S.21.2-5: Southern Referendum Act (Law'd)

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Southern Referendum Act

1. In the case of any bill there is taken a vote on in the Southern Chamber of Delegates in which no majority of total votes is reached (either "Yes" votes or "No" votes do not reach a majority due to abstentions), the bill is passed or denied instead as a part of a referendum. If an absolute majority of participating voters in that referendum votes either in favor or against that bill, then it gets sent directly to the governor's office.
2. The referendum would take place at the same time as the regional elections directly following the original vote inside the chamber, and sponsors and supporters, or opponents of the bill are encouraged to share their arguments as to why they think the bill is a good or bad idea.
    2A. The format of the referendum is as follows. After all previous questions regarding ballots for elected office, a section of the ballot is dedicated to referendums. In these sections, all bills eligible to be placed as referendums will be titled "[INSERT BILL NAME HERE]" + "Referendum". After this, a link to the bill inside the Southern Chamber is presented along with one paragraph describing what the bill does, one paragraph arguing for the bill, and one paragraph arguing against the bill. The writers of the paragraphs are the first paragraph is written by the person who introduced the bill and/or sponsored it. The second paragraph is written by the first person who voted "Aye!" (if someone did vote Aye, if nobody voted Aye then that paragraph isn't written) and the third paragraph is written by the first person who voted "Nay!" (if someone did vote Nay, if nobody voted Nay then that paragraph isn't written). Also, details about the vote of the bill which came to pass are given. An example is given below in section 2B, for better understanding. Maximum word counts for each paragraph are 200 words, no minimum word count. If nobody writes a paragraph, then that paragraph will not be written. The referendum will carry on though.
   2B.

The [INSERT BILL NAME HERE] Referendum

Link to Bill in Southern Chamber

If this referendum passes with a majority of participating voters choose "Aye" then the above bill passes and will be presented to the governor for signature. If a majority of participating voters choose "Nay" then the above bill is rejected and will not be presented to the governor for signature, and will not be signed into law.

This bill was sponsored by [Person A].

The vote in the Southern Chamber went as follows:

Aye!

Person A
Person B

Nay!

Person C
Person D

Abstain

Person E

Description of bill contents (written by Person A)

The bill will do [things].

Advocation for bill (written by Person B)

You should vote for this bill because [reasons].

Advocation against bill (written by Person C)

You should vote against this bill because [reasons].

3. This bill is effective August 01, 2021.

Sponsor: Abdullah

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

I'm wary of potential abuse that might follow from this measure. How do we know that a bloc of delegates won't intentionally abstain in order to try their luck in a referendum?

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

The problem with direct democracy is that power is responsibility. Is the broader Southern citizenry willing to go to the ballot box and turn out time and time again in referendums, and inform themselves on the topics in question? Are they willing to be responsible voters who in these circumstances research precisely what the law in question would entail and what the consequences of a no and yes vote would be? In the current system, they don't have to worry about it very much - they elect us as delegates and we handle the complicated lawmaking process as representatives of the people, together with a governor elected on the same basis.
This bill simply saying there will be a referendum if X and Y happens, is too incomplete. There has to be a broader range of provisions regulating how the process works and helping the citizenry get the resources they need in the event of a referendum.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

The problem with direct democracy is that power is responsibility. Is the broader Southern citizenry willing to go to the ballot box and turn out time and time again in referendums, and inform themselves on the topics in question? Are they willing to be responsible voters who in these circumstances research precisely what the law in question would entail and what the consequences of a no and yes vote would be? In the current system, they don't have to worry about it very much - they elect us as delegates and we handle the complicated lawmaking process as representatives of the people, together with a governor elected on the same basis.
This bill simply saying there will be a referendum if X and Y happens, is too incomplete. There has to be a broader range of provisions regulating how the process works and helping the citizenry get the resources they need in the event of a referendum.

This is true. Why not add information about each provision as an add-on to the ballot? Like a paragraph-long snippet about the bill, what it does, arguments for and against it, and a link to the original proposal.

That would be a considerable improvement I think.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

No objection.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Anyone want to share any opinions on the bill? Anything that could be improved?

Personally I'd favor a revision of the first section to omit non-votes from consideration and instead require an absolute non-majority of those voting (aye, nay, or abstain all being valid options). Turnout in the most recent final vote was only 3 out of 5 delegates and it's dawned on me that insufficient activity levels might result in a lot of referenda in circumstances stemming not from delegates willfully choosing to abstain in order to bring a referendum to decide an issue they are unsure how to act in regards to, but rather due to simple lack of awareness/willingness merely to show up in a final vote.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Good idea to revise the first section along the lines I suggested and then move immediately to a final vote?

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

No objection.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Amendment is adopted.

Motion for a final vote.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Final vote. 48 hours.

Aye.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

3 ayes, 1 present. This bill passes.