Lazarene Elections Act (December 2019)
Proposed by: @"New Rogernomics"
Additional credit to: @"McChimp", Elections Act (Humane Republic of Lazarus and Celestial Union)
Preamble
This act will set forth the general procedure for holding elections within Lazarus.
Section 1. The Timing of Elections
(1) General Elections shall be held 15 days prior to the end of term for an elected office.
(2) General Elections shall last for a duration of fifteen (15) days.
(3) Special Elections shall be held as soon as reasonably possible once a vacancy in an elected office appears, when:
a. A recall or resignation has taken place prior to the first or last fifteen (15) days of the term.
(4) Special Elections shall last for a duration of eight (8) days.
Section 2. The Composition of Elections
(1) General Elections shall be composed as follows:
a. A four (4) day standing period.
b. A six (6) day campaigning period.
c. A five (5) day voting period.
(2) Special Elections shall be composed as follows:
a. A two (2) day standing period.
b. A three (3) day campaigning period.
c. A three (3) day voting period.
Section 3. The Conduct of Elections
(1) The Assembly Speaker may officiate the election.
(2) The Delegate may appoint an officiator for the election if the Assembly Speaker declines to officiate the election.
Section 4. Candidacy and Campaigning
(1) Candidates may begin campaigning in the elections sub forum immediately once they declare their candidacy in the standing thread.
(2) After the standing period has elapsed, the standing period will be considered closed and the election officiator will close the standing thread.
a. Any candidacy declarations submitted after the standing period has elapsed will be considered invalid.
(3) Immediately after nominations are closed, the campaigning period will begin.
Section 5. Voting Period
(1) Upon the conclusion of the campaigning period, the election officiator will open the voting thread and the voting period will commence:
a. The voting thread will remain open for the full period after the election officiator opened the voting thread.
b. Any votes submitted after the voting period has passed will be considered invalid.
(2) A candidate shall be ineligible to run if:
a. They are prohibited from occupying the position for which they are running by law.
b. They rescind their candidacy.
(3) If a candidate is ineligible to run, the election officiator shall reject their candidacy or redistribute the votes for the ineligible candidate according to the ranked choices of voters and continue the election.
(4) A special election term is not to count towards any established consecutive term limits for potential candidates.
Section 6. Instant-Run Off Voting
(1) Voters shall rank any number of candidates they choose and abstinence in order of preference.
(2) During each round, each voter shall have voted for the option they put highest in order of preference that still remains.
(3) Between each round, the candidate with the fewest votes will be eliminated.
(4) Rounds shall recur until:
a. A candidate has the required threshold of votes, in which case they will have won.
b. Enough votes are to abstain that it is impossible for any candidate to achieve the required threshold of votes, in which case the officiator will open nominations for a special election.
