Mencei for the 62nd Cosa

[Baron Alexandreu Davinescu]

My understanding is that @GV , as the dean of the Senate, will be running the election for Mençei.  Is that correct?

By the way, GV, you have served since February 2017 -- I wonder if your tenure of nearly nine years in office might be some kind of Talossan record?

[Sir Lüc]

My understanding is that @GV , as the dean of the Senate, will be running the election for Mençei.  Is that correct?

I admit the rule isn't super clear, but the chair is not vacant, as the Senator for Cézembre is continuing in office - so there's no need for the Dean to perform the duties of the Chair in the absence of a Mençei, and Þerxh can run the election himself.

[Baron Alexandreu Davinescu]

Yeah, that really is not at all how the rules read:

1. At the beginning of each new term, and whenever the position is vacant, the Senate shall choose a Lord President (Mençei) from among its members to perform the duties of the Chair.
2. Pending the election of a Mençei, the Dean of the Senate shall perform the duties of the Chair as Acting Mençei. Should the Dean of the Senate be absent or unwilling, seniority will be followed to select a replacement.
3. The Acting Mençei shall allow for nominations to be lodged for a period of at least a week from the beginning of a term. Should a Senator receive nominations from a majority of Senators, the nomination period shall end and the Senator be considered duly elected; otherwise, a ballot shall be held using Instant Runoff Voting. Seniority shall resolve any ties that may occur during any stage of elimination.

I'm absolutely fine with the senator from Cézembre doing the honours, but it really does read like the Dean is the one who performs the duties of the Chair to run the election.

We should clarify that a bit.  Maybe:

1. A Lord President (Mençei) will perform the duties of the Chair.
2.  At the beginning of each new term, and whenever the position is vacant, the Senate shall choose a Mençei from among its members.
3. When the position is vacant, pending the election of a Mençei, the Dean of the Senate shall perform the duties of the Chair as Acting Mençei. Should the Dean of the Senate be absent or unwilling, seniority will be followed to select a replacement.
4. The Chair shall allow for nominations to be lodged for a period of at least a week from the beginning of a term. Should a Senator receive nominations from a majority of Senators, the nomination period shall end and the Senator be considered duly elected; otherwise, a ballot shall be held using Instant Runoff Voting. Seniority shall resolve any ties that may occur during any stage of elimination.

[Sir Lüc]

Yeah, I agree they should be rewritten to better reflect the intent and the actual precedent, which is as follows:

• For the 61st Cosă, there was no sitting Mençei, and the Dean (GV) conducted the election: https://wittenberg.talossa.com/index.php?topic=4025.0
• For the 60th Cosă, there was a sitting Mençei (Sir Ian), who conducted the election: https://wittenberg.talossa.com/index.php?topic=3411.0
• For the 57th, 58th and 59th Cosă, there was a sitting Mençei (ESB), who conducted the election: https://wittenberg.talossa.com/index.php?topic=1364.0 and https://wittenberg.talossa.com/index.php?topic=2134.0 and https://wittenberg.talossa.com/index.php?topic=2780.0 respectively

I realise this is often extremely philosophical, but I believe we should recognise the Senate is a continuing body, unlike the Cosă, and therefore, that the Mençei's term doesn't end with the dissolution of the Cosă or with a new Senate assembling.

-- Lüc - hopefully not invading for much longer still

[Baron Alexandreu Davinescu]

No, that does make sense!  I'm not arguing against the precedent or practice, since I think it's basically fine and it's neat that the Senate is always around.  I just got confused.