PRINTER'S NO. 3067
No. 253 Session of 1988
INTRODUCED BY ARGALL, TIGUE, D. W. SNYDER, DIETTERICK, DISTLER,
DEMPSEY, ACOSTA, FARMER, RAYMOND, SAURMAN, BOOK, MICOZZIE,
TRELLO, TELEK, MERRY, CORNELL, WOGAN, J. L. WRIGHT, STAIRS,
SCHEETZ, GODSHALL, BOWSER, ANGSTADT, FARGO, LANGTRY, FREEMAN
AND E. Z. TAYLOR, MARCHb2, 1988
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, APRIL 5, 1988
A RESOLUTION
1 Directing the Speaker to issue writs of election for special
2 elections to fill vacancies existing in representative
3 districts 116, 125, 144 and 191.
4 WHEREAS, There currently exist four vacancies in the
5 membership of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, those
6 being in representative district 116 in Luzerne county,
7 representative district 125 in Schuylkill County, representative
8 district 144 in Bucks County and representative district 191 in
9 Philadelphia County; and
10 WHEREAS, Three of the vacancies, representative district 116,
11 representative district 125 and representative district 191,
12 have existed since early January 1988 due to the former members
13 assuming local elected office; and
14 WHEREAS, Every citizen of this Commonwealth has the right to
15 equal representation in the House of Representatives pursuant to
16 the provisions of the Constitution of Pennsylvania and the long
17 line of Federal Supreme Court cases enunciating the principle of
1 "one man, one vote" for representation in elected bodies; and
2 WHEREAS, Almost one-quarter of a million citizens of this
3 Commonwealth currently do not have any vote in the Pennsylvania
4 House of Representatives; and
5 WHEREAS, It is the duty of the Speaker of the House of
6 Representatives to issue a writ of election calling for a
7 special election to fill any vacancy which may occur; and
8 WHEREAS, The Speaker has not issued any such writ, thereby
9 precluding the citizens of representative districts 116, 125,
10 144 and 191 of any voice in the government of Pennsylvania;
11 therefore be it
12 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives direct the
13 Speaker to comply with the provisions of section 2 of Article II
14 of the Constitution of Pennsylvania and forthwith issue writs of
15 election calling for special elections to be held in
16 representative districts 116, 125, 144 and 191; and be it
17 further
18 RESOLVED, That the Speaker, in compliance with the provisions
19 of the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), known as the
20 Pennsylvania Election Code, relating to the calling of special
21 elections, set the date for the special elections not later than
22 65 days after the adoption of this resolution.
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