A nineteen-part referendum was held in the Northern Mariana Islands on 2 March 1996. Voters were asked whether they approved of constitutional amendments of each chapter, with a separate vote on each.Northern Mariana Islands, March 2, 1996: Fundamental Rights
Direct Democracy All amendments were rejected.

Background

A 1993 referendum resulted in a vote in favour of electing a Constitutional Council, which was subsequently elected in March 1995. The Council developed amendments to 19 chapters of the constitution. The referendum was originally scheduled to be on 4 November 1995 alongside general elections. However, it was later postponed to allow voters more time to familiarise themselves with the amendments. As well as a majority of votes in favour, each amendment also had to receive at least two-thirds of the vote in favour in two of the three

Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

constituencies to be approved.

Results

Only two sets of amendments, to chapters 5 and 15, received a majority of votes in favour.Northern Mariana Islands, 2 March 1996: Representation in the USA
Direct Democracy Northern Mariana Islands, 2 March 1996: Allowing of gambling
Direct Democracy However, in both cases the requirement to get a two-thirds majority in two of the three Senate seats was not achieved. The amendments to Chapter 15 were the only changes to receive two-thirds support in any Senate constituency.

References

{{Northern Mariana Islands elections

1996 File:1996 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: A Centennial Olympic Park bombing, bomb explodes at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, set off by a radical Anti-abortion violence, anti-abortionist; The center fuel tank explodes on TWA Flight 8 ...

1996 referendums 1996 in the Northern Mariana Islands