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News
Voters
OK New Constitution Language
Posted 05 November 2008
Iowa voters approved an amendment
to the state's Constitution to eliminate language that was politically
incorrect and offensive to the mentally disabled.
The amendment will change the terms “idiot or insane” person to “a
person adjudged mentally incompetent to vote.”
Voters statewide approved the measure by casting 924,641 votes in favor
of the change, representing 81% voter approval. Only 211,960 'no' votes
were cast.
The ammendment needed a simple majority to pass.
The Legislature voted to put the amendment on the ballot at the urging
of state Rep. Pam Jochum, D-Dubuque, the bill’s sponsor. Mona Martin,
R-Davenport, and Betty Grundberg, R-Des Moines, who have retired from
the Iowa House, co-sponsored the bill with Jochum in 1998.
Jochum said, “Keep in mind that our state Constitution was written in
the mid-1800s, long before we knew the cause of mental illness or
mental retardation. We know better today.”
The process to make the change began 10 years ago, when the Legislature
passed a law that set up a process to determine whether a person was
capable of voting.
If a person has an appointed legal guardian or conservator, a judge
also must decide whether that person is capable of voting. Teachers,
social workers or caregivers may testify on behalf of the person.
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