18th Convocation of the Provincial Assembly of Maritiimi-Maxhestic

[Ian Plätschisch]

The reason I made that change is because, if people could change their vote, we could never be certain what the outcome would be until the very end. I would like to be able to close votes sooner when the outcome is fully determined (given no one changes their vote, and vote changing is quite rare) but there are still a few Assemblypersons who have not voted and are unlikely to.

I suppose we could still allow vote changing so long as the vote ends if there comes a point at which the outcome is fully determined given no one changes again.

[Sir Alexandreu Davinescu]

If the vote automatically closes whenever the outcome is mathematically certain, and if people can change their vote up until the vote closes, then that would seem like it would accomplish everything you want, right?  Unless I misunderstand something.  In the current Assembly, then, I could vote one way and then change my mind later -- right up until the point when you voted, at which time the vote would close automatically.

[Ian Plätschisch]

I've made the change.

[Sir Alexandreu Davinescu]

SENATE ELECTIONS REFORM ACT

CBLA.C.2, which currently reads:

C.2. Senate elections for Maritiimi-Maxhestic shall be held simultaneously to national elections.

C.2.1. During the week preceding the election, the Maximally Magnificent Majordomo shall call for those wishing to run for Senate to make public both their candidacy and a 50-word statement.

C.2.2. At the start of the election, the Maximally Magnificent Majordomo shall open the voting, and voters shall rank the candidates in preference order. The rules of Instant Runoff Voting shall be used to determine the winner.

C.2.3. Ties at any iteration shall be broken by the Grand General Secretary.

Is amended to read:

C.2. Senate elections for Maritiimi-Maxhestic shall be held simultaneously to national elections.

C.2.1. No later than one week before the beginning of the election, the Maximally Magnificent Majordomo shall certify to the Provincial Assembly that he or she is capable of conducting the election per the provisions below. If this certification does not occur, the Grand General Secretary shall, or shall be deemed to, request that the Chancery conduct the election, and the provisions below (expect C.2.4) are ignored.

C.2.2. During the week preceding the election, the Maximally Magnificent Majordomo shall call for those wishing to run for Senate to make public both their candidacy and a 50-word statement. Neither the Grand General Secretary nor the Maximally Magnificent Majordomo shall run for Senate.

C.2.3. At the start of the election, the Maximally Magnificent Majordomo shall open the voting, which shall be via private ballot. Voters shall rank the candidates in preference order. The rules of Instant Runoff Voting shall be used to determine the winner.

C.2.4. Ties at any iteration shall be broken by the Grand General Secretary.

Suggestions: C.2.1. could be more explicit.  Maybe "If this certification does not occur, then it will be automatically held that the province is not in a state of electoral readiness, and the Chancery is requested to conduct the election, ignoring the provisions of C.2.2 and C.2.3 in the process."  Just trying to think of some obvious automatic mechanism -- really, the difficulty is that it's not entirely polite to try to require the Chancery to do stuff according to the ins and outs of our local laws without notifying them, but we're trying to plan for a scenario where there's no one to do the notifying.  We should maybe check with Txec?

For C.2.3, what about the recent scenario when Cresti just never opened the voting until way late?

[Dr. Txec Róibeard dal Nordselvă, Esq., O.SPM, SMM]

If I may butt in for a moment. Speaking as Secretary of State, it is really important that I am notified in plenty of time if the Chancery has to conduct an election. The database is not currently set up for ranked choice either which means I’d have to do a manual tally. In and of itself that’s nor a deal breaker but if I’m needed to run an election, it helps to have local laws explained so I don’t have to figure out on my own (as I recently had to do.)

Thanks...butting out now.

[Ian Plätschisch]

The database is not currently set up for ranked choice either which means I’d have to do a manual tally.

Yes it is; all Chancery-conducted Senate elections for the past few terms have used IRV.

[Ian Plätschisch]

I've modified the Senate Election Reform Act again, but it never discussed the Assembly Call to begin with. Here is another act to ensure that the Assembly Call is always issued on time:

ASSEMBLY CALL READINESS ACT

CBLA.C.1.1, which currently reads:

C.1.1. The Assembly Call is publicly issued by the Maximally Magnificent Majordomo during every national election. The Call shall be issued no earlier than ten days before, and no later than, the national Balloting Day, and is closed at the same time as the national elections on the Election Deadline.

Is amended to read:

C.1.1. The Assembly Call is publicly issued by the Maximally Magnificent Majordomo during every national election. The Call shall be issued no earlier than ten days before, and no later than, the national Balloting Day, and is closed at the same time as the national elections on the Election Deadline. If the Maximally Magnificent Majordomo does not issue the Assembly Call by the national Balloting Day, any citizen of Maritiimi-Maxhestic may issue it.

[Sir Alexandreu Davinescu]

The database is not currently set up for ranked choice either which means I’d have to do a manual tally.

Yes it is; all Chancery-conducted Senate elections for the past few terms have used IRV.

Yeah... Txec, you're actually required to use IRV for every election, without any choice in the matter, I think.  Org.V.8 at work. But anyway, what would work for you when it comes to our situation here?

[Dr. Txec Róibeard dal Nordselvă, Esq., O.SPM, SMM]

I knew that haha. What helps is making sure there is someone who can be sure to notify me in advance if I need to include MM in the ballot. From my reading of your proposal it may be automatic but I’m not clear on who is supposed to notify me..

[Dr. Txec Róibeard dal Nordselvă, Esq., O.SPM, SMM]

I've modified the Senate Election Reform Act again, but it never discussed the Assembly Call to begin with. Here is another act to ensure that the Assembly Call is always issued on time:

ASSEMBLY CALL READINESS ACT

CBLA.C.1.1, which currently reads:

C.1.1. The Assembly Call is publicly issued by the Maximally Magnificent Majordomo during every national election. The Call shall be issued no earlier than ten days before, and no later than, the national Balloting Day, and is closed at the same time as the national elections on the Election Deadline.

Is amended to read:

C.1.1. The Assembly Call is publicly issued by the Maximally Magnificent Majordomo during every national election. The Call shall be issued no earlier than ten days before, and no later than, the national Balloting Day, and is closed at the same time as the national elections on the Election Deadline. If the Maximally Magnificent Majordomo does not issue the Assembly Call by the national Balloting Day, any citizen of Maritiimi-Maxhestic may open it.

Txec <—— new guy still figuring things out lol.

[Sir Alexandreu Davinescu]

We're trying to figure out some way to automatically request the Chancery conduct the election in the case of no one in the province being active enough to run it, but obviously if no one is active enough to run it then no one is active enough to request the Chancery run it... so yeah.

Personally, I'd prefer the Chancery always run the election.

[Dr. Txec Róibeard dal Nordselvă, Esq., O.SPM, SMM]

Personally, I'd prefer the Chancery always run the election.

That makes things easier for sure.

[Ian Plätschisch]

We're trying to figure out some way to automatically request the Chancery conduct the election in the case of no one in the province being active enough to run it, but obviously if no one is active enough to run it then no one is active enough to request the Chancery run it... so yeah.

Modified the Act again to instruct the GGS to notify the Chancery.

[Sir Alexandreu Davinescu]

I would like to make it possible to allow any citizen to join this Assembly, even if they weren't around for the brief period at the start of the term to claim a seat. Before I write the legislation, any philosophical objections?

[Ian Plätschisch]

So, essentially have the assembly call stay open the entire term and seat people as soon as they respond?