Indeed we do. I'm out tonight for a family birthday, but tomorrow I'll get things going so we're done the logistical stuff before midweek. It'll be a by-law vote (some of you have already seen what I've worked on), and the leadership votes.
Since I don't think we have multiple Federalists contesting any one seat (am I wrong?), everyone should end up getting automatic endorsements.
Actually, I'll post the by-laws here now so everyone has time to mull them over. I know they're long, but the Whig Party basically died because of runaway chairmen and insufficient by-laws. I've also included provisions for a lot of things we've wanted to do but actually haven't had the authority to do.
Now, whenever someone says "let's have a primary," there'll actually be some provisions for how to do it. See below.
------------- By-Laws -------------
THE FEDERALIST PARTY
OF ATLASIA
I. MEMBERSHIP1. Eligibility. All members registered as Federalists with the Registrar General shall be granted membership in the Federalist Party.
2. Expulsion. A member may be expelled from the party by majority vote if that member behaves in such a way as to the detriment of the party. Requests for an expulsion vote must be seconded.
II. LEADERSHIP1. Leadership positions. The national party leadership shall consist of three offices: chairman, vice chairman, and secretary. All members holding these offices must be registered members of the Federalist Party of Atlasia.
2. The Chairman. The chairman shall be the executive leader and chief spokesperson of the party. It shall also be his or her responsibility to preside over the party convention.
3. The Vice Chairman. The vice chairman shall assist the chairman in providing executive leadership. The vice chairman shall become chairman in the event of a vacancy.
4. The Secretary. The secretary shall be responsible for maintaining an up-to-date list of all party members and maintaining a calendar of events for the party. These events may include, but are not limited to, leadership elections, primaries and endorsement deadlines, and national conventions. The secretary is appointed by the chairman to serve a four month term bracketed by leadership elections.
5. Leadership Elections. The chairman and vice chairman shall be elected every four months. These elections shall run concurrently for three (3) days in April, August, and December. The first election for chairman and vice chairman shall occur by public instant-runoff vote (IRV). All subsequent elections shall occur by a simple up-down vote on the party leaders. In the event that the chairman, vice chairman, or both chairmen lose the confidence of the party, the position(s) shall become vacant.
6. Leadership Vacancies. Vacancies may be deemed to have occurred if party leaders resign, lose the confidence of the party, or have not posted within the Atlasia sub-boards for two (2) weeks or more. In the event of a vacancy in the office of secretary, the chairman shall appoint another member to the office. In the event of a vacancy in the office of vice chairman, members shall have forty-eight (48) hours to declare their intention to run for the vacant position. After that time, the chairman shall an IRV election for the vice chairman position, to last three (3) days. In the event of a vacancy in the office of chairman, the vice chairman shall become chairman of the Federalist Party, unless he wishes to remain in his current position. In that case, an election for chairman will be held.
7. Succession Snafus. In emergency situations where both the chairman and vice chairman positions are vacant, the secretary shall be responsible for running concurrent elections for both offices. In the event that all leadership positions are vacant, the most senior member of the Federalist caucus in the senate shall have the authority to run leadership elections. If there is no Federalist senator, this responsibility shall fall to the most senior Federalist regional executive.
8. Regional Chairmen. At his or her discretion, the chairman may appoint up to one regional chairman per region for the purposes of lazer-targeting, recruitment, get-out-the-vote (GOTV) operations, and other party activities.
III. ENDORSEMENTS AND PRIMARIES1. Regional legislature elections. All Federalist candidates running for regional legislature positions shall automatically receive the endorsement of the Federalist Party. If the total number of open seats in a regional election is larger than the number of declared Federalist candidates one (1) week prior to the vote, the party may endorse candidates from non-Federalist Parties. The number of non-Federalist candidates endorsed will reflect the difference between the number of Federalist candidates and the number of available seats.
