Civitate and Artifex Suffrage Act

[Gaius Baltar]

Returns the right of voting to the Civitate class.

Recommended changes below, dark green sections to be removed.

The Curia
A special section shall be made in the forum to discuss pertinent topics in governance, a place for the Citizens to propose legislation, and to post relevant developments. The Curia is a place for the exchange of ideas, and if the rules against any infractions are tough in the normal forums, in the Curia, they are doubly so. The Curia is broken into distinct sections:

Curia
For general discussion of governance related matters. Polls are not permitted within the Curia main. All Citizens may post in this area and propose informal legislation for discussion., though it will require Patrician support to become officially recognised in the Prothalamos, as per the Legislation section of the Syntagma.

Prothalamos
An area specifically for formally proposing and discussing legislation and ideas relating to TWC, but not for voting. Only Patricians may post in this area.

Curia Vote
An area strictly used for voting on proposed legislation, as outlined in the Legislation section. Surveys are not permitted within this sub-forum. Only Patricians may post and vote in this area.


Legislation
Any Civitate Patrician is able to post a Bill in the Prothalamos for discussion, which does not require named support. If a version of the bill becomes supported by a minimum of three other Civitates Patricians, the proposer can request that the Syntagma Curator move the supported version of a bill to a vote three days after it was first posted.

Should it be judged that after the minimum of three days more time is needed for debate on the subject, or that the debate is active, and moving the Bill would be premature, the progression to voting of the Bill may be delayed at the discretion of the Syntagma Curator. If the Syntagma Curator decides to delay the vote on a Bill beyond one month, then this decision is subject to staff ratification in the same way as a staff veto.

Once moved to vote, all bills shall be voted on over a one-week period. All Bills will be required to run for the full duration so that all Patricians may be able to vote if they so wish. Civitates Patricians are proscribed from viewing the results of any poll in the Curia they have not voted in. In addition, responses (including indirect methods such as signatures) in the Curia Vote sub-forum will be limited to notification of having voted. A Bill shall pass on the basis of a two-thirds majority in favor. Abstentions are not considered when determining whether a Bill has achieved the required proportion of voters. If any Bill fails a vote, no revote on a substantially similar bill will be permitted for twenty-eight days.

To the extent made possible by the forum software, no member will be able to view the results of a poll in the Curia until he has voted in the poll or it has closed.

If the forum software cannot reasonably be modified to prohibit viewing of poll results by any given member, that member, is hereby obliged on their honour as a Patricians not to view the results of any poll in the Curia he has not voted in unless necessary for the execution of any duties he may have to the site.

Suggestions welcome.

[Kscott]

This is a step back in my opinion...

[Sétanta]

No. The reforms were done to insure that only the most informed members have a vote, which is essential in a smaller environment like this.

[Reidy]

This is a step back in my opinion...

No, this is a step forward to the original position. The reform that removed Civs from the Curia was a step back. I support.

[Simetrical]

The Curia is dead with so few members. Do we want it dead or lively? Take your pick. Informed isn't a feasible option; voters are never informed.

[Sétanta]

Oh, I think allowing Civitates back into the Curia is a good idea, just limit the voting to only the best, most active members.

[Lord Rahl]

The Curia is dead with so few members. Do we want it dead or lively? Take your pick. Informed isn't a feasible option; voters are never informed.

Agreed.

Either we need to let Civs vote or we need to vote in more Patricians. Maybe it is my fault for being on the CdeC and not allowing that?!

[Tom Paine]

I think I like a lively Curia, but I want to see this Bill (Bill, not Act, til its passed) held off until we see what results from allowing civs to post in the Curia.

[Perikles]

I support this, we want an active curia.

[Garbarsardar]

I tentatively support this bill. Given the latest developments, civitates have demonstrated (except one, but that's not pertinent) their commitment to the Curia and TWC.

[scottishranger]

I support this bill, it will get the Curia more lively.

[Spiff]

I don't like this bill, firstly because it discriminates against the Artifex rank ( ), and second because it goes directly against the recent staff reforms, which i agreed with. I agree with tGS, lets see what happens in the immediate future before we determine the need for something like this.

Also there is the risk of devaluing the Patrician rank which will after this confer no benefit. I would rather have a stable Curia than a busy one.

[Halie Satanus]

Not the best time to bring this up really, I agree with Garb though, in general the Civ's have proved they are the community, they make TWC what it is and deserve to be a part of the Curia (though lets face it without the support of the modders the Curia would be without a paddle right now).

