A PROCLAMATION OF THE OCTOBER 2023 ELECTION FOR L'ETATS DE CÉZEMBRE

[xpb]

A PROCLAMATION OF THE OCTOBER 2023 ELECTION FOR L'ETATS DE CÉZEMBRE

This information mirrors information sent via email cezembrelandoffice@gmail.com to Cézembre citizens

As current Sénéchal I shall conduct the upcoming election for l'Etats de Cézembre according to existing law, and the administrative authority vested in this office.  I have invoked Article 8 of the constitution to hold local elections, and am updating the previous proper notice both in this forum and via email.  Cézembre election law is found within the Administrative Guide and various amendments quoted for reference after this proclamation.

The election for l'Etats shall proceed by nomination by name of any Cézembre citizen to serve in l'Etats.   Those citizens named as candidates may identify with no party, or one party, or multiple parties as they wish, however, votes shall be cast only for the name listed on the ballot which must be declared in the nomination period defined in the first week of the election period, with voting taking place in the second and third week of the election period.  These can be self nominations, or nominations by Cézembre citizens of other Cézembre citizens who subsequently affirm their intent to stand for election within the nomination period.

The times of the election based upon the constitution and the existing Chancery election to the Ziu shall establish the first week of nominations on October 9 19:30 TST (October 10 at 0230 CZT) until October 16 19:30 TST (October 17 at 0230 CZT) and the election October 17-31 (November 1 at 0230 CZT).  Candidates are encouraged to make their self-nominations known even prior to the election in this thread, or via email, and as early as possible within the nomination period to assist in the balloting process.  Those who nominate someone else should communicate their wishes to the nominee such that the candidate may affirm their standing within the nomination period.

The election will take place in an official voting thread, or via the electionbuddy.com system which has been tested and found satisfactory and conformant to the requirements of the constitution, or via email, or telephone, or postal mail as any individual Cézembre citizen may desire when the official ballot is issued. (Note: electionbuddy can be used without cost for up to 20 voters, and the current population of Cézembre is currenty 16.)

Those who wish to raise questions with this proclamation are advised to bring said questions to this Wittenberg thread before the end of the nomination period.  This will be the place for any adjustment of the process, however, those not satisfied may seek relief via Cort Pü Inalt as per Article 19 & 20 of the CAG.  This proclamation, after ratification by the Governor-General also will be sent via email to those who do not participate in these forums for response.

X. Pol Briga a.k.a. xpb

Specific references to the CÉZEMBREAN ADMINISTRATION GUIDE (hereinafter CAG) follow with full document found at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XCY--bYdWUBIhpNAARCSMt56yNcuJtbb/view?usp=sharing

Constitution of the Sovereign Province of Cézembre
From Article 1.  ...Cézembre is an autonomous and self-governing...

From Article 7. ...l'Etats shall consist of no more and no less than twenty (20) seats.
Seats in l'Etats de Cézembre can only be assigned to citizens of Cézembre. Citizens may hold more than one seat, but no more than six. One seat cannot be divided among nor assigned to more than one citizen.

From Article 8 ... The Sénéchal (or the Governor-General in case the Sénéchal has been absent
for more than one week) may request the chancery not to conduct those elections in no less than one week before balloting day. If the Sénéchal (or Governor-General) makes such a request, the Sénéchal (or the Governor-General) shall conduct the elections in accordance with provincial election laws and rules.

Article 11. Le Sénéchal shall be the elected leader of Cezembre. Le Sénéchal shall have the power to issue proclamations which have the force of law. These proclamations may be appealed or amended as regular laws. These proclamations may not act as acts of attainders or any activity prohibited by the Organic Law (with regards to Prime Dictats). These proclamations must be counter-signed by the Governor-General (or the King, in case of, by lack of appointment or by long-term absence, a Governor-General).

Article 14. Elections as described by article 10 will take, no less and no longer than 3 weeks. Cézembrians must announce their candidacy in the first week of the election and polls shall open on the first day of the 2nd week and close on the last day of the third week.

Article 15. Elections, as described in articles 10 and 11 will start no earlier than one week and no later than two weeks after the election deadline of Talossan general elections or after a resolution has been approved by a majority of the l'Etats de Cézembre removing the previous
Sénéchal or should the Sénéchal, resign, die or be unable to fulfill his duties for any reason.

[þerxh Sant-Enogat]

I nominate myself as a candidate for seats in l'Etats de Cézembre. (and I hope many other Cézembrean citizens will candidate too !)

