Act of Congress Electoral Act

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A
BILL
To

Amend the constitution and provide for elections​

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:

1 - Short Title and Enactment
(1) This Act may be cited as the “Electoral Act”.
(2) This Act shall be enacted immediately upon its signage.

2 - Reasons
(1) To simplify and consolidate election laws into one act.
(2) This bill has too many working parts to include in what has been removed, changed, added etc. There were minor changes to wording and format which I encourage people to cross check with the constitution and the below acts of congress. Where necessary, use a text comparator as well.

3 - Consolidation
The following will be overridden and will be rescinded.
a. Rescinded - Second System of Proportional Representation Act
b. Rescinded - Proportional Representation Constitutional Amendment Act
c. Rescinded - Constitutional Amendment Act December 2020
d. Rescinded - Election Law Constitutional Amendment Act
e. Rescinded - Elections Amendment Act
f. https://democracycraft.net/threads/the-pugbandit-people’s-choice-constitution-amendment-act-february-2021.3591/
g. https://forums.democracycraft.net/threads/special-election-act.1035/

4 - Constitutional Inclusion
Sections 5, 6, and 7 shall be included in the Constitution.

5- Electoral Terms and Limitations
(1) The Supreme Court of Redmont is to act as the Court of Disputed Returns.
(2) A citizen can only sit in one chamber; Where a citizen is elected to both chambers, it will be that they assume their seat in the Senate and forfeit their Seat in the House of Representatives.
(3) 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.
(4) Each candidate is to be listed separately on the ballot. If able, with their party in parentheses by their name.
(5) The entirety of Congress enters “caretaker mode” during an election period (between the 1st-10th day of an electoral month).
(6) False party affiliations will be excluded at the request of the relevant party leader.
(7) All citizens eligible to vote shall be granted one vote.
(8) Political parties cannot sponsor a higher number of candidates than seats that are up to vote.

6 - House of Representatives Elections
(1) Voting System. Elections for the House of Representatives shall be conducted through a system of single transferrable voting as outlined in this Act.
(2) Activity Requirements. In order to run for and maintain their seat in the House of Representatives, citizens need to meet these requirements:
  • Has 6 hours active monthly playtime
  • Has accrued 24 hours playtime prior to declaring their intent to contest the election on the forums.
  • Is an active participant in the community, in-game, on discord, and on the forums.
(3) House of Representatives Duration. 2 Month Term
(4) House of Representatives Election Months. January, March, May, July, September, and November

7 - Senate Elections
(1) Voting System. Elections for the Senate shall be conducted through a system of single non-transferrable vote as outlined in this Act.
(2) Classes. The Senate shall be divided into two classes, Class A and Class B.
(a) Where the entire Senate is up for election, the highest polling 50% of Senators shall be assigned to Class A while the remaining Senators shall be assigned to Class B.
(3) Activity Requirements. In order to run for and maintain their seat in the Senate, citizens need to meet these requirements:
  • Has 6 hours active monthly playtime
  • Has accrued 72 hours playtime prior to declaring their intent to contest the election on the forums
  • Is an active participant in the community, in-game, on discord, and on the forums.
(4) Senate Duration. 4 Month Term
(5) Senate Election Months:
(6) Class A. January, May, September
(7) Class B. March, July, November

8 - Single Transferrable Vote (STV) System
(1) Voting Process. Voters rank candidates in order of preference.
(2) Vote Threshold for Election.
(a) In order to be elected, a candidate must reach a specific vote threshold, calculated by: dividing the total valid votes by the sum of the number of seats to be filled plus one, and then adding one to the result
(disregarding any remainder or fraction):

(total number of formal votes / (number of candidates to be elected + 1)) + 1

(b) If a candidate surpasses this threshold with first-choice votes, they are elected.
(3) Surplus Votes. If a candidate receives more votes than needed to meet the threshold, the surplus votes are transferred to the next preference on the voters' ballots.
(4) Elimination of Low-Scoring Candidates
(a) If a candidate has fewer votes than the threshold, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated.
(b) The votes of the eliminated candidate are then transferred to the next preference on the voters' ballots.
(5) Repeat Process. Steps 3 and 4 are repeated until all seats are filled.
(6) Quota Adjustment. As seats are filled, the threshold is adjusted to reflect the changing number of seats and the remaining candidates.
(7) Winner Determination. The process continues until all seats are filled. The candidate with the most votes after the final round of counting is declared the winner of the final seat.

9 - Single Non-Transferrable Vote (SNTV) System
(1) Voting Process. Voters cast a single vote for a candidate of their choice in a multi-member constituency.
(2) Winner Determination. Candidates with the highest individual vote counts, up to the number of available seats, are declared the winners.

