How are delegates chosen?
The delegate selection process is not prescribed in the state’s Constitution, except that delegates must geographically represent proportionate amounts of population. Courts across the U.S. have ruled that Constitutional Convention delegates do not necessarily need to be elected, since a Convention is not a “governing body” but a “recommending body.” As a result, there are at least three fundamentally different models being discussed – by election, application/appointment, and/or a random “jury pool” process. Between now and when the text of the ballot measure is written, the task is to work through what which among them, or some hybrid, would be best. This is critical because the process must both render a body capable of making good recommendations, and one that can capture the imagination of Californians, so they feel ownership of the process and ultimately vote for its results. If chosen by election, in order to meet “one-person, one-vote” standards and requirements under the Votin
