S.19.4-5: Standardizing Election Times Amendment (Failed)

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Standardizing Election Times Amendment

Section III, subsection 2 of the Constitution of the Southern Region is amended to read as follows:

2. The governor must be elected democratically by the people of The South. Elections are to be held every January, April, July and October February, June, and October for governor. The appropriate election administrator will open the voting booth at 12:00:00am EST of the penultimate Friday of the month and will close said booth the following Sunday at 11:59:59pm EST. The election administrator must accept any absentee ballot received no more than 168 hours prior to the opening of the polls.

Section IV, subsection 3 of the Constitution of the Southern Region is amended to read as follows:

3. Elections to the Southern Legislature shall take place once every January, April, July and October February, June, and October. The appropriate election administrator will open the voting booth at 12:00:00am EST of the penultimate Friday of the month, and will close said booth the following Sunday at 11:59:59pm EST. The election administrator must accept any absentee ballot received no more than one week prior to the opening of the polls.

non-delegate (Federal Senator) Co-sponsor and Writer: MB
Sponsor: West_Midlander

[West_Midlander]

This bill is self-explanatory and I would like to hear the opinions of my fellow delegates on this matter.

[Adam Griffin]

This needed to happen eons ago. Personally I think 2 or 4-month terms are fine for legislative, as long as they are synced with the standard elections.

The post-reset environment being infused with desire for regional experimentation led to a convoluted system across the country where voters have elections every month, which leads to exhaustion, low turnout and poor participation overall. Standardizing the regional calendar should alleviate at least some of that in the South.

[Leinad]

A few quick points:

-4-month legislative terms wouldn't work well. Basically half of regional legislators are either new or semi-active. It's good to have somewhat regular legislative elections so we neither get stuck with an inactive batch nor have to wait too long to get new active players in office.

-I will get pushback for this but do we have to have all the elections at the same time? If the kids will develop a rash to see PMs in their inbox for elections meaning we can't do odd months (even though most RL states who do off-year elections are in our region!), that's fine, but can we at least have Governor on midterm elections (Apr/Aug/Dec) instead of being overshadowed by the Presidential?

-The switchover for Governor should be in April as it might be unfair to the offices current occupant to limit their term to 2 months. Going 3, 3, 4... makes logical sense, no?

(also if people in Nyman are going to complain about a region having non-standard elections they should look west )

[Deep Dixieland Senator, Muad'dib (OSR MSR)]

-4-month legislative terms wouldn't work well. Basically half of regional legislators are either new or semi-active. It's good to have somewhat regular legislative elections so we neither get stuck with an inactive batch nor have to wait too long to get new active players in office.

I concur with the Governor. While I can see the attraction of having an aligned election schedule. I'm not sure this Bill is the way to go. This is a Fantasy elections game after all. Having elections is a part and parcel of why one would join the game in the first place. Compared to what this Bill puts forward, the existing schedule is fine. Having a batch of inactive legislators for longer than the current arrangements (which this bill would do) it just plain silly.

This bill is self-explanatory and I would like to hear the opinions of my fellow delegates on this matter.

It's self explanatory in what the change is, not why the change is warranted. I would be interested in both the bill's author and the bill's sponsor to advocate for this Bill. Currently I'm not sold on the necessity of this bill.

also if people in Nyman are going to complain about a region having non-standard elections they should look west

Once again I concur with the Governor. This isn't Fremont, land of the by-election and Kansas envy.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

I by-and-large agree with the Governor.

[West_Midlander]

If no one has anything else to say on the matter, I motion for a final vote. Also, given the legitimacy of the arguments against the bill, I will be voting abstain.

[PragmaticPopulist]

If no one has anything else to say on the matter, I motion for a final vote. Also, given the legitimacy of the arguments against the bill, I will be voting abstain.

No objection from me.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Final vote. 48 hours.
Nay.

[West_Midlander]

Abstain

[Deep Dixieland Senator, Muad'dib (OSR MSR)]

Nay

[reagente]

nay

[PragmaticPopulist]

Nay

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

4 nays, 1 absentation. this bill fails.