Third Amendment to the Consolidated Electoral Reform Act (Law'd)

[MasterJedi]

Third Amendment to the Consolidated Electoral System Reform Act

Section 2, Clause 2 is amended to read:

2. If no candidate has a majority of highest preference votes, the candidate with the fewest highest preferences shall be eliminated, and his or her votes redistributed according to the next-highest preferences of the voters.
Spon: Sen. PiT

[Bacon King]

Isn't this already law?

[Associate Justice PiT]

Isn't this already law?

     The current test says"fewest first preferences". Wording it this way makes it ensures that a tie results in a runoff, which means more election fun for everyone.

     You are right that it has been de facto law for a long time, but as Jas pointed out it may not have an actual basis in Atlasian law. This amendment makes sure that it does.

[MasterJedi]

I hereby open up a vote on this bill. Please vote Aye, Nay or Abstain.

Aye

[Bacon King]

aye

[Franzl]

Aye

[afleitch]

Aye

[Marokai Backbeat]

Aye. This seems sensible enough, though I have some misgivings about changing these laws in the middle of a possible court challenge to Lief's apparent win.

[Associate Justice PiT]

     Aye

[MasterJedi]

With 6 Ayes, 0 Nays and 0 Abstentions this bill has passed. I hereby present it to the President for his signature.

Wow, it passed in less than an hour!

[bgwah]

Isn't this already law?

     The current test says"fewest first preferences". Wording it this way makes it ensures that a tie results in a runoff, which means more election fun for everyone.

     You are right that it has been de facto law for a long time, but as Jas pointed out it may not have an actual basis in Atlasian law. This amendment makes sure that it does.

I'm not so sure about that... Elections are like candy. They're fun in moderation. But too much and you might get sick...

[MasterJedi]

Isn't this already law?

     The current test says"fewest first preferences". Wording it this way makes it ensures that a tie results in a runoff, which means more election fun for everyone.

     You are right that it has been de facto law for a long time, but as Jas pointed out it may not have an actual basis in Atlasian law. This amendment makes sure that it does.

I'm not so sure about that... Elections are like candy. They're fun in moderation. But too much and you might get sick...

Uhm, Mr. President. It's on your desk....

[Purple State]

Aye ftr.

In before the sign.

[bgwah]

Isn't this already law?

     The current test says"fewest first preferences". Wording it this way makes it ensures that a tie results in a runoff, which means more election fun for everyone.

     You are right that it has been de facto law for a long time, but as Jas pointed out it may not have an actual basis in Atlasian law. This amendment makes sure that it does.

I'm not so sure about that... Elections are like candy. They're fun in moderation. But too much and you might get sick...

Uhm, Mr. President. It's on your desk....

I see that... I will have to ponder this for a short while more.

[MasterJedi]

Isn't this already law?

     The current test says"fewest first preferences". Wording it this way makes it ensures that a tie results in a runoff, which means more election fun for everyone.

     You are right that it has been de facto law for a long time, but as Jas pointed out it may not have an actual basis in Atlasian law. This amendment makes sure that it does.

I'm not so sure about that... Elections are like candy. They're fun in moderation. But too much and you might get sick...

Uhm, Mr. President. It's on your desk....

I see that... I will have to ponder this for a short while more.

Fair enough. But you just posted that without saying anything.

[bgwah]

Also, I like it when you call  me "The P." I informally request that everyone refers to me as "The P" for the remainder of my tenure as President.

[MasterJedi]

Also, I like it when you call  me "The P." I informally request that everyone refers to me as "The P" for the remainder of my tenure as President.

Haha. There wasn't enough space for "President" so I shortened it to make it fit and so everyone would fully know what I meant.

[Purple State]

Isn't this already law?

     The current test says"fewest first preferences". Wording it this way makes it ensures that a tie results in a runoff, which means more election fun for everyone.

     You are right that it has been de facto law for a long time, but as Jas pointed out it may not have an actual basis in Atlasian law. This amendment makes sure that it does.

I'm not so sure about that... Elections are like candy. They're fun in moderation. But too much and you might get sick...

Uhm, Mr. President. It's on your desk....

I see that... I will have to ponder this for a short while more.

I see the point about run-off elections. One would likely have considerably lower turnout. It likely wouldn't be viable (or accepted) to do as the US does and send a tie to the legislature to break. Could we find a solution that accepts this amendment, but avoids a run-off?

[bgwah]

I think run-off elections should be an absolute last resort. If there is any reasonable way to determine a winner from the original election, then I believe we should always take that route.

Also, I like it when you call  me "The P." I informally request that everyone refers to me as "The P" for the remainder of my tenure as President.

Haha. There wasn't enough space for "President" so I shortened it to make it fit and so everyone would fully know what I meant.

I figured as much, but I like it. It's my street name.

[Purple State]

I think run-off elections should be an absolute last resort. If there is any reasonable way to determine a winner from the original election, then I believe we should always take that route.

Would you support sending ties to the Senate to break? Or break a tie based on whomever won the majority of the regions?

[bgwah]

I think run-off elections should be an absolute last resort. If there is any reasonable way to determine a winner from the original election, then I believe we should always take that route.

Would you support sending ties to the Senate to break? Or break a tie based on whomever won the majority of the regions?

That actually crossed my mind---mimicking what the U.S. does if the electoral college fails to produce a winner by sending it to the House (Senate in our case).

The regional idea is also interesting. Perhaps this could be used first. However, it is also possible that each candidate wins two regions with a tie in the fifth. In that case it could go to the Senate where, hopefully, the Vice President's tie-breaking vote would prevent a tie from happening and resolving the matter once and for all.

One thing is for certain, even with the Consolidated Electoral Reform Act this seeks to amend, all of the rules governing proper registration and elections seem to be all over the place. I think we can all agree that it would be helpful to have a truly comprehensive and up-to-date electoral reform act. Give it a page on the Wiki and make sure it stays updated with the latest rules so people other than Jas and Lewis can understand what the rules actually are.

[Associate Justice PiT]

     I don't see ties as being common enough that breaking them with runoffs is a negative proposition, though it might be interesting if they were broken by a Senate vote.

[HappyWarrior]

AYE ftr

[Purple State]

     I don't see ties as being common enough that breaking them with runoffs is a negative proposition, though it might be interesting if they were broken by a Senate vote.

While they would appear to be infrequent (to say the least), imagine what a run-off in the presidential election would mean. Could you really come close to matching the turnout from the original election? It was be a disaster, with people lobbying for vote changing. It just allows for too many problems.

I say we look to implement the tie-break by region first, that way it doesn't fall onto anyone's shoulders directly, while also providing a provision that if that results in a rare tie, it goes to the Senate.

I would be happy to work on comprehensive voting reform in the next Senate. I headed the initiative to do that in the Mideast as Speaker.

[bgwah]

*VETO*