AN ACT PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE V OF THE DELAWARE CONSTITUTION RELATING TO ELECTIONS AND VOTING.

Plain English Breakdown

The bill text confirms the requirement for natural persons and excludes artificial entities, but does not specify if this applies to non-resident voters or specific election types beyond 'any level' mentioned in Section 2C.

HB430: A Proposal to Limit Voting in Delaware Elections to Natural Persons

This bill proposes a change to the Delaware Constitution that would allow only real people, not corporations or other artificial groups, to vote in any election.

What This Bill Does

• Proposes an amendment to Article V of the Delaware Constitution regarding voting rules.
• States that only natural persons may vote in state, local, county, and federal elections held in Delaware.
• Clarifies that corporations and other artificial entities are not considered natural persons for voter eligibility.
• Requires a two-thirds vote from members elected to each house of the General Assembly to pass this proposal.
• Sets up a process where the next General Assembly must also pass an act agreeing with this one.

Who It Names or Affects

• Voters in Delaware who are natural persons (real people).
• Corporations and other artificial entities that might otherwise be considered for voting eligibility.
• The Delaware General Assembly, which must vote on the proposal twice over two sessions.

Terms To Know

Natural persons

Real human beings as opposed to legal entities like companies or organizations.

Artificial entities

Legal groups such as corporations that are created by law but are not real people.

First leg of a constitutional amendment

The first step in the process where one General Assembly passes an act to propose changing the Constitution, which must be approved again by the next General Assembly.

Limits and Unknowns

• This bill has passed both chambers of the current legislature but is not yet part of the Constitution.
• The amendment cannot take effect unless the next General Assembly passes a matching act to agree with this proposal.
• The official effective date for any potential change in voting rules is not listed because it depends on future legislative action.

Official Summary Text

AN ACT PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE V OF THE DELAWARE CONSTITUTION RELATING TO ELECTIONS AND VOTING.
This Act is the first leg of a constitutional amendment that would require that only natural persons be allowed to vote in any election in this State, and forbid corporations and other artificial entities from voting in such elections.

This Act requires a greater than majority vote for passage because § 1 of Article XVI of the Delaware Constitution requires the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members elected to each house of the General Assembly to amend the Delaware Constitution.

In addition, as the first leg of a constitutional amendment, the next General Assembly must pass an act concurring with this Act for it to become part of the Delaware Constitution.

Current Bill Text

Legislation Document

SPONSOR:

Rep. Harris & Rep. Snyder-Hall & Sen. Hoffner

Reps. Morrison, Wilson-Anton, Romer, Lambert; Sens. Lockman, Sokola, Seigfried

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE BILL NO. 430

AN ACT PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE V OF THE DELAWARE CONSTITUTION RELATING TO ELECTIONS AND VOTING.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE (Two-thirds of all members elected to each house thereof concurring therein):

Section 1. Amend Article V of the Delaware Constitution by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 2C. Qualifications for voting; natural persons.

Only natural persons may vote in elections occurring in or for this State at any level or political subdivision, including municipal or local elections, county elections, State elections, and federal elections. Corporations and other artificial entities may not be deemed natural persons for purposes of determining voter eligibility.

SYNOPSIS

This Act is the first leg of a constitutional amendment that would require that only natural persons be allowed to vote in any election in this State, and forbid corporations and other artificial entities from voting in such elections.

This Act requires a greater than majority vote for passage because § 1 of Article XVI of the Delaware Constitution requires the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members elected to each house of the General Assembly to amend the Delaware Constitution.

In addition, as the first leg of a constitutional amendment, the next General Assembly must pass an act concurring with this Act for it to become part of the Delaware Constitution.