[Glüc da Dhi S.H.]

Two questions:

how does this take into account Article 9, which reads:

" After elections to l'Etats, each party will receive
20 numbers, which will be produced by dividing the
number of votes the party received by 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,
9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20. The 20
highest numbers will be referred to as high quotients. In
case the 20th highest number has the same value as the
21th highest number all numbers with the same value will
not be considered high quotients. This will result in vacant
seats in the assembly. Each party will receive a number of
seats, equal to the number of high quotients it received.
Each party may divide its seats amongst Cézembrian
citizens as it sees fit. If a member dies or resigns or is
impeached by a motion receiving a 2/3rds vote of the
L'Etats, the seats shall return to the party that assigned
the seats."

suggesting that seats after the elections are NOT awarded to individual candidates but to parties and also that these parties can assign seats as they see fit?

Also, why would articles 14 or 15 apply here, since they refer to sénéchal elections?

[þerxh Sant-Enogat]

These are some of the things I would like to simplify as a Senechal with the vote of the future members of l'Etats. Personnally I am in favour of individual candidacy for l'Etats, and not national parties. For this election I understand this is still the case so if needed I register the TNC as candidate. Other parties should candidate too. And then we will see together how to set up a provincial assembly for the benefit of Cezembre.

[xpb]

This was a copy of the previous 2 elections, the more recent of which was announced at https://wittenberg.talossa.com/index.php?topic=2115.0

"party" has taken on a number of useful meanings, including "any of the people engaged in a formal legal proceeding," which dates from the early 14th century.

First noted in the 17th century is the sense of "an organized political group or faction"

I have followed the earlier definition.

[Glüc da Dhi S.H.]

This was a copy of the previous 2 elections, the more recent of which was announced at https://wittenberg.talossa.com/index.php?topic=2115.0

These two elections deviated from all the elections before that under the same constitution.

"party" has taken on a number of useful meanings, including "any of the people engaged in a formal legal proceeding," which dates from the early 14th century.

First noted in the 17th century is the sense of "an organized political group or faction"

I have followed the earlier definition.

That's a creative interpretation, although very much not the intent of the law.

For what it's worth a party can be a national party or a local party or just an independent running as a party. The constitution puts no limits on this, but there is no law that says a party has to be a a single candidate.

How do you square this with the fact that parties can assign the seats "as they see fit?". What if a party intends to assign seats to several people. Are they still required to be on the ballot as a single person? Wouldn't that be misleading the voters?

[xpb]

Ok I tell you what, I declare that I am a party X Pol Briga, representing the X Pol Briga party and declare as candidate for l'Etats de Cézembre within the defined nomination period.   I am not a candidate for the next Sénéchal but as the acting, current Sénéchal and elected leader of Cezembre. I shall have the power to issue proclamations which have the force of law such as the proclamation of this election.

This will go along with the previous announcement of candidacy by þerxh Sant-Enogat.

I look forward to other declarations of candidacy in whatever form those entities see fit to do.  Should someone else desire to run the election I am happy to provide access to electionbuddy.com for secret balloting, but perhaps the primary place for votes should be within the forum in an election thread.  I have always voted in public and will continue to do so.

[xpb]

Should anyone with standing wish to officially seek an injunction regarding my operations of the elections of the province, it would be appropriate to do so within the nomination period which expires in around 12 hours from now.

At the moment, there are only two declared entities for seats in l'Etats, and each entity there placed can only hold 6 seats out of the 20 total seats, so there is room for additional entities to declare their intent at parity of representation, or further subdivision should there be multiple more declarations and an election of some fashion held to promote the balance of that representation.

[Glüc da Dhi S.H.]

I'd like to register the Moderate Radical Party of Cézembre (MRPC) for the etats elections.

If that's not possible I'd like to register myself as a candidate, (although I maintain that in such case it's still possible to assign seats to other individuals than myself in accordance with the constitution, which also means it's at least theoretically possible to receive more than 6 seats and fill all of them).

I think it's important the constitution is followed, but I've said what I wanted to say about it, and I don't intend to seek an injunction. I agree with Sir X Pol that if someone were to challenge the election in court it's preferable if they do so before rather than after.

[xpb]

I will add the Moderate Radical Party of Cézembre (MRPC) along with your name to the election.

I am traveling back from out of state tomorrow and will try to setup election thread and email at the airport or on Wednesdays.