Candidate Declarations for the Senate Elections of April 20 to 23, 2006

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

As of 18:00 EST (19:00 EDT) April 13 these are the candidates that have declared their intention to run in this thread.

Declared Candidates

District 1
Earl Andrew Washburn (SDP-NY)
NixonNow (ACA-NJ)

District 2
Keystone Phil (ACA-PA)
Virginian87 (CDP-VA)

District 3
ilikeverin (AMRLP-MN)
PBrunsel (ACA-IA)

District 4
Democratic 'Hawk' (CDP-GA)
Mike Naso (ACA-TX)

District 5
Gabu (Ind-UT)
Mr. Hobbes (CDP-CA)
Based on party membership only, the following slates of preferences will be listed on the ballot.

Atlasian Conservative Alliance (ACA)
  District 1
    1. NixonNow (NJ)
  District 2
    1. Keystone Phil (PA)
  District 3
    1. PBrunsel (IA)
  District 4
   1. Mike Naso (TX)
  District 5
    no preference

Christian Democratic Party (CDP)
  Districts 1 and 3
    no preference
  District 2
    1. Virginian87 (VA)
  District4
    1. Democratic 'Hawk' (GA)
  District 5
    1. Mr. Hobbes (CA)

Free Democratic Party (FDP)
  no preferences

Independent Liberal Party (ILP)
  no preferences

Social Democratic Party (SDP)
   District 1
    1. Earl Andrew Washburn (NY)
  Districts 2, 3, 4, and 5
    no preference

Parties have until 18:00EST April 19 to amend these default lists of prefernces.  Listed preferences can only consist of declared candidates.  If a party reaches major party status (5 or more members) before then, it may have a list of preferences as well.  If a party loses that status, then it's list will not be displayed.  Parties can choose to recommend a first and a second preference and they can choose to recommend the NOTA option.
Persons wishing to accept a write-in candidacy may do so in this thread from now until the close of the election at 18:00 EST April 23.

[Keystone Phil]

Please remove my name from the ballot for the D2 Senatorial Election.

[Q]

Is it legal to place endorsements on the official ballot?  More importantly, is it ethical?

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Please remove my name from the ballot for the D2 Senatorial Election.

The candidacy declaration deadline has passed, Senator.  If names cannot be added, I cannot see where they can be removed. If you should happen to win the ballot, you can of course, concede the victory to the runner-up in accordance with Section 9 of the Unified Electoral Code Act, if that is your wish.

Is it legal to place endorsements on the official ballot?  More importantly, is it ethical?

The Constitution itself considers granting certan privledges to major parties to be OK, so I have to consider it ethical per se to so do.  Anything procedural, such as letting major parties have a later filing deadline for their candidates, would require the action of the Senate, but this is informational, not procedural. As an informational service, it is the opinion of the Department of Forum Affairs that it is legal, so long as no explanation of the preferences are given.  Such an explanation would fall under the definition of "campaigning", but a simple list of preferences cannot be considered "campaigning", since that would render every single ballot in the thread invalid as "campaigning", an obvious obsurdity.

[TomC]

Please remove my name from the ballot for the D2 Senatorial Election.

The candidacy declaration deadline has passed, Senator.  If names cannot be added, I cannot see where they can be removed. If you should happen to win the ballot, you can of course, concede the victory to the runner-up in accordance with Section 9 of the Unified Electoral Code Act, if that is your wish.

Is it legal to place endorsements on the official ballot?  More importantly, is it ethical?

The Constitution itself considers granting certan privledges to major parties to be OK,

I've been curious about this. Where is this stated in the Constitution and to whom does it give the power to grant these privileges?

[Emsworth]

Please remove my name from the ballot for the D2 Senatorial Election.

The candidacy declaration deadline has passed, Senator.  If names cannot be added, I cannot see where they can be removed. If you should happen to win the ballot, you can of course, concede the victory to the runner-up in accordance with Section 9 of the Unified Electoral Code Act, if that is your wish.

Is it legal to place endorsements on the official ballot?  More importantly, is it ethical?

The Constitution itself considers granting certan privledges to major parties to be OK,

I've been curious about this. Where is this stated in the Constitution and to whom does it give the power to grant these privileges?

Strictly speaking, the Constitution does not grant parties any privileges. Rather, it provides: "Any political party of five or more members is considered to be an organized political party. The benefits of being an organized political party may be determined by the Senate by appropriate legislation." So far, the Senate has not exercised the power to define the privileges of major parties.

In any event, the Senate, not the Secretary of Forum Affairs, has the power to define the benefits of being an organized party.

[TomC]

In any event, the Senate, not the Secretary of Forum Affairs, has the power to define the benefits of being an organized party.

Yes, that's what I thought. I didn't know if I was missing Senate legislation on the matter.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

If it were a procedural power you would be correct.  Hiowever, clause 2 of the Administration of Voting Booths section of both the UECA and its replacement, the ESRA states: "The administrator of a voting booth shall be free to design the ballot as he or she sees fit, as long as the content of the ballot is clear and unambiguous."  I view the inclusion of major party nominations as informational content.  The use of a party vote option as one method of selecting lists of votes is within the purview of the general authority of Article VIII Section 2 Clause 2 of the Constitution: "The Department of Forum Affairs shall be responsible for administering all elections to the Presidency and the Senate."  I feel that while I am near the limits of my authority, I am still within it.  Now the Senate can certainly choose to narrow those limits if it so chooses, but to date it has not.

[TomC]

Well, we've voiced some of our concerns about the risk you are taking, Mr. Secretary. That's all we can do for now.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

As I see it, the worst that might happen is that if the court disagrees with me about what constitutes "campaigning" is that my vote gets tossed out for campaigning in the ballot thread.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Major parties are reminded that if they wish something other than the default recommendations based on party membership to appear on the ballot, notice to that effect must be given in this thread by 18:00 EST today. (about 3.3 hours from now)

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

The period for parties to list preferences other that the default ones based on party membership has expired.  Write-in candiates shall have until 18:00 EST on April 23 to indicate their acceptance of any votes cast for them by posting in this thread their acceptance.  Failure to so post will cause such votes to be discarded.

[Hatman 🍁]

SDP's endorsements:

District 1:
Earl Andrew Washburn (SDP-NY)

District 2:
No endorsement (tie)

District 3:
ilikeverin (AMRLP-MN)

District 4:
Democratic 'Hawk' (CDP-GA)

District 5:
Gabu (Ind-UT)

[Colin]

I accept all write-in votes for District Two Senate.

[MAS117]

I accept all write-in votes for District One Senate.

[minionofmidas]

I accept all write-in votes for any offices whatsoever. Of course, I will immediately resign if elected.