10 - Special Elections
(1) Congressional Proposal. Congress may propose a special election to fill a Congressional vacancy/vacancies.
(2) Approval. Approval requires a simple majority in both chambers.
(3) Election Schedule. An election will be scheduled for 3 days thereafter. Immediate public notification will allow candidates to campaign and formally submit their intent to run.
(4) Election Timeline. The special election will follow a timeline: a 48-hour nomination period, a 24-hour campaigning period, and a 24-hour voting period.
(5) Plurality Winner. The candidate securing a plurality will fill the vacancy.
(6) Tie Resolution. In the case of a tie, Congress will decide among the highest-voted candidates that tied.
(7) No Caretaker Mode. The enactment of caretaker mode will not result from a special election.
(8) Results and Subsequent Election Period. The results of a special election will become the most recent election, initiating another 14-day period.

11 - Vacant Seats
(1) Where a seat in a chamber becomes vacant, the relevant presiding officer is obligated to do the following:
(a) Nominate the next winning candidate according to the electoral system used in the election. For the nominee to assume office, they must attain a majority approval in both chambers.
(i) Any candidate nominated to the Congress of Redmont must meet all requirements to run for their position at the time of their nomination.
(b) Congress must vote on a nomination within four days of the seat becoming vacant. A special election will be automatically triggered when there are no suitable candidates in the most recent election, four days have elapsed, and the vacancy has not been filled, or a special election has been successfully motioned.

12 - Removal of Members of Congress
(1) If a Representative is no longer fit for office, they can be removed from Congress early by the relevant presiding officer with the consent of four fifths of their chamber (Excluding the individual in question).
(2) If a Senator is no longer fit for office, they can be removed from Congress early by the relevant presiding officer with the consent of all members of their chamber (Excluding the individual in question).

13 - Electoral Fraud
Any player caught rigging/meddling with an election through, but not limited to: the use of alternate accounts, bribery, and or threats.
Per Offence: Courts may order up to $25,000 in fines (per alt account if applicable) + issue a temporary or permeant barring from holding public office.

14 - Electoral Fraud Process
Where electoral results are flagged for fraudulent behavior, the Government will be responsible for contesting the votes in Court.
a. During this period, the former Government will remain in Caretaker Government.

15 - Electoral Officers
(1) Electoral Officers are charged with ensuring that elections are carried out in accordance with the wording and spirit of this act.
(2) Electoral Officers are charged with ensuring that elected offices with activity requirements are met and maintained.
(3) Electoral Officers are charged with serving as the stewards of free and fair elections.

16 - Referendum
(1) For all intents and purposes of this act, a Referendum is regarded as an election.
(2) The right to vote in elections and referendums, provided the player has:
a. Has been online within 1 month as the votes are counted.
b. Has accrued 12 or more hours of playtime in the last 30 days.
(3) Referendums take place over a period of 48 hours.

17 - Polling Places
(1) Selection. Polling places are selected by the DOS.
(a) Consideration must be taken to ensure accessibility, convenience, and efficiency for voters (major landmarks, access to /spawns and public transportation).
(b) Polling places must be on public land or in public buildings.
(c) There must be at least one polling place in all recognised cities and towns.
(2) Restrictions. In order to ensure a neutral and focused voting environment, campaign-related advertising (Includes, but is not limited to, physical campaign propaganda and person-to-person campaigning) is prohibited within:
(a) 25 blocks of a ballot box (a block registered as a poll); and
(b) inside a building containing a polling place.
(c) Failure to comply:

Interfering with a Polling Place
Obstructing or Interrupting the conduct of a polling place.
Per Offence: $1000 Fine + 10 minutes jail

Harassment of a Polling Place
Failure to comply with polling place restrictions as defined in the Electoral Act.
Per Offence: $10,000 fine
Three or more offences: Up to $50,000 fine + up to 20 minutes jail + 1 month removal from public office

18 - Redundancy
(1) The Secretary of State has the exclusive power to declare an electoral emergency.
(2) An electoral emergency is called when an in-game election cannot be conducted reliably in-game.
(3) Under an electoral emergency, all elections will conducted according to the law the preceded this act until declared otherwise by the Secretary of State.

19 - Registration
(1) In order to protect the integrity of the electoral system, the Department of State will maintain voter registration.
(a) Voter registration exists to verify the validity of voters, not to limit potential voters from voting. All legitimate citizens are entitled to registration.
 
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This bill has been granted assent and shall become law pending referendum. A referendum is necessary as the bill makes minor changes to parts of the constitution effecting voting rights.​
 
A
BILL
To

Amend the Constitution

The people of Democracy Craft, 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:

1 - Short Title and Enactment
(1) This Act may be cited as the “Electoral Amendment Act”.
(2) This Act shall be enacted immediately upon its signage.
(3) Authored by Secretary _Austin27_, President Hugebob23456 & Representative xEndeavour
(4) Re-proposed with Senate Recommendations, at Senate's request.

