Secret Ballot Bill (Law'd)

[minionofmidas]

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').

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.

3. The SoFA shall be prohibited from publicly disclosing any information relating to any ballots he 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 for the SoFA and the voiding of the election at issue.

4. 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.


Sponsor: Jas


Skipped over two places in the queue because this is in an "except amendments" slot.


Doesn't this need one of those pesky "only if the relevant amendment passes" sections?

[minionofmidas]

Senators have time to object to the acceptance of amendments as friendly.

[minionofmidas]

I would be okay with the amendments, but my problem is the entire bill.  We are lucky enough to have a great SoFA right now, but I fear that at some point, we are going to have someone who has the ability to just change someones vote.  I'd personally feel much better if we were to be able to send the votes by secret ballot to the SoFA and the Deputy SoFA. That way, in the end they can do their tallies separate, and if they cant come to the same numbers than we know someone has committed fraud.

 I know, I know. I'm paranoid.

That's why we're releasing all the votes afterward!

One issue I've just noticed is the bill doesn't make it clear how the vote editing rules are going to be applied to secret votes.

[minionofmidas]

4. 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 the voiding of the election at issue.

Okay, here's where I am getting paranoid. The SoFA or AG can just throw an election they don't like out by releasing info early? No way.

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Senators have 24 hours to object.

[minionofmidas]

4. 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 the voiding of the election at issue.

Okay, here's where I am getting paranoid. The SoFA or AG can just throw an election they don't like out by releasing info early? No way.

Well, first things first, that provision isn't new here, it's what is in the text already.

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You're right. Guess I overreacted.

[minionofmidas]

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Senators have 24 hours to object.

No one did.

[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.

[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.

[minionofmidas]

Vote count

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

[minionofmidas]

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

[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.

[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.

[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)