognized for the countless hours he has devoted to educating Vermonters in the principles and practices of self-government over the past two decades. Paul has shown an extraordinary commitment and provides constant service to the town clerks, election workers and people of the State of Vermont."
Markowitz said, "the Burlington Free Press is being recognized for promoting civic education in Vermont by producing the Democracy in Action Newspaper in Education series which ran in many of Vermont's daily newspapers during the general election in 2000 and 2002. The Burlington Free Press demonstrated its commitment to teaching Vermont's young people about the importance of voting to our democracy when it collaborated with Kids Voting Vermont to produce Democracy in Action, and then made it available to every newspaper in the state."
The NASS Medallion Award allows individual secretaries of state to recognize outstanding service and dedication to furthering the mission of the National Association of Secretaries of State within the states. This Award honors individuals and organizations that have shown an outstanding commitment to promoting democracy in the state, with an emphasis on civic education and voter participation.
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Press
Release
For Immediate
Release: February 19, 2003
Contact: Marianne Lynch
802-828-2148
Town Meeting Curriculum Teaches Vermont Children The
Importance of Direct Democracy
Secretary of State Publishes Curriculum for Vermont’s Elementary
and Middle School Student
Montpelier. Today, Secretary of
State Deb Markowitz announced the publication of curriculum materials
that teach Vermont’s elementary and middle school students the
importance of Vermont’s town meeting. The curriculum packets and
teachers guide have been sent to every school in
Vermont.
Markowitz said, "these curriculum
materials are designed to help our children learn about the importance
of Vermont’s Town Meeting Day. We also hope that the materials in these
booklets will help students think about how town meeting can continue to
be a vital part of Vermont’s community experience." According to
Markowitz, the curriculum materials include text as well as suggestions
for classroom activities to help students learn the value of
participatory democracy and experience the concepts addressed in the
written materials. The materials are indexed to Vermont’s Framework of
Standards so that they can be easily integrated into the teacher’s
lesson plan.
The Town Meeting Coloring and
Activity Book is
designed as an early elementary curriculum. It includes basic
information about Vermont’s town meeting with easy to color pictures and
other fun activities. Markowitz said, "we are also encouraging Vermont’s
town clerks to have copies of the The Town Meeting Coloring and
Activity Book on
hand to keep young children busy at town meeting!"
Town Meeting – A Vermont
Tradition is a
middle school curriculum that is designed to help students learn about
Vermont’s Town Meeting Day, its history and how it works today. The
booklet includes suggestions for classroom activities to help students
learn the value of participatory democracy. The supplementary articles
and classroom activities in this Teacher’s Guide are designed to
compliment the students’ reading and stimulate classroom discussion.
"Town Meeting Day – A Vermont
Tradition" is a project of the Office of the Vermont Secretary of State
and Kids Voting Vermont with support from the Vermont Institute for
Government and the Center for Civic Education. These booklets are
available on the Secretary of State's Kids Voting Vermont page or call Marianne Lynch at
802-828-2148.
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