2 - Reasons
(1) Staff-managed elections are a thing of the past and now the Government have the power to investigate election results.
(2) Election integrity should be at the forefront of our democratic system. This act outlines a proper way to address voting requirements and how to enforce them.

3 - Electoral Fraud Changes
Subsection a changes to subsection b and included in the Electoral Act:
a. 5.10 - Electoral Fraud
Any player caught rigging/meddling with an election through, but not limited to: the use of alternate accounts, bribery, and or threats.
Per Offence: Courts may order up to $25,000 in fines + issue a ban from holding public office indefinitely.
b. 5.10 - Electoral Fraud
Any player caught rigging/meddling with an election through, but not limited to: the use of alternate accounts, bribery, and or threats.
Per Offence: Courts may order up to $25,000 in fines + issue a temporary or permeant barring from holding public office.

4 - Electoral Fraud Process
Where electoral results are flagged for fraudulent behaviour, the Government will be responsible for contesting the votes in Court.
a. During this period, the former Government will remain in Caretaker Government.
b. Individual votes may be struck by the Court
c. Non-fraudulent votes are to be counted and will continue to contribute to Party totals.

3 - Activity Requirement Changes
The following changes will be made to the constitution:
"II. The right to vote in elections, provided the player has been online within 1 month as the votes are counted."
Changes to
"II. The right to vote in elections, provided the player meets the following requirements:
a.Has been online within 1 month as the votes are counted.
b. Has accrued 12 or more hours of playtime in the last 30 days.

4 - Activity Requirement Process
(1) Electoral Officers will be charged with the task of ensuring each voter meets the requirements as laid out in this bill.
(2) If a voter does not meet activity requirements as outlined in this act, the vote will be removed and the counting will proceed.
 
This bill has been granted assent and is hereby signed into law. Let is be known that it has passed the 2/3 requirement in the House (due to amending the Constitution) due to the dynamic nature of Abstains.​
 
A
BILL
To

Amend the Electoral Act

The people of Democracy Craft, 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:

1 - Short Title and Enactment
(1) This Act may be cited as the “Electoral Amendment Act”.
(2) This Act shall be enacted immediately upon its signage.
(3)The Act was co-sponsored by: Rep. Consumer

2 - Reasons
(1) Special elections are occurring several times per term causing low voter turnout and disengagement in what has become a hyper-democratic process.
(2) There is no need for such high approval requirements in Congress for someone who has been previously elected by the people at election.

3 - Vacant Seats
(1) Where a seat in a chamber becomes vacant, the relevant presiding officer is obligated to do the following:
a. If it has been 14 days or less since the last election, or 14 days or less until the next election, the Speaker must Nominate the next winning candidate according to the electoral system used in the election. For the nominee to assume office, they must attain a supermajority approval in both chambers.
b. Outside of the above bounds, a special election will automatically take place.
c. Congress must vote on a nomination within four days of the seat becoming vacant. A special election will be automatically triggered where there are no suitable candidates in the most recent election; 4 days has elapsed and the vacancy has not been filled; or a special election has been successfully motioned.
 
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Presidential Assent

This bill has been granted Presidential Assent and is hereby signed into law.

 
A
BILL
TO
Amend the Constitution & Electoral Act

The people 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:
1 - Short Title and Enactment
  1. This Act may be cited as the “LDV Don’t Care Anymore Amendment ”
  2. This Act shall be enacted immediately upon its signage.
  3. This Bill was authored by Mayor LilDigiVert & Rep. Hamhamham420
  4. This Bill was co-sponsored by Sen. Tekkovvs

2 - Reasons

We gon' take it to the Moon, take it to the stars
How many people you know can take it this far?
I'm supercharged
I'm 'bout to take this whole thing to Mars
Now we gon' take it to the Moon, take it to the stars
You don't know what we been through to make it this far
So many scars
'Bout to take this whole thing to Mars
Lift off
Lift off, takin' my coat off
Showin' my tattoos, I'm such a showoff (huh)
I feel the pain and then roll off
I got the whole city, they about to go off
How many mayors with me up and in the aisle?
How many people wanna roll on me now?
Like you know na na na, you know me by now
Know me, know me by now

3 - Unofficial Reasons
  1. Every Congress in recent history has broken the law by having a caretaker mode despite special elections occurring during the Congressional period.
  2. Caretaker mode is silly anyway, does nothing but inhibit the ability of Representatives to serve their constituents.

