Seneschal Election - September 2020

[Sir Txec dal Nordselvă, UrB]

Greetings newly seated members of the Cosa for the 55th Cosa.

According to my records, this is a list of all the current MC's and the number of seats granted:

FreeDems

@Miestră Schivă 17 seats
@Munditenens Tresplet 17
@Martì-Páir Furxhéir 17
@Txoteu Davinescù 16
@Cresti da Ion Nouacastră-Läxhirescu 16
@Antalgha Xhenerös Somelieir 16

NPW

@Iason Taiwos 14
@Ián S.G. Txaglh 14

LCC

@Breneir Itravilatx  19
@C. M. Siervicül 18
@Jordan Placie 18
@Txosuè Éiric Rôibeardescù 18

Below is the applicable section of the Organic Law pertaining to the election of the Seneschal.

Organic Law Article VI
Section 5 The election of a Seneschál shall be the sole and exclusive business of the first Clark of every newly seated Ziu, but neither a member of the Senäts nor the King may vote on the matter. The Senäts may undertake during such Clark any of their business for which the consent of the Cosâ or the King be not requisite. (54RZ23)

The method of election of a Seneschál shall be Ranked Choice Voting. Each member of the Cosâ shall have as many votes in the election as the seats which he hold in the Cosâ, but shall cast his votes as one bloc and have no divided conscience. The candidates for each such election shall be only the recognized and commonly known leader of each political party which shall have earned representation in the Cosâ at the most recent general election. (54RZ23)

No member of the Cosâ may abstain in the election of a Seneschál, and shall rank on his ballot at least two distinct preferences, which itself shall be made public. (54RZ23)

Whichever candidate shall have earned a majority of the votes in his election, as according to the method of Ranked Choice Voting, shall be appointed subsequently and forthwith by the King to serve as Seneschál, and the results of the election shall be published at large in the Clark. (54RZ23)

Starting on September 1 and running until September 21 at 7:30 PM TST, you will be able to cast your votes. Only members of the Cosa may vote on this. There will be no Vote of Confidence. Further instructions will be posted soon.

Thanks,



Dr. Txec dal Nordselvă,
Secretary of State

[Sir Txec dal Nordselvă, UrB]

Greetings,

Voting is now OPEN for the election of the Seneschal for the 55th Cosa. MC's may vote on the database at http://www.talossa.ca/files/seneschal_vote.php.

The election will close on September 21 and then the Cosa will go into a month of recess while the new Seneschal forms a government.

[Sir Txec dal Nordselvă, UrB]

There may be a glitch in the database preventing some MC's from voting. We are looking into that. Sorry (this is a whole new process).

[Sir Txec dal Nordselvă, UrB]

The form seems to be working now. Thanks all for your patience.

[Miestră Schivă, UrN]

Is there a page where we can see running tallies of the votes, or at least who's voted? I need to know which FreeDem MCs to threaten, lol

[Sir Txec dal Nordselvă, UrB]

That part is still in process. We wanted to get the form up in time.

[Sir Txec dal Nordselvă, UrB]

It is now possible to see who has voted on the Seneschal election.

[Sir Txec dal Nordselvă, UrB]

5 days remain on the Seneschal election. 3 members of the Cosa have not yet voted: @C. M. Siervicül , @Jordan Placie , and @Iason Taiwos.

[Iason Taiwos]

I vote for Miestra Schiva

[Sir Txec dal Nordselvă, UrB]

Greetings S:reu Taiwos @Iason Taiwos .

The vote is ranked choice so you'll need to specify who your second choice is and optionally your 3rd choice.

Thanks

[Sir Txec dal Nordselvă, UrB]

The Seneschal election is now ended. Here are the results (please note this is my first time doing ranked choice so be kind if I am a little off).

In the first round, Miestrâ Schivâ received 99 votes, Ian Plätschisch received 37 votes, and Eiric Börnatfiglheu received 14 votes. No candidate having received a majority of the Cosa, Eiric Börnatfiglheu is eliminated in the first round and his votes go to the second preference, giving Miestrâ Schivâ a total of 113 votes - a clear majority.

Miestrâ Schivâ has been elected Seneschal.

Cresti Siervicül and Jordan Placie did not vote. Iason Taiwos cast an invalid vote.

There will now be a month of recess while a new cabinet is formed.


Dr. Txec dal Nordselvă,
Secretary of State

[Açafat del Val]

I should preface the below with this: Because the possible changes do not affect the outcome, there should be no reason to take further action; rather, it should be information to prevent a repeat in the future.

Unless there is some part of Talsosan law of which I am unaware (entirely possible), the default mode of counting in ranked-choice methods does not invalidate a vote merely because it indicated only one preference. Instead, the vote becomes 'exhausted' if its first choice is eliminated.

Therefore, Taiwos's vote should be / have been counted as a first-preference vote for Schiva.

[Açafat del Val]

A corollary: some jurisdictions do require a number of preferences, either a minimum or a maximum. I am unaware that such a requirement exist in Talsosa.

For example, when voting for the Senate of Australia, a voter must indicate (i.e., rank) either 6 parties or 12 candidates.

However, that is not an inherent necessity to the method.

[Sir Txec dal Nordselvă, UrB]

I should preface the below with this: Because the possible changes do not affect the outcome, there should be no reason to take further action; rather, it should be information to prevent a repeat in the future.

Unless there is some part of Talsosan law of which I am unaware (entirely possible), the default mode of counting in ranked-choice methods does not invalidate a vote merely because it indicated only one preference. Instead, the vote becomes 'exhausted' if its first choice is eliminated.

Therefore, Taiwos's vote should be / have been counted as a first-preference vote for Schiva.

The law quite clearly states "No member of the Cosâ may abstain in the election of a Seneschál, and shall rank on his ballot at least two distinct preferences, which itself shall be made public. (54RZ23)"

S:reu Taiwos only gave one preference thereby making his vote invalid under Organic Law.

[Açafat del Val]

Then I am wrong :)