Volunteers Needed for Election Commissioner(s)

With the holidays upon us all, it's easy to lose track of time, but we are coming up on the next General Elections for Delegate, Vice Delegate and Speaker in January, as required by Law 26, Section 1.

We need a volunteer or two to serve as Election Commissioner(s) for this election cycle. The persons selected as ECs cannot be a candidate for the offices up for election at this time. They should be members of the RA, as well.

If our incumbent Delegate has not made a selection for EC by the end of December, as Chief Justice, I will have the responsibility of making that selection. I realize that with the holidays, many people are busy and or traveling, but if one or more ECs haven't been named by New Years' weekend, I will make a choice at that time.

Hmm. Well, I'm too new here to really even consider running for any position, and I have been looking for a way to help. I log in to these forums daily even though I don't really have much to say most the time.

I'd be glad to be EC if no one else wants to.

EDIT: And, if anyone has anything else needing to be done PM me... Like I said I'd really like to help I just don't really know how to.

TNP Law 26 Section 1:

2. The Delegate must select one or more Election Commissioners to oversee the nomination and election processes, at least one week before the month in which the Election Cycle begins. If an appointment of Election Commissioners has not been made by that time, the Chief Justice shall promptly make the appointment within 48 hours.

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With there being no appointment of an Election Commissioner (EC) made by the Delegate a week prior to the first date of the January 2011 elections, and with there being less than 48 hours to that date, I believe the Chief Justice may, if he desires, make the appointment of an EC now.

Also, I personally have no objections to Topid being made EC, if that is the wish of the Chief Justice.

That seems the sensible solution to our circumstances. Getting some candidates before Saturday may prove more difficult.

Since I'm new at this, I've read the procedures which I found in the legal code and dug through the archives, but nothing is mentioned about voting via personal message or forum post in Law 26. It doesn't matter which way, people vote by either, right? (A good question whether or not I'm selected for the position or not.)

Other than that, I don't have any questions about the whole process, Law 26 is clear on everything else.

That seems the sensible solution to our circumstances. Getting some candidates before Saturday may prove more difficult.

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It is my understanding of the law that Saturday (January 1) is when the seven days of nomination/declaration of candidates begins, and that lasts until the 8th. So we don't need candidates before Saturday, we need them by a week from Saturday. (Unless that is the Saturday you were referring to?)

As a former Elections Commissioner, I can answer your questions. The EC is provided the password to the user "The Elections Commissioner", which is used by the EC to deliver the official vote results, make official rulings, etc. Those members of the RA (that list will be confirmed shortly, as I will have to check who is still legally active under the 30 day activity rule) who wish to vote via PM must send their ballot to "The Elections Commissioner".

For the second question, nominations start on the 1st. I notice that a Member started a thread already, but that is unofficial and the Elections Commissioner will have to confirm that starting on the 1st. All members have a week to submit their candidacies, and after that time is up they are no longer legally permitted to do so. Also, it should be noted that a previous court ruling stated that write-in campaigns are not permitted, so people need to get their candidacies made official by the EC before the nomination period is over.

Hope that helps clear things up!

Dalimbar:

...but that is unofficial and the Elections Commissioner will have to confirm that starting on the 1st...

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So whoever is the EC has to acknowledge or confirm each campaign thread and/or nomination, or just that one that was started a bit early?

Pretty much the EC will have to make sure all those candidates who have submitted their names (Flemingovia, Blackshear, and myself so far) are legally allowed to run. They don't have to go through candidate's campaign threads, though.

Okay. Hope I hear fom chief justice soon then.

I've had a bit going on this weekend due to the constantly changing weather conditions, and I wanted to make sure Flemingovia had decided not tha act to appoint an Elections Commissioner.

I was also waiting to hear from a second possible appointment, and have not, so I will appoint Topid as Elections Commissioner for the January 2010 General Elections.

Topid should use the Voting Booth user account when acting as Elections Commissioner. He'll find the threads for past elections in the Elections Archives subforum.

I'm two seconds away from announcing the results and before I do so I'm going to point out that one person voted by private message without posting in the thread to indicate he/she did so. So the total votes in the results are one higher than would appear possible from the thread. I don't see anything requiring a citizen to post in the thread if he/she votes by PM so I'm obviously counting it... But as it would turn out it wouldn't effect the result anyway.

Also, Flem, why did you send The Voting Booth a campaign PM? Or was it an automated or mass PM? The title looked like a normal vote, I kept clicking it by mistake.

It is a custom to indicate a vote by private message rather than posting the vote, but it is not a requirement.