4 – Terms
Replace:

10 - Special Elections
(1) Congress may motion to hold a special election for a Congressional vacancy.
(2) After the motion has been approved by simple majority, it then must receive Presidential Assent.
(3) Should the President decline to grant assent for the special election motion, this may not be overruled.
(4) If assent was granted, the election shall take place 3 days thereafter, the public shall immediately be notified to allow candidates to campaign and officially submit their intent to run.
(5) A special election shall consist of a 48 nomination period and 24 hour voting period.
(6) Whichever candidate reached a plurality shall fill the vacancy.
(7) In the event of a tie, Congress shall choose between the highest voted candidates that tied.
(8) There shall not be a caretaker mode when a special election occurs.
(9) The results of a special election will become the most recent election from where another 14 day period will commence.

With:

10 - Special Elections
(1) Congress may motion to hold a special election for a Congressional vacancy.
(2) After the motion has been approved by simple majority, it then must receive Presidential Assent.
(3) Should the President decline to grant assent for the special election motion, this may not be overruled.
(4) If assent was granted, the election shall take place 3 days thereafter, the public shall immediately be notified to allow candidates to campaign and officially submit their intent to run.
(5) A special election shall consist of a 48 nomination period and 24 hour voting period.
(6) Whichever candidate reached a plurality shall fill the vacancy.
(7) In the event of a tie, Congress shall choose between the highest voted candidates that tied.
(8) Caretaker mode shall not be instated as a result of a special election.
(9) The results of a special election will become the most recent election from where another 14 day period will commence.
 
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A
BILL
To

Amend the Electoral Act

The people of Democracy Craft, 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:

1 - Short Title and Enactment
(1) This Act may be cited as the “Nomination Electoral Act Amendment”.
(2) This Act shall be enacted immediately upon its signage.
(3) This Act was authored by Speaker of the House 218218Consumer, Fmr. President George H.W. Bush, and Mayor LilDigiVert (For clarification, Mayor LilDigiVert and Fmr. President George H.W. Bush are not the same person).
(4) This Act has been co-sponsored by Rep. Hamhamham420.

2 - Reason
(1) Vacancy nominees who were eligible to run for Congress but are no longer eligible (i.e., previously active players who lost interest in the server and can no longer meet activity requirements) should not be nominated. This is to ensure that election activity requirements apply to any candidate who is nominated to the Congress of Redmont.

3 - Terms
(1) Add the following to Section 11 of the Electoral Act:
a. “a. Nominate the next winning candidate according to the electoral system used in the election. For the nominee to assume office, they must attain a majority approval in both chambers.
i. Any candidate nominated to the Congress of Redmont must meet all requirements to run for their position at the time of their nomination.”
 

Presidential Assent

This bill has been granted Presidential Assent and is hereby signed into law.

 

Presidential Assent

This bill has been granted Presidential Assent and is hereby signed into law.

 
A
BILL
To

Amend the Electoral Act

The people of Democracy Craft, 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:

1 - Short Title and Enactment
(1) This Act may be cited as the “Vote Threshold Electoral Amendment Act”.
(2) This Act shall be enacted immediately upon its signage.
(3) This Act was authored by Speaker of the House 218218Consumer.
(4) This Act has been co-sponsored by Rep. Tylxrfied.

2 - Reason
(1) Currently, the expulsion of members of the House of Representatives is practically impossible. Even the most corrupt and inactive Representatives can avoid removal through having a single ally in the House, which is easy to do in a 11-member chamber heavily defined by partisan lines. By slightly reducing the threshold for the removal of Representatives from a unanimous vote to four fifths of the House (excluding the individual in question), we can grant Representatives the power to hold their colleagues accountable while keeping the bar high and still preventing removal for political purposes.
(2) Removing a member of Congress with an 8/11 majority is very, very difficult and likely to occur under only the most grave circumstances: removing a member of Congress with 10/11 members is nearly impossible and eliminates accountability, especially if over one Representative goes inactive.
(3) TL;DR, changing the vote requirement for the removal of House members from 10/11 Reps to 8/11 Reps is a reasonable reduction.

3 - Terms
(1) Section 12 of the Electoral Act is amended as follows:
(1) If a Representative or Senator is no longer fit for office, they can be removed from Congress early by the relevant presiding officer with the consent of all members four fifths of their chamber (Excluding the individual in question).
(2) If a Senator is no longer fit for office, they can be removed from Congress early by the relevant presiding officer with the consent of all members of their chamber (Excluding the individual in question).
 
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Presidential Assent

This bill has been granted Presidential Assent and is hereby signed into law.

