There’s a time and place for everything.
There’s a time for people to have breakfast, a time for lunch, and a time to just chow down.
Well I’ve got something you can chow down on.
University of Memphis law school professor Steve Mulroy should have a slogan.
“REMEMBER 2008.”
There are two of three questions on this years November ballot that could change how you voted ten years ago.
“Some number of years ago,” Mulroy says, “Memphis voters, in a referendum voted for term limits and also instant runoff voting. We haven’t tried either yet, and the council is trying to trick voters into undoing what they already said.”
Voters said elected officials should be limited to two consecutive terms eight years in office.
In this year’s ballot question, voters are asked whether they approve limiting Memphis city elected officials to three terms of four years each.
They are asking whether you favor term limits, but then they’re adding on another four years….while more than 70 percent of Memphis voters voted in favor of two terms of four years each.
“The first question,” according to Mulroy, “makes it should like if you’re for term limits you should vote for it. But actually it’s the opposite because it extends term limits from two to three.
In 2008 voters approved an instant runoff voting plan, which would do away with runoffs and give winners through ranked voting.
Now a question asks if you want instant runoff voting even though 71 percent of you voted for it.
It’s scheduled to start being used in Memphis City Council District elections next year.
Mulroy says, in his opinion, the Memphis City Council is intentionally trying to mislead voters…and says the answer is simple.
Vote NO.
“If you like term limits, you should vote no,” he says. (Voters have already approved term limits of two terms of four years each.) If you like instant runoff voting you should vote no. (Voters have already approved it.) If you like majority outcomes, you should vote no.
Mulroy says it is too late to change the wording on these questions.
“The only thing we can do,” he says, “is to try and make spread the word to make sure voters are properly educated to remember they already voted on this ten years ago…that this is an attempt to undo what people have already voted on.”
Several council members, and the NAACP have come out opposing Instant Runoff Voting.
On adding an additional term on term limits, some on council say three years is needed for council members to be effective.
