Electoral Commission president Maximilien Gauvier (archive)
Sabioveronese voters have overwhelmingly approved a series of proposed reforms to the Constitution in a referendum originally scheduled to take place on Sunday (12-01-2020), but that finally took place on Monday (13-01-2020). The proposed reforms will amend the entire document’s text to make it entirely gender-neutral, among other minor adjustments.
The Electoral Commission has apologized for its poor planning and less-than-adequate preparation. Maximilien Gauvier, president of the Commission, announced the results on the early morning of Tuesday, hours after polls closed.
While supporters of the amendments celebrated the expected results, concern was widely expressed at the usually effective Electoral Commission. The author of the bill that brought forth the vote, Kastor Gevras Drigy, wondered if the referendum’s delay had anything to do with the contents of the proposal.
“It is telling that an electoral machine as well oiled as ours would fail when the contents of our proposal are as touching as they are,” Gevras Drigy told The SiV Phonograph. Asked whether Gauvier should resign for the mishap, the Democratic MP said “I believe someone should answer for this.”
Voters were given the option to vote in favor (“me“) or against (“u“) three proposed changes to the Constitution: the first was the aforementioned matter on gender-neutral text, the second was on the change of the King’s official style and adding mentions of the Federal Union of Juclandian Lands to Article 1 (both bundled together as they were personally requested by the King), and the third was on the expansion of magistrates’ term lengths.
Voters approved the first proposal with 80.39%, the second with 88.24%, and the third with 70.59%. Turnout was highest in Alios, where 90.48% of registered electors cast their vote, while 84.21% of voters did so in Gonn.
The SiV Phonograph 