 
House Vote: 7-2-1
Senate Vote: 4-0-0

A
BILL
TO
Amend the Constitution & Electoral Act

The people 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:
1 - Short Title and Enactment
  1. This Act may be cited as the “LDV Campaigner’s Additional Period Amendment ” or “LDV CAP Amendment”
  2. This Act shall be enacted immediately upon its signage.
  3. This Bill was authored by Rep. LilDigiVert
  4. This Bill was co-sponsored by Rep. Hugebob23456

2 - Reasons

The city's on fire and people are in denial
Charges being laid, but we'll see what they do with trial
I'm calling this thing from now
Sweetheart deals that the judges been handing down
I haven't been able to see my family for a while
That shit is wearing me out
I used to hide my pain in Willow behind the bar 'til Aventura carried me out
And if money's all I need in my grave, then bury me now

I know I tend to talk about how I got fortune on me
But with that comes the politics the city been forcing on me
Man, I can't even RIP and show my remorse to the homie
Know I carry the guilt of the city's misfortune on me
I even got the cleaning staff plotting extortion on me
My parents divorce's on me
My therapist's voice is making the choices for me
And I always censor myself 'cause no matter what they reporting on me

The pressure is weighing on me
Career's going great, but now the rest of me is fading slowly
My soulmate's somewhere out in the world just waiting on me
My chef got the recipe for disaster baking slowly
My heart feels vacant and lonely, but still
I'm makin' the most of this stuff and more
Every single move is like rolling dice on the board
Seen too many brothers get 25 from the boys
I'd rather see all of 'em get 25 from the Lord
And if the last negotiation made you pay me 25
Well, this is the perfect time to give me 25 more
I'm bigger now than before
Co-parent of the year, we figured out a rapport
No fair what Digi made on the second leg of the tour

How could anybody tell you the truth when they misinformed?
How the politicians turnin' up with you turned you in for rewards?
How the f- do we manage to win everything but awards?
Windows of opportunity let me go through the doors
This the part where I don't ever say "Pardon me" anymore
This the part where I'ma find a new part of me to explore
This the part where all my partners know what we in it for
This the part where we gon' throw us a party after the war
And if the last negotiation had you feeling out of pocket
Well, this is perfect time that I empty them things for sure
You owe that thing to the boy, yeah


3) Unofficial Reasons
  1. The turnaround for the DoS and DPA to plan and organize a special election and debate is strenuous. This allows for extra time to plan.
  2. Candidates who enter the race late are at a disadvantage. This allows for an equal playing field.
  3. 24 hours to campaign will allow candidates to reach a wider audience and boost turnout. 24 hours to educate voters on why you are the best candidate out of everyone in the pool isn’t enough for them to make an informed decision.


4 – Terms

10 - Special Elections
(1) Congress may motion to hold a special election for a Congressional vacancy.
(2) After the motion has been approved by simple majority, it then must receive Presidential Assent.
(3) Should the President decline to grant assent for the special election motion, this may not be overruled.
(4) If assent was granted, the election shall take place 3 days thereafter, the public shall immediately be notified to allow candidates to campaign and officially submit their intent to run.
(5) A special election shall consist of a 48 nomination period, a 24 hour campaigning period, and a 24 hour voting period.
(6) Whichever candidate reached a plurality shall fill the vacancy.
(7) In the event of a tie, Congress shall choose between the highest voted candidates that tied.
(8) There shall not be a caretaker mode when a special election occurs.
(9) The results of a special election will become the most recent election from where another 14 day period will commence.
 
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Presidential Assent

This bill has received presidential assent and is hereby signed into law.

 
A
BILL
To

Amend the constitution and the Electoral Act

The people of Democracy Craft, 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:​

1 - Short Title and Enactment
(1) This Act may be cited as the 'Referendum Activity Act.'
(2) This Act shall be enacted immediately upon its signage.
(3) The Act was authored by: Rep. xEndeavour
(4) The Act has been co-sponsored by: Sen. Derpy

2 - Reasons
(1) Referendums are easily swung by inactive voters
(2) Remove double up typos

3 - Referendums
II. The right to vote in elections and referendums, provided the player has: been online within 1 month as the votes are counted.
a. Has been online within 1 month as the votes are counted.
b. Has accrued 12 or more hours of playtime in the last 30 days.
 
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Presidential Assent

This bill has reluctantly been granted assent and is hereby signed into law.

 
A
BILL
To

Enable in-game voting and amend the Electoral Act, the Legislative Standards Act, and the Constitution

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:​

1 - Short Title and Enactment
(1) This Act may be cited as the 'In Game Elections Omnibus Act.'
(2) This Act shall be enacted immediately once signed and once DemocracyElections has been certified by Staff and the State Secretary.
(3) This Act has been authored by: xEndeavour
(4) This Act has been co-sponsored by: zLost

2 - Reasons
(1) Enables in-game voting.
(2) Addition of activity requirements.
(3) Formatting changes to make it easier to read and interpret this act.
(4) Enables Town representation in the Senate.
(5) Enables voter registration.
(6) Maintains Senate electoral system, just makes the name accurately reflect the system used.

