Lincolnite

Four constitutional amendments are on the ballot (PDF) tomorrow. Here's my quick summary of each. Amendment 1 would allow public officials to be impeached for illegal activity undertaken as part of their strategy to win the office. Currently a person could break every election law on the books, get elected, but escape impeachment because the actions didn't occur while in office. You might call this the Dave Hergert amendment. I haven't yet heard any good arguments against this amendment. I encourage you to vote "Yes". Amendment 2 is the "right to hunt" amendment. It would protect hunting and fishing in the state constitution. Not that hunting and fishing are threatened in Nebraska. Amendment 2 strikes me as a solution in search of a problem. Worse, I have an uneasy feeling that there will be unintended consequences; it's an abstract feeling, but nagging enough to really bother me. I encourage you to vote "No". I've made no secret about my disgust for term limits in the Unicameral. Amendment 3 would extend the present limit from two to three terms. I'm all for it. A constant rotation of two-term legislators is bad for the Unicameral's long-term health. Inexperience and discontinuity weaken the body overall. Three terms -- twelve years -- is a reasonable compromise between encouraging turnover and building experience and expertise. I encourage you to vote "Yes". Speaking of the Unicameral, Amendment 4 would increase legislators' pay from $12,000 to $22,500 annually. I have for years condemned their pathetic excuse for a paycheck. $22,500 is nowhere near where the salary should be -- I'd place it closer to $36,000 -- but it's better than nothing. Amendment 4 won't allow us to pay Senators their due, but it's a step in the right direction. I encourage you to vote "Yes".

Do you know where you vote tomorrow and which races affect you? Are you sure? Check your voter information before you head to the polls. You may also want to check out the Journal Star's candidate profiles (paywall) or 10/11's candidate profiles (free), particularly for the "minor" races like the NRD. Would you like to make any last-minute pitches for your favorite candidate(s)? Go right ahead. While you're at it, I wonder if you have any guesses about who I will support at the polls tomorrow.