Just as the delegates at the 1787 Constitutional Convention took recorded votes, so too did our delegates. In the early stages of this project, the participants met informally over Zoom to reach a general consensus on the outline of a constitutional system. Many base questions, like a presidential versus parliamentary system, statehood for the District of Columbia, and others, were decided by informal vote or acclamation.

After these early meetings, the Committee on Detail took to writing the first draft of the constitution you see in this journal. Participants then had the opportunity to raise issues, objections, and possible additions for a vote. A selection of those votes and their results are below.

Terms of Members of the House of Representatives:

Two Years: 33%
Three Years: 8%
Four Years: 58%

The draft includes the language: “The Right of the people to keep and bear arms is subject to reasonable regulation by the United States and by the States.” Keep or omit this language?

Keep: 29%
Omit: 71%

Limit the role of the Senate in overriding presidential vetoes?

Yes: 82%
No: 18%

Allow states to have multi-member congressional districts as an option?

Allow: 100%
Do Not Allow: 0%

Add explicit representation for large cities into the Senate?

Add: 25%
Do Not Add: 75%

What majority is needed for conviction in impeachment proceedings?

Simple majority: 13%
2/3 majority: 87%

What majority is needed for confirmation of Supreme Court justices?

Simple majority: 21%
2/3 majority: 32%
60 percent: 47%