Talk Elections

May I alert the PPT to a possible vacancy in the Senate caused by 21 days of inactivity by Senator DWTL in accordance with Senate Rules and Regulations; Article 10: Vacation of Senate Seat by Reason of Absence

https://uselectionatlas.org/AFEWIKI/index.php/Current_Senate_Rles%2C_Regulations%2C_and_Procedures

His last post regarding Senate business was as follows:


It may be open to intepretation as to whether this kicks in now, or at the end of this day. If so I anticipate some furious partisan e-mailing to ensure that he drops by before the day is out. :)

That link doesn't work here (https://uselectionatlas.org/AFEWIKI/index.php/Current_Senate_Rules%2C_Regulations%2C_and_Procedures#Article_10:_Vacation_of_Senate_Seat_by_Reason_of_Absence) is where you can go.

Thank you. Sorry about that!

However this pans out, it is clear that DWTL has not been active and I'm sure he has been, like many studying for exams. I certainly wouldn't want to take anything from that because real life is important. However, like many who have had similar busy periods they have either stepped down, or chose not to run.

Secondly the fact that no one in the Senate seems to have commented that he's been absent for 3 weeks is also marked.

If he can't contribute, for a fair reason at that, he should step down and let someone else take his place. He can then re-enter the 'arena' at a later date.

Speaking of absences Xahar is back..for the first time since January...and looking at this thread....and sending messages... :) The wonder of the 'Users Online' facility never ceases to amaze me.

EDIT: I'm not making a connection here. I just wonder what Xahar does all day!

I look at that thing all the time. I would like the senate to act quickly on this, DWTL is a good poster, but not being active for three weeks is uncalled for. IIRC Sen. PiT tried to PM him a while back about not being active, but I guess he never answered PiT.

     I think someone said that New Jersey schools end second week of June. That would mean he dropped off the face of the Earth to start studying for finals a full month ahead of time. I kind of suspect that it was something that was unforseeable.

Well, he has been on since his last post, but he didn't post anything saying he was unable to post.

     Which I do find to be very odd. In retrospect, it would have been good if SPC had not invalidated his vote so DWTL would win.

I agree, if DWTL isn't going to post then we need to remove him as Senator and let someone else take his place that is active and wants to be in the Senate.

On the topic of this, I've been thinking about how we elect people to fill casual vacancies to STV-At Large Senate seats.

Obviously I floated an idea in the Constitutional Convention about if a casual vacancy arises (in my initial proposal) that the party of which that Senator was a member would appoint his or her successor. This is how the Australian Senate operates.

In local councils that use STV over here, frequently casual vacancies are filled using a countback system of excluding the candidate and using the last election results. I don't know if in this instance that would bump up SPC or Lief, but it's something that bears consideration.

Anyway, it's perhaps an idea we could discuss (probably also in the ConCon) and perhaps see about changing in the meantime (since the final draft of the ConCon may be voted down, while some elements may still be popular). It wouldn't be through before the election to replace DWTL (if one is needed), but it might be a good idea to look at it before the next casual vacancy arises - predominantly since the result of an IRV election to fill one seat may yield very different results to the intention of the voters who elected the Senator in an STV election to fill five seats.

Just a thought that isn't necessarily relevant in the current debate, but perhaps something we should consider and discuss for the future.

     It makes sense should we switch to a parliamentary system as leaving the filling of vacancies as the perogative of the party leader of the former MP is a quick & easy way to help increase party power as a party won't get undermined by losing a seat mid-session & people will have an incentive to suck up to the chairman so they get appointed.

Vacancies used to be filled by Party Leaders, if I remember correctly. I don't know why we changed it.

That would be PiT, because DWTL is the current RPP Chairman.

It would be good to return to that system, although one possible pitfall is that parties could use popular candidates, have them resign, and place a less popular, more ideological member in their stead. Considering the controversies I have heard of regarding ballot invalidations, etc., it doesn't seem this is so far out of the picture.

I think this is the first time the vacancy provision has come into play.
As I recall, it was DWTL who pushed for the limit to be set at 21 days.

(FTR, I would suggest that days be interpreted as 24 hour periods rather than calendar days, but it's unlikely to make any difference in this instance.)

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Under the initial terms of the PR Act, vacancies were generally to be filled by the party of the outgoing Senator. The exception concerned Independents and parties with fewer than 4 members, in these instances by-elections were mandated.

My original draft of the Act simply had a by-elections requirement for vacancies - but as part of concessions to ensure the passage of the bill this had to be dropped. Countback was considered, but I did not (and do not) feel it to be suitable for Atlasia.

I proposed the party replacement system as a compromise which, thankfully, garnered sufficient backing to pass the bill.

An amendment to the PR Act concerning by-elections was proposed by Lewis and passed by the 25th Senate. As this game is as much an election sim as it is a government one, I approve of by-elections as they are an opportunity to once again generate interest among the populace in the Senate.

Well according to everything then DWTL has vacated the seat by innactivity. So I'm just making sure here before I do it, does that mean I need to notify the SoFA?

I believe so, you need to notify the SoFA, to hold an election to fill his seat.

Indeed so. As the vacancy requires a election (rather than gubernatorial appointment) and such election is to be overseen by the SoFA, he is the appropriate person for notification.

What happens if DWTL comes back before we have the election to fill his seat?

He would have the option of trying to defend it in the election.

Ok, that is what I was thinking, but wasn't sure.

So, are we moving foward on this?

Already told Earl, he acknoledged that(sp?), just have to wait for him to act.

OK, you did your job. Now we have to wait until he does his.

Sorry everyone.  I have not read the rest of the forum so I don't know what Brandon has got you up with.  I plan to issue a statement sometime next time, but it boils down to this.

Shortly after being elected, my laptop crashed.  I did not get a new one because my college is providing me with one next week.  Therefore, I had very, very limited computer time on my shared family computer and at school.  I was unable to dedicate any time to this forum due to little time on the computer and little time in general.  After my SHU orientation (yet if things weren't crazy enough I switched schools :P) I will have my new laptop and plan on returning full-time to lead the RPP or whatever is going.  I have no idea what has happened in fantasy politics but hope to catch up quick.

Good to hear from you again ;)

Welcome back my friend.

Welcome back, buddy.

     Nice to see you back. :)

Welcome back DWTL, sorry I had to steal your seat. :P

Welcome back DWTL. Don't forget to vote!