3 - Constitutional Changes

8. Elections for the House of Representatives​
(1) Elections for the House of Representatives shall be conducted through a system of preferential single transferrable voting as outlined in the Electoral Act.​
​
8. Elections for the Senate​
(1) Elections for the Senate shall be conducted through a system of single non-transferrable vote as outlined in the Electoral Act.​
​
4 - Electoral Act Changes
​
5- Electoral Terms and Limitations​
(1) The Supreme Court of Redmont is to act as the Court of Disputed Returns.​
(2) A citizen can only sit in one chamber; Where a citizen is elected to both chambers, it will be that they assume their seat in the Senate and forfeit their Seat in the House of Representatives.​
(3) 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.​
(4) Each candidate is to be listed separately on the ballot. If able, with their party in parentheses by their name.​
(5) The entirety of Congress enters 'caretaker mode' during an election period (between the 1st-10th day of an electoral month).​
(6) False party affiliations will be excluded at the request of the relevant party leader.​
(7) All citizens eligible to vote shall be granted one vote.​
(8) Political parties cannot sponsor a higher number of candidates than seats that are up to vote.​
​
6 - House of Representatives Elections​
(1) Voting System. Elections for the House of Representatives shall be conducted through a system of single transferrable voting as outlined in this Act.​
(3) Activity Requirements. In order to run for and maintain their seat in the House of Representatives, citizens need to meet these requirements:​
  • Has 6 hours active monthly playtime
  • Has accrued 24 hours playtime prior to declaring their intent to contest the election on the forums.
  • Is an active participant in the community, in-game, on discord, and on the forums.
(3) House of Representatives Duration. 2 Month Term​
(4) House of Representatives Election Months. January, March, May, July, September, and November​
​
7 - Senate Elections​
(1) Voting System. Elections for the Senate shall be conducted through a system of single non-transferrable vote as outlined in this act.​
(2) Classes. The Senate shall be divided into two classes, Class A and Class B.​
(a) When the entire Senate is up for election, the highest polling 50% of Senators shall be assigned to Class A while the remaining Senators shall be assigned to Class B.​
(4) Activity Requirements. In order to run for and maintain their seat in the Senate, citizens need to meet these requirements:​
  • Has 6 hours active monthly playtime
  • Has accrued 72 hours playtime prior to declaring their intent to contest the election on the forums
  • Is an active participant in the community, in-game, on discord, and on the forums.
(5) Senate Duration. 4 Month Term​
(6) Senate Election Months:​
(7) Class A. January, May, September​
(8) Class B. March, July, November​
​
8 - Proportional System​
(a) Once voting has concluded, all votes cast to candidates of the same party are pooled. Independents shall stand on their own and for all electoral purposes are considered a 'party'.​
(b) The number of votes the party or independent as a whole received shall be divided by the total number of votes cast to determine the “Party Share”.​
(c) The total number of seats being contested shall be multiplied by the Party Share to determine the party’s seats.​
(d) All parties and independents shall be awarded a number of seats equal to the whole number determined in the previous step.​
(e) Should any seats remain unallocated, the party with the next highest decimal seats shall be granted a seat until all seats are allocated.​
(f) The order in which the seats will be distributed to candidates will be determined by their popularity in the election, with seats being awarded to the most popular candidate of the party first, then going down from most popular to least popular to fill all of a party’s seats. If a party wins more seats than it has candidates, its extra seats shall be reapportioned in accordance with point e.​
​
9 - Block System​
(a) Once voting has concluded, seats shall be awarded to the candidate with the highest share of the vote through to the lowest share of the vote until all vacant seats are filled.​
​
8 - Single Transferrable Vote (STV) System​
(1) Voting Process. Voters rank candidates in order of preference.​
(2) Vote Threshold for Election.​
(a) In order to be elected, a candidate must reach a specific vote threshold, calculated by: dividing the total valid votes by the sum of the number of seats to be filled plus one, and then adding one to the result ​
(disregarding any remainder or fraction): ​
​
(total number of formal votes / (number of candidates to be elected + 1)) + 1 ​

