One more question likely on November ballot
The upcoming November ballot is getting bigger by the day as voters will likely see a fourth question in referendum in addition to the numerous political races.
The latest question to be placed on the ballot deals with the current limitation of fines which can be imposed by the court without the authorization of a jury. The referendum question will ask Tennessee voters if they want to lift the present limit and allow the General Assembly to set new limits.
Under present laws, a judge has a set limit on the size of a fine he can levy against a defendant. The maximum fine a judge can award depends on the offense. Trial juries can vote to exact higher fines.
Should the measure pass, the state legislature would then have the ability to set new limits on the amount of the fine a judge can assess without benefit of a jury vote.
As is the case in the state lottery referendum, which will also be on the ballot, the measure must pass by a majority of the persons who vote in the governor’s race. State law requires 50 percent plus one of the number of voters who vote for governor.
Contrary to popular belief, the lottery question will not necessarily mean the state will begin a lottery. Instead, the voters are being asked if they want to raise the constitutional ban on lotteries. It would then be up to the General Assembly to actually pass a lottery.
While people outside McMinnville will cast votes on just the two state-wide questions, city voters will likely be voting on four questions. Presently, plans are to have city voters vote on a sales tax question and perhaps a liquor referendum.
Petitions are still being circulated in the city in hopes of putting legal liquor on the November ballot.
A similar “restaurant liquor” question failed by 10 votes in 2000. According to Yates, the closeness of the vote allows the question to be put to voters again this year so long as enough petitions are received. Had the “no” vote exceeded 60 percent two years ago, the measure could not have been brought back for referendum for four years.