A MOTION
To amend the Elections Act to provide for an Instant Run-Off or Alternative Vote for Single Seat elections including Presidential elections.
Introduced into the Senate of the Union of Democratic States on the 22 of February, 2021, by @Kron
As follows:
RECOGNIZING the desires of the Chancellery,
CONCERNED that this is not possible within current law,
BELIEVING that this ought to corrected,
BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and General Assembly:
Section 1: Definitions and Short Title
1. This Act may be referenced as the "Motion to Amend the Elections Act"
Section 2: Amendments
1. Section 1 “Electoral System” shall be amended to read as follows (Green indicates change):
“Section 1: Multi-Seat Electoral System
1. All multi-seat elections shall use the Average Placement System, in this system voters will rank each candidate as well as Re-Open Renominations (RON).
a. “1” shall be the highest rank and the lowest rank shall be all candidates in total plus one.
2. At the end of the multi-seat election, all the ranks received by each candidate shall be totaled and divided by the number of voters to find each candidate’s “Average Placement”.
3. Nations will be elected if they rank higher than Re-Open Nominations within the available number of seats.
4. If available seats are left and Re-Open Nominations gains a higher average placement than any Nation, a run-off election shall be called for those empty seats with new nominations.
5. Run-off elections shall occur 48 hours after the multi-seat election and shall follow other electoral rules.”
2. A new Section shall be added between following Section 1, entitled “Section 2: Single-Seat Electoral System”, Current Section 2-4 shall be renumbered accordingly:
“Section 2: Single-Seat Electoral System
1. All single seat elections shall use Instant Run-Off Voting (IRV), in this system voters will rank each candidate as well as Re-Open Renominations (RON).
a. “1” shall be the highest rank and the lowest rank shall be all candidates in total plus one.
2. At the end of the single-seat election all “1”, or first choice, ballots shall be counted, if a candidate or RON receives a majority of first choice votes the election shall end, with a Nation elected.
a. In the case of RON receiving a majority of first choice votes a run-off election shall be held, occurring 48 hours afterwards in accordance with other electoral rules.
3. If no candidate or RON receives a majority the candidate who received the least amount of first choice votes shall be eliminated, those who voted for this candidate will have their second choice votes be distributed amongst remaining candidates.
a. This process shall repeat for third choice votes, etc. until a candidate or RON receives a majority of votes.
b. If a voter’s second choice candidate has been eliminated when their vote is being distributed their third choice vote shall be distributed instead; this process shall be repeated as many times as necessary.”
3. Section 2 “Electoral Procedures” shall be amended to read as follows (Green indicates change):
“Section 3: Electoral Procedures
1. Elections shall last for 6 days, on the final 2 days of the election citizens may cast a single ballot aligned to the system in Section 1 and 2.
2. For the first 2 days of an election the Office of the Chancellor shall release a candidacy form which shall close on the 2nd day. All candidates for the election must fill this form and on the fourth day the Office of the Chancellor shall release the names of all candidates.
a. All valid candidates shall appear on the ballot.
b. If the Chancellors reject a prospective candidate a reason shall be given publicly.
3. Candidates for the election may campaign through it. Campaigns shall be done in appropriate spaces and in appropriate amounts as regulated by the Chancellery.
4. Further regulations regarding elections may be created by the Chancellery, these shall be publicly available, inferior to other laws, an have the force of law.”
4. Section 3 “By-Elections and Special Elections”, Clause 3 shall be amended to read as follows (Green indicates change):
3. All other electoral procedures, regulations and systems provided for in this act shall be followed.
a. The Chancellery may further regulate by-elections and special elections as provided for in Section 2, 4.”