(b) If a candidate surpasses this threshold with first-choice votes, they are elected.​
(3) Surplus Votes. If a candidate receives more votes than needed to meet the threshold, the surplus votes are transferred to the next preference on the voters' ballots.​
(4) Elimination of Low-Scoring Candidates​
(a) If a candidate has fewer votes than the threshold, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated.​
(b) The votes of the eliminated candidate are then transferred to the next preference on the voters' ballots.​
(5) Repeat Process. Steps 3 and 4 are repeated until all seats are filled.​
(6) Quota Adjustment. As seats are filled, the threshold is adjusted to reflect the changing number of seats and the remaining candidates.​
(7) Winner Determination. The process continues until all seats are filled. The candidate with the most votes after the final round of counting is declared the winner of the final seat.​
​
9 - Single Non-Transferrable Vote (SNTV) System​
(1) Voting Process. Voters cast a single vote for a candidate of their choice in a multi-member constituency.​
(2) Winner Determination. Candidates with the highest individual vote counts, up to the number of available seats, are declared the winners.​

13 - Special Elections​
(1) Congress may motion to hold a special election for a Congressional vacancy.​
(2) After the motion has been approved by simple majority, it then must receive Presidential Assent.​
(3) Should the President decline to grant assent for the special election motion, this may not be overruled.​
(4) If assent was granted, the election shall take place 3 days thereafter, the public shall immediately be notified to allow candidates to campaign and officially submit their intent to run.​
(5) A special election shall consist of a 48 nomination period, a 24 hour campaigning period, and a 24 hour voting period.​
(6) Whichever candidate reached a plurality shall fill the vacancy.​
(7) In the event of a tie, Congress shall choose between the highest voted candidates that tied.​
(8) Caretaker mode shall not be instated as a result of a special election.​
(9) The results of a special election will become the most recent election from where another 14 day period will commence.​
​
10 - Special Elections​
(1) Congressional Proposal. Congress may propose a special election to fill a Congressional vacancy/vacancies.​
(2) Approval. Approval requires a simple majority in both chambers. ​
(3) Election Schedule. An election will be scheduled for 3 days thereafter. Immediate public notification will allow candidates to campaign and formally submit their intent to run.​
(4) Election Timeline. The special election will follow a timeline: a 48-hour nomination period, a 24-hour campaigning period, and a 24-hour voting period.​
(5) Plurality Winner. The candidate securing a plurality will fill the vacancy.​
(6) Tie Resolution. In the case of a tie, Congress will decide among the highest-voted candidates that tied.​
(7) No Caretaker Mode. The enactment of caretaker mode will not result from a special election.​
(8) Results and Subsequent Election Period. The results of a special election will become the most recent election, initiating another 14-day period.​
​
11 - Vacant Seats​
(1) Where a seat in a chamber becomes vacant, the relevant presiding officer is obligated to do the following:​
(a) Nominate the next winning candidate according to the electoral system used in the election. For the nominee to assume office, they must attain a majority approval in both chambers.​
(i) Any candidate nominated to the Congress of Redmont must meet all requirements to run for their position at the time of their nomination.​
(b) Congress must vote on a nomination within four days of the seat becoming vacant. A special election will be automatically triggered when there are no suitable candidates in the most recent election, four days have elapsed, and the vacancy has not been filled, or a special election has been successfully motioned.​
​
12 - Removal of Members of Congress​
(1) If a Representative is no longer fit for office, they can be removed from Congress early by the relevant presiding officer with the consent of four fifths of their chamber (Excluding the individual in question).​
(2) If a Senator is no longer fit for office, they can be removed from Congress early by the relevant presiding officer with the consent of all members of their chamber (Excluding the individual in question).​
​
13 - Electoral Fraud​
Any player caught rigging/meddling with an election through, but not limited to: the use of alternate accounts, bribery, and or threats.​
Per Offence: Courts may order up to $25,000 in fines (per alt account if applicable) + issue a temporary or permeant barring from holding public office.​
​
14 - Electoral Fraud Process​
Where electoral results are flagged for fraudulent behavior, the Government will be responsible for contesting the votes in Court.​
a. During this period, the former Government will remain in Caretaker Government.​
b. Individual votes may be struck by the Court​
c. Non-fraudulent votes are to be counted and will continue to contribute to Party totals.​
(not conducive with secret ballot, more realistic)​
​
19 - Activity Requirement Process​
(1) Electoral Officers will be charged with the task of ensuring each voter meets the requirements as laid out in this bill.​
(2) If a voter does not meet activity requirements as outlined in this act, the vote will be removed and the counting will proceed.​
​
15 - Electoral Officers​
(1) Electoral Officers are charged with ensuring that elections are carried out in accordance with the wording and spirit of this act.​
(2) Electoral Officers are charged with ensuring that elected offices with activity requirements are met and maintained.​
(3) Electoral Officers are charged with serving as the stewards of free and fair elections.​
​
16 - Referendum​
(1) For all intents and purposes of this act, a Referendum is regarded as an election. ​
(2) The right to vote in elections and referendums, provided the player has:​
a. Has been online within 1 month as the votes are counted.​
b. Has accrued 12 or more hours of playtime in the last 30 days.​
(3) Referendums take place over a period of 48 hours.​
​
17 - Polling Places​
(1) Selection. Polling places are selected by the DOS. ​
(a) Consideration must be taken to ensure accessibility, convenience, and efficiency for voters (major landmarks, access to /spawns and public transportation).​
(b) Polling places must be on public land or in public buildings.​
(c) There must be at least one polling place in all recognised cities and towns.​
(2) Restrictions. In order to ensure a neutral and focused voting environment, campaign-related advertising (Includes, but is not limited to, physical campaign propaganda and person-to-person campaigning) is prohibited within:​
(a) 25 blocks of a ballot box (a block registered as a poll); and​
(b) inside a building containing a polling place. ​
(c) Failure to comply:​
​
Interfering with a Polling Place​
Obstructing or Interrupting the conduct of a polling place.​
Per Offence: $1000 Fine + 10 minutes jail​
​
Harassment of a Polling Place​
Failure to comply with polling place restrictions as defined in the Electoral Act.\​
Per Offence: $10,000 fine​
Three or more offences: Up to $50,000 fine + up to 20 minutes jail + 1 month removal from public office​
​
18 - Redundancy​
(1) The Secretary of State has the exclusive power to declare an electoral emergency.​
(2) An electoral emergency is called when an in-game election cannot be conducted reliably in-game. ​
(3) Under an electoral emergency, all elections will conducted according to the law the preceded this act until declared otherwise by the Secretary of State.​
​
19 - Registration​
(1) In order to protect the integrity of the electoral system, the Department of State will maintain voter registration.​
(a) Voter registration exists to verify the validity of voters, not to limit potential voters from voting. All legitimate citizens are entitled to registration.​
​
5 - Amendments to the Legislative Standards Act
​
18 - Activity Requirements​
(1) The Electoral Act sets out activity requirements for serving members of Congress.​
(2) A member of Congress may petition their respective chamber to waive their activity requirements (by simple majority) for up to a month on compassionate grounds or in extenuating circumstances.​
(2) It is otherwise expected that a member of Congress maintain the minimum level of activity required for election during their tenure or resign to allow other citizens to fulfil the role.​
(3) If it is discovered that a member is below activity requirements, the Department of State must serve the member with a five day warning to return to the required activity requirements.​
(a) Involuntary resignation will take place five days from being issued the warning if the member remains under activity requirements.​

