Article IX, Northern Mariana Islands Constitution

Northern Mariana Islands Constitution

Preamble
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Schedule

## Contents

* 1 Section 1
* 2 Section 2
* 3 Section 3
* 4 See also
* 5 External links

Article IX of the Northern Mariana Islands Constitution is entitled Initiative, Referendum and Recall and consists of 3 sections.

## Section 1[edit]

| Text of Section 1: | “  | Initiative. The people may enact laws by initiative.

a) An initiative petition shall contain the full text of the proposed law. If the petition proposes a general law for the Commonwealth, the petition shall be signed by at least twenty percent of the persons qualified to vote in the Commonwealth. If the petition proposes a local law that affects only the senatorial district, the petition shall be signed by at least twenty percent of the persons from the senatorial district who are qualified to vote.

b) An initiative petition shall be filed with the attorney general for certification that the requirements of section 1(a) have been met.

Case Annotations: Commonwealth v. Tinian Casino Gaming Control Comm'n, 3 N.M.I. 134--137.

c) An initiative petition certified by the attorney general shall be submitted to the voters at the next regular general election that is held at least ninety days from the date the petition has been certified.

d) An initiative petition that proposes a general law for the Commonwealth shall become law if approved by two-thirds of the votes cast by persons qualified to vote in the Commonwealth. An initiative petition that proposes a local law shall become law if approved by two-thirds of the persons from the senatorial district who are qualified to vote. An initiative petition that has been approved by the voters shall take effect thirty days after the date of the election unless the petition provides otherwise.[1]

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## Section 2[edit]

| Text of Section 2: | “  | Referendum. The people may reject laws by referendum.

a) A referendum petition shall contain the full text of the law sought to be rejected. If the law is a general law for the Commonwealth, the petition shall be signed by at least twenty percent of the persons qualified to vote in the Commonwealth. If the law is a local law that affects only one senatorial district, the petition shall be signed by at least twenty percent of the persons from the senatorial district who are qualified to vote.

b) A referendum petition shall be filed with the attorney general for certification that the requirements of section 2(a) have been met.

c) A referendum petition certified by the attorney general shall be submitted to the voters at the next regular general election that is held at least thirty days from the date the petition has been certified.

d) A referendum petition concerning a general law for the Commonwealth shall take effect if approved by a majority of the votes cast by persons qualified to vote in the Commonwealth. A referendum petition concerning a local law shall take effect if approved by a majority of the votes cast by persons from the senatorial district who are qualified to vote. A law that is the subject of an approved petition shall become void and be repealed thirty days after the date of the election unless the petition provides otherwise.[1]

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## Section 3[edit]

| Text of Section 3: | “  | Recall. Elected public officials are subject to recall by the voters of the Commonwealth or of the island, islands or district from which elected.

a) A recall petition shall identify the public official sought to be recalled by name and office, state the grounds for recall, and be signed by at least forty percent of the persons qualified to vote for the office occupied by the public official.

b) A recall petition shall be filed with the attorney general for certification that the requirements of section 3(a) have been met.

c) A recall petition certified by the attorney general shall be submitted to the voters at the next regular general election unless special elections are provided by law for this purpose.

d) A recall petition shall take effect thirty days after the date of the election if approved by two-thirds of the persons qualified to vote for the office involved.

e) A recall petition may not be filed against a public official more than once in any year or during the first six months of a term in office.[1]

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## See also[edit]

* State constitution
* Constitutional article
* Constitutional amendment
* Constitutional revision
* Constitutional convention
* Amendments
* Initiated constitutional amendment
* Legislatively-referred constitutional amendment
* Publication requirements for proposed state constitutional amendments
* Rules about constitutional conventions in state constitutions
* State constitutional articles governing state legislatures

## External links[edit]

* Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Constitution

v • e

State constitutions of the United States

Federal|

United States Constitution

* * *

State constitutions|

Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming

* * *

U.S. Territories|

American Samoa • Guam • Northern Mariana Islands • Puerto Rico • U.S. Virgin Islands

* * *

Changing constitutions|

Amending state constitutions • Constitutional amendment • Constitutional revision • Constitutional convention • Legislatively-referred constitutional amendment • Initiated constitutional amendment • Preambles to state constitutions • Publication requirements • Rules about constitutional conventions • Number of state constitutional amendments in each state

v • e

U.S. Territories

American Samoa|

American Samoa's At-Large Congressional District • American Samoa executive offices • Governor of American Samoa • American Samoa Fono • American Samoa Senate • American Samoa House of Representatives • American Samoa Constitution

Guam|

Guam's At-Large Congressional District • Guam executive offices • Governor of Guam • Legislature of Guam • Guam Constitution • District Court of Guam

Northern
Mariana Islands|

Northern Mariana Islands' Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives • Northern Mariana Islands executive offices • Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands • Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature • Northern Mariana Islands Senate • Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives • Northern Mariana Islands Constitution • District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands

Puerto Rico|

Puerto Rico's At-Large Congressional District • Puerto Rico executive offices • Governor of Puerto Rico • Puerto Rico Legislative Assembly • Puerto Rico Senate • Puerto Rico House of Representatives • Puerto Rico state budget • Puerto Rico Constitution • United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico • United States bankruptcy court, District of Puerto Rico

U.S. Virgin Islands|

United States Virgin Islands' At-Large Congressional District • U.S. Virgin Islands executive offices • Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands • Legislature of the Virgin Islands • United States Virgin Islands Constitution • District Court of the Virgin Islands

Other|

United States congressional non-voting members • Legislatures of United States territories • United States territorial courts

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.