Bill: Draft Declarations Act

[antonfr_]

CONGRESS OF THE
COMMONWEALTH OF REDMONT
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A BILL TO

ENSURE TRANSPARENCY FROM ELECTION CANDIDATES




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The people of the Commonwealth of Redmont, through their elected Representatives in the Congress and the force of law ordained to that Congress by the people through the constitution, do hereby enact the following provisions into law:


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PART I — PRELIMINARIES

1. Short Title and Enactment

(1) This Act may be cited as the ‘Declarations Act’

(2) This Act shall be enacted immediately upon its signage.

(3) This Act has been authored by Gwi Styx.

(4) This Act has been sponsored by Representative antonfr_ and co-sponsored by Senator Smami and Representative Stanley582.

(5) This Act amends the following acts:

(a) Electoral Act

2. Reasons and Intent

(1) The current wording of the Electoral Act has allowed inconsistent interpretation around party declarations.

(2) This ambiguity has reduced transparency for voters by allowing candidates to appear on the ballot without fully disclosing their wider political affiliations.

(3) It is important that voters are able to make informed decisions with a clear understanding of the political ties of each candidate.

(4) This Act therefore clarifies the law by distinguishing between the party ticket on which a candidate is running and any other political party memberships or affiliations that candidate holds.

PART II — AMENDMENTS

3. Amendment to the Electoral Act

(1) Section 4 shall be amended as follows:

"4 - Electoral Terms and Limitations

(1) Candidates are to make their official political party affiliations known or if none, opt to run as an independent. Failure to identify a party affiliation will result in the candidate being declared an independent. At the time of declaration, each candidate must declare:

(a) the political party, if any, on whose ticket they are running; and

(b) every political party of which they are a member.

(2) A candidate who is not running on the valid ticket of a political party shall run as an independent, regardless of any political party memberships declared under subsection (1)(b).

(23) Each candidate is to be listed separately on the ballot. If able, with their party of their ticket in parentheses by their name.

(34) False party affiliations will be excluded at the request of Ticket declarations must be affirmed during the declaration period by the relevant party leader to be valid and any false claims of membership must be struck at the request of the relevant party leader."