Government Committee

Turbeaux

Mount Seymour Solstice elections seem like a very Foresty thing somehow.

Mount Seymour

Turbeaux Nice way to think about it! Right now we have equinox elections, we should switch to solstice elections! ?

Mozworld

Mount Seymour That would make more sense, but I was just suggesting that in case something like that can't be agreed on.

TheCypherNine

Yes, a clause saying government keeps running until a new forest keeper is selected makes sense to me. I think maybe just to support democracy there can be a way for the public to say no to that but it was a long time to wait to do anything.

Uan-aa-Boa

I remember Errinundera saying that the intention in closing down the government was to prevent their being any electoral advantage to the incumbent, especially to do with control of the WFE. Maybe removal of appearance authority only would be a possible compromise? I'll message Errinundera and ask if he can join in this discussion.

Seymour and others, can you be as specific as possible about why we need an established government during an event? Is this with reference to the CWA vs Ariadnae bust-up that happened during the card training? Also, did you feel there was a problem with our readiness for Z-day last year when Palos was new in post as FK? I'm not trying to argue with you, just to be as clear as possible about what everyone wants to see so that we can find solutions.

TheCypherNine

Uan-aa-Boa

Well in the case of the last election, there was no incumbent.

Mozworld

We don't need a fully functioning government to combat zombies, but after the election last year I TG'd Ransium that it might be a good idea to send over their annual regional telegram to Palos, as they were the first non-Ransium FK to be in charge during zombies, so that they could send it out themselves. Plus that was the first year that Palos had encountered zombies at all. That telegram usually gets people ready so they can bring in puppets and tries to organise everyone so they are ready right from the off (as the first 2-3 hours are essential).

So maybe along with the discussion regarding whether someone should be in charge of foreign affairs etc when the government has been dismissed, that someone still needs communications abilities during mini-games to let them know what to do.

Errinundera

I've been asked to contribute to the discussion, so here I am.

Appointing a Civil Servant as an Officer is the Forest Keeper's call. I'll do as they wish.
Election terms - my preference is yearly (because I'm lazy) but I'll happily accept shorter terms if the region wants them.
Caretaker Governments during elections. That's me! I'm going to need plenty of convincing as to why it should be some other nation.
May I suggest compressing the election timetable, such as 4 days for nominations and even just 1 day for voting - if voting matters to people then they can make the effort. Most RL nations get away with less than a full day.
I have concerns about the runner-up being deputy Forest Keeper. We've been lucky that recent elections haven't been contentious or overtly political. (In an early election one candidate wanted the region to become a home to eco-warriors with raids on regions deemed anti-environmental.) All officers should be appointed at the discretion of the Forest Keeper. I think it would be a mistake to build potential conflict into the constitution. The region could well, in the future, become quite political. It is a fundamental aspect of elections. Political responsibility - either credit or odium - ought ultimately rest on the FK.

Caracasus

Bloody hell I have been busy. Apologies all!

Right. Adding a post to the RMB shortly. I think we need to discuss:

1) The amendment to the term length in the constitution - Uan, I have suggested your version as a first draft. Thanks again for that.

2) Shortening the length of the election cycle itself.

Uan-aa-Boa

Just mentioning that next week sees Ransium's delegate streak reach 3 years, should anybody be interested in marking the event.

Mozworld

It could just highlight the fact that if it weren't for the raider then they would have passed 11 years a couple of months ago.

Mount Seymour

Mozworld Agreed— the date next week is more commemorating the raid than any beginning of Ransium’s delegacy.

Uan-aa-Boa

Good point. Let it pass quietly.

Mozworld

If they're still delegate next March then we could celebrate their mildly interrupted 12 year anniversary then.

Caracasus

Guys, I think we need to think about whether this section of the constitution needs re-drafting or clarifying around election times:

Clause 4.2, point iv states that during elections Stop all other normal workings of government.

As some have pointed out, does that include things like cultural events, map making etc?

Please do add your thoughts to this, and any suggestions as to potential clarifying statements and/or whether we need to change it.

Turbeaux

Caracasus I see cartography and events as government-sanctioned things rather than government-run ones. I was more concerned about the absence of a FM than anything else. However, if @Errinundera would be able to assume that role (minus embassy requests), I would be a happy tree.

Uan-aa-Boa

It might need clarifying, but I think the simplest way of doing that is asking Errinundera what he considers it to mean and accepting that. I can't see any need for another constitutional amendment.

Mozworld

If something requires regional officer powers then it should cease, but if not then it should continue.
Before the days when you could easily sort a region's nations by census report I always used to continue recruiting during elections as you never knew when an environmental beauty day would come round again.
Making maps and running cultural events I see no problem with those continuing, though if you were using regionwide telegrams to promote them then they'd have to cease.
For foreign affairs, ambassadorships could continue throughout but the job of managing embassy requests would be transferred to Errinundera. The foreign affairs minister could manage existing embassies but would have no authority to approve new ones.

Areulder

Cartography shouldn't be an issue now that the backlog is cleared up. Public Holiday! ⛱

Mozworld

Uan-aa-Boa 4.1 The Forest Keeper shall be elected for a 6 month term. Election season begins on March 16th and September 16th at 12:01 am GMT (Greenwich Mean Time).
4.7 An electoral period is defined as the period between the ending of one election season and the beginning of the next.
5.2 If the recall election is unsuccessful, in other words, the current delegate is re-elected as delegate, then all those nations who initially called for a recall election are not eligible to do so again in the same electoral period. (fixing the existing discrepancy between 4.7 and 5,2 )
5,3 If a new Forest Keeper is elected then the term is until the next fixed election date as per Clause 4.1. If the next fixed election date is less than 3 months after the recall election date then the term will be extended by 6 months.

While we're here I'd also suggesting adding to 5.1
iv. Resigns

Since the vote passed for shortening the electoral term should we go ahead with the above changes.
There's also clause 6.3 (embassy closures) where it should either be changed from election year to either just year or electoral period. Depending on which it is will also likely determine how to word 6.4.

Since the second election will take place at the same time as April Fool's, what do we think of Errinundera's suggestion of shortening some of the election events. Currently it's 7 days to apply, 7 days to campaign, 3 days for the elections and potentially 3 days for a run-off amounting to 20 days. Does someone with polls ability know what the alternative options are for how long they can be run for. Perhaps just run the application poll 3 days like the other two.

Did we also make a decision about clause 4.2 iv? With clauses i) and ii) I don't think it's needed.

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