In Poll, Rotarians Here
Support 4-Year Terms
By M. D. Drysdale

Randolph Rotary Club members received a briefing Thursday on the pros and cons of a four-year term for Vermont’s governor, other office-holders, and legislators.

Then they got to take a vote. Non-binding, of course.

The briefing and test vote were part of a campaign by the Snelling Center for Government to make Vermonters aware that an amendment to the Vermont constitution is likely to be proposed by this year’s legislature. Speaking at the Rotary meeting was the Snelling Center’s president, Charlie Smith, a former banker who was also Gov. Douglas’s first Secretary of Human Services.

There is a strong sentiment building in the legislature to start the ball rolling to change the governor’s term from two years to four, Smith told about 30 Rotarians at their Three Stallion Inn meeting. He stressed that the Snelling Center does not take a position one way or another. However, amending the constitution is serious business, and the Center wants Vermonters to be informed, he said.

By law, new amendments may only be proposed every four years, and next year is one of those years. In order to become part of the Vermont constitution, an amendment must pass two consecutive legislatures—the first time by a two-thirds majority. Then the voters themselves must ratify the decision by majority vote.

The last time a proposal for a four-year term came up was in the 1970s, Smith said. It got an OK from two straight legislatures, but lost narrowly in the popular vote—in the midst of the Watergate scandal.

Smith noted there are several important questions that must be decided before any proposal is drafted:

• Should state senators also have four-year terms?

• Should state representatives have four-year terms?

• Should the four-year cycle be the same as the Presidential cycle or should it occur in the off-years?

Time To ‘Vote’

After his talk, Smith unveiled the fun part of the presentation—a computer-generated display that allowed the Rotarians to vote by clicking their votes on individual devices that could be instantly tabulated. Just like on "Millionaire."

Those present strongly supported the four-year term for governor, with 82% agreeing either strongly or moderately. They also showed 75% agreement with four-year terms for the state Senators, but by a majority of 57% to 43%, they wanted the terms of the House members to stay as they are, at two years.

Those results, Smith said, are similar to the results he’s gotten elsewhere, although somewhat more supportive of four-year terms in all categories.

Vermont and New Hampshire are the only states in the country where the governor serves two-year terms, he said.

Any proposal to change the constitution must begin with a bill proposed in the state senate.

Individual citizens may take part in the Snelling Centers informal poll on line, by going to www.snellingcenter.org.