Secret Ballot Bill (Law'd)

[minionofmidas]

Senators have 24 hours to object.

Sorry, the text seems to call for 24 hours after the PPT says so, not after the amendment is accepted. Stupid, I know, and not even entirely clear but that's the more reasonable reading.

[Јas]

Following consideration on the penalties section, I think a rewrite may be in order.

Amendment

That the sentence of clause 4 stating:
"Breach of this rule may result in the loss of office and the voiding of the election at issue."
be altered to read:
"Breach of this rule may result in the loss of office and/or loss of office holding rights for a period of no longer than 1 year and/or loss of voting rights for no longer than 1 year and/or the voiding of the election at issue."

I propose to accept this as friendly.
Hopefully this is the last amendment that I shall be submitting on this bill, but of course, should anyone have any ideas, please speak up.

[minionofmidas]

Senators have 24 hours to object.

[minionofmidas]

Moving on to a final vote.

Secret Ballot Bill

1. For all elections administered by the Department of Forum Affairs, there shall be the option for all eligible voters to cast their vote by personal message to the Secretary of Forum Affairs (hereinafter 'SoFA') and the Attorney General (hereinafter 'AG'). Votes which are received by either the SoFA or the AG, but not both, shall not be deemed valid.

2. Following the end of the official polling period and prior to the certification of results, the SoFA shall quote all votes cast by personal message and publish them for review by the public and shall offer such reason as he may have as to why any votes cast by personal message were deemed invalid.

3. The AG shall have responsiblity to ensure that all votes cast by personal message accurately resemble those which he received during the election. Where the AG believes that this is not the case, he shall notify the SoFA of this and may, at his discretion, bring the matter before the Court.

4. The sending of a ballot to the SoFA by personal message shall be considered permission for either the sender or the recipient to publicly publish the message. The SoFA and the AG shall be prohibited from publicly disclosing any information relating to any ballots they may or may not have received with any third party, until after the official polling period has ended. Breach of this rule may result in the loss of office and/or loss of office holding rights for a period of no longer than 1 year and/or loss of voting rights for no longer than 1 year and/or the voiding of the election at issue.

5. All references to the Secretary of Forum Affairs shall be taken also to encompass any official who may be deemed to be officiating at an election within the remit of the Department of Forum Affairs.

6. The same time period as may exist for the editing of publicly cast votes shall be held to apply for votes cast by personal message. Votes cast by personal message may only be edited by personal message. Votes cast by public post may only be edited by public post.

7. This bill shall only have effect upon the ratification of a constitutional amendment removing such requirements as may be that constitutionally prohibit voting by secret ballot.

Aye.

[Meeker]

I urge Senators to vote for this needed piece of legislation.

[Sensei]

aye

[Јas]

Aye

[GMantis]

I urge all Senators to vote against this: it would needlesly complicate elections, reduce turnout, make the game less interesting and introduce the possibility of fraud.

[DownWithTheLeft]

I urge all Senators to vote against this: it would needlesly complicate elections, reduce turnout, make the game less interesting and introduce the possibility of fraud.

Which is true, but this amendment does not do enough damage where the voice of the people shouldn't be heard.

Abstain for the time, I'll change to Aye if the vote looks like it needs one to pass

[HappyWarrior]

I'm still extremely worried about the workability and the overall need for trust in this system.

Nay

[minionofmidas]

Vote count

Aye 3 (Lewis, Sensei, Jas)
Nay 1 (Happy)
abstain (voted) 1 (Dwtl)
yet to vote 5 (Torie, Al, Andrew, PiT, Bacon)

[AndrewTX]

aye

[Bacon King]

aye

[minionofmidas]

This bill has enough votes to pass. Senators have 24 hours to change their votes.

[GMantis]

Isn't that bill unconstitutional now?

[minionofmidas]

Isn't that bill unconstitutional now?

No:

7. This bill shall only have effect upon the ratification of a constitutional amendment removing such requirements as may be that constitutionally prohibit voting by secret ballot.

It doesn't take effect atm, though. The Amendment will hit the floor very soon.

[GMantis]

Isn't that bill unconstitutional now?

No:

7. This bill shall only have effect upon the ratification of a constitutional amendment removing such requirements as may be that constitutionally prohibit voting by secret ballot.

It doesn't take effect atm, though. The Amendment will hit the floor very soon.

And if the amendment fails?

[minionofmidas]

Isn't that bill unconstitutional now?

No:

7. This bill shall only have effect upon the ratification of a constitutional amendment removing such requirements as may be that constitutionally prohibit voting by secret ballot.

It doesn't take effect atm, though. The Amendment will hit the floor very soon.

And if the amendment fails?

Then the fact that this bill passed is irrelevant.

Like with the Class A proportional seats bill - easier to buy the ammo than to buy the gun.

[Torie]

aye

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Aye

I'm sick of the way things work now.

[Associate Justice PiT]

     Aye

[Јas]

This bill has enough votes to pass. Senators have 24 hours to change their votes.

*cough*

[minionofmidas]

Yah, when I updated Senatey things on the 22nd, it was 20 minutes til the 24 hours ran out. After that the same day, I was online but clean forgot.

The bill has passed. It is presented to the President for his Sig or Veto.

Vote count

Aye 8 (Lewis, Sensei, Jas, Torie, Al, Andrew, PiT, Bacon)
Nay 1 (Happy)
abstain (voted) 1 (Dwtl)

[bgwah]

X PRES BGWAH