2. At-large senate elections. Two (2) weeks prior to the election, the ratio of registered Federalists to total votes cast in the preceding at-large election shall determine the maximum number of Federalist endorsements (when applied against the five open senate seats as a percentage). Fractional quotients shall be rounded up. If the Federalist Party has more than this number of incumbent at-large senators, the number of incumbent at-large senators shall instead serve as the maximum number of endorsements. If, at two (2) weeks prior to the at-large election, the number of declared Federalist candidates is equal to or less than the maximum number of endorsements, no primary election shall be held and those candidates shall automatically receive the endorsement of the Federalist Party. Any Federalist candidates entering the race after this time shall not enjoy the party’s official endorsement. If, at two (2) weeks prior to the election, the number of declared Federalists is larger than the maximum number of Federalist endorsements, a primary election shall be held. The election shall run for three (3) days and shall be decided by public IRV. If the number of declared Federalist candidates is less than the maximum number of endorsements, non-Federalists may receive these remaining endorsements.
3. Regional executive elections. In elections for the office of regional executive, only one candidate in each region shall receive the party’s endorsement. If, at two (2) weeks prior to the regional election, only one Federalist candidate has declared for a given position, no primary election shall be held and that candidate shall automatically receive the endorsement of the Federalist Party. Any Federalist candidates entering the race after this time will not enjoy the party’s official endorsement. If more than one Federalist candidate has declared their intention to run, a primary election shall be held. This election shall run for three (3) days and shall be decided by public IRV. If no Federalist candidate has declared, one non-Federalist may be endorsed.
4. Regional senate elections. Federalist endorsements in regional senate elections shall follow the same model for endorsements in regional executive elections (see section III, subsection 3).
5. Special elections to the senate. Federalist endorsements in special elections to the senate shall follow the same model for endorsements in regional executive elections (see section III, subsection 3), the only difference being that Federalist candidates must declare within three (3) days of the notice of vacancy. If more than one position is up for election, the party will offer a corresponding number of endorsements.
6. Presidential elections. Federalist endorsements in presidential elections shall follow the same model for endorsements in regional executive elections (see section III, subsection 3), but Federalist candidates must declare their intention to run at least six (6) weeks prior to the election.
7. Endorsing non-Federalist candidates. If numbers permit the Federalist Party to endorse non-member candidates, candidates seeking the party’s endorsement can submit their names for consideration in the Federalist Party’s main thread or at a party convention. Alternatively, Federalist Party members may move to endorse candidates from other parties. An endorsement vote shall thereafter be held, the logistics of which shall be at the discretion of the party executive. The party shall not be required to endorse any non-Federalist candidates. The number of non-Federalists endorsed by the party must not conflict with the maximum candidates endorsed in a given race, as stipulated in section III, subsections 1-6.
8. Revoking endorsements. The Federalist Party may revoke endorsements if a motion is presented with a second and is then passed by a majority vote.
IV. CONVENTIONS1. Timing. A convention shall be called by the chairman two (2) weeks before the start of every regularly-scheduled federal election. Conventions may deviate from this timeline in emergency situations.
2. Location. It shall be at the discretion of the party executive to determine the location of the Federalist Party’s first convention. Thereafter, public IRV elections shall be held for three (3) days at the end of each convention to determine the location for the party’s next gathering. Members shall be given forty-eight (48) hours prior to this vote to nominate candidate cities.
3. By-law and platform amendments. At each convention, members may propose amendments to the by-laws and platform. These amendments shall be adopted if they pass with a majority vote. The duration of said votes shall be determined at the discretion of the party executive.
4. Leadership elections and non-confidence motions. Leadership elections may occur during a national convention. Additionally, a member of the party may call for a vote of non-confidence in the leadership of either the chairman or vice chairman. If the vote receives a majority, the relevant position shall become vacant.
5. Endorsements and Primaries. Primaries and endorsement votes may occur during conventions.
V. GENERAL1. Concurrent ballots. Intra-party elections may run concurrently on the same ballot for purposes of efficiency.