6 - Constitutional Rights Changes
(1) The following is amended:
III. The right to vote a Government official out of his or her office.
(you already have the right to vote, this right is redundant)

Changes to

III. The right to Secret Ballot in elections and referendums
(all voting is anonymous; no one can tell who you voted for - even the DOS)

7 - Electoral Act Definitions

(1) Special Election
(a) An election conducted outside the regular election cycle and is typically called to fill a specific political office that has become vacant due to unexpected events.

(2) General Election
(a) An election that is regularly scheduled.
 
Last edited:

Veto

This bill has been vetoed for the following reasons: Despite the well-intentioned efforts to reform the electoral system to allow for in-game participation which is a big milestone for the server as a whole, I have been addressed by constituents on several concerns that, in my view, necessitate further deliberation and revision before the bill can be enacted into law.

The Department of State has played a historical role in facilitating and overseeing elections. This bill essentially strips the Department of State of its traditional responsibilities in managing elections.

The changes to constitutional rights, specifically the removal of the right to vote a government official out of office and the amendment of the right to a secret ballot, are unnecessary and undermine fundamental democratic principles. The right to vote out government officials is a critical aspect of democratic governance, and the alteration to the right to a secret ballot is redundant, as the current voting system is already anonymous.

 
xLayzur said:

Veto

This bill has been vetoed for the following reasons: Despite the well-intentioned efforts to reform the electoral system to allow for in-game participation which is a big milestone for the server as a whole, I have been addressed by constituents on several concerns that, in my view, necessitate further deliberation and revision before the bill can be enacted into law.

The Department of State has played a historical role in facilitating and overseeing elections. This bill essentially strips the Department of State of its traditional responsibilities in managing elections.

The changes to constitutional rights, specifically the removal of the right to vote a government official out of office and the amendment of the right to a secret ballot, are unnecessary and undermine fundamental democratic principles. The right to vote out government officials is a critical aspect of democratic governance, and the alteration to the right to a secret ballot is redundant, as the current voting system is already anonymous.

Click to expand...

Owner Veto

Congress was given a deadline here to come up with an alternative piece of legislation. Unfortunately Congress only reproposed this bill in the end.

In-game voting has been desired by the playerbase almost since DemocracyCraft's foundation, the inability for Congress to do it's job shouldn't hinder that desire becoming reality, nor waste the time of our talented developers.

With this veto this is hereby an Act of Congress.

 
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