Though i support, i think given the possibility of the Curial system being moved though history to a parliamentary type deal maybe we should be looking much deeper into this issue. Again though this is not really the time.

Eit; maybe i missed something due to the BIG text, but i think All citizens includes Artifex. as for devaluing the Patricians rank, it worries me that some Patricians are so enamoured by their rank they seem to forget "but for the grace of God", or rather the CdeC, blahh blahh.

[Spiff]

Its not so much being enamoured as it is applying the phrase that has been used so often lately, what is wrong with the current system? Citizens have already been granted access back into the Curia main index, surely we should see how this goes first before making yet more changes.

[imb39]

Any legislation regarding the Curia at the moment is unwise. Currently we need to take stock - it was only 4 or 5 days ago when the Curia disappeared. Fortunately it's role in TWC's success has been recognised. Time is not desperaely pressing and there are many issues that need to be resolved.

I know I am probably the worst person to ask for time (given that I pushed the last set of reforms through) but time is what is needed. Archer has made some suggestions in the Curia main. here.

[Halie Satanus]

As i said this is not the right time to do this, I'll leave it to GB to argue his cause.

"what is wrong with the current system"

A content man archives nothing.

[gigagaia]

Given the upheavel and uncertainty, we don't know exactly a lot of things right now.
Thus I propose that this bill be put on hold for the time being...

I probably still won't support it, but I'll get into that later.

[SoggyFrog]

I support, although you should replace those sections explicitly identifying Patricians with sections explicitly identifying Civitates/Artifex.

[Rolanbek]

Question:

if the Curia (and i agree with this) should avoid proposing or discussing matters of self regulation, for exactly what reason do we we need the prothalamos open?

R

[Garbarsardar]

I am posting here Gaiuses re-worded proposal:

Copy of legislation proposed in the Prothalamus.

Changes made incorporating suggestions from Artifex members.

Also accepting sponsors for version II of this bill.

Sponsors:


Returns the right of voting to the Civitate and Artifex member classes.


The Curia
A special section shall be made in the forum to discuss pertinent topics in governance, a place for the Citizens to propose legislation, and to post relevant developments. The Curia is a place for the exchange of ideas, and if the rules against any infractions are tough in the normal forums, in the Curia, they are doubly so. The Curia is broken into distinct sections:

Curia
For general discussion of governance related matters. Polls are not permitted within the Curia main. All Citizens may post in this area and propose informal legislation for discussion.

Prothalamos
An area specifically for formally proposing and discussing legislation and ideas relating to TWC, but not for voting. All Citizens may post and discuss in the Prothalamus.

Curia Vote
An area strictly used for voting on proposed legislation, as outlined in the Legislation section. Surveys are not permitted within this sub-forum. All Citizens may vote, post and discuss in the Curia Vote.


Legislation
Any Citizen is able to post a Bill in the Prothalamos for discussion, which does not require named support. If a version of the bill becomes supported by a minimum of three other Citizens, the proposer can request that the Syntagma Curator move the supported version of a bill to a vote three days after it was first posted.

Should it be judged that after the minimum of three days more time is needed for debate on the subject, or that the debate is active, and moving the Bill would be premature, the progression to voting of the Bill may be delayed at the discretion of the Syntagma Curator. If the Syntagma Curator decides to delay the vote on a Bill beyond one month, then this decision is subject to staff ratification in the same way as a staff veto.

Once moved to vote, all bills shall be voted on over a one-week period. All Bills will be required to run for the full duration so that all Citizens may be able to vote if they so wish. Citizens are proscribed from viewing the results of any poll in the Curia they have not voted in. In addition, responses (including indirect methods such as signatures) in the Curia Vote sub-forum will be limited to notification of having voted. A Bill shall pass on the basis of a two-thirds majority in favor. Abstentions are not considered when determining whether a Bill has achieved the required proportion of voters. If any Bill fails a vote, no revote on a substantially similar bill will be permitted for twenty-eight days.

To the extent made possible by the forum software, no member will be able to view the results of a poll in the Curia until he has voted in the poll or it has closed.

If the forum software cannot reasonably be modified to prohibit viewing of poll results by any given member, that member, is hereby obliged on their honour as a Citizens not to view the results of any poll in the Curia he has not voted in unless necessary for the execution of any duties he may have to the site.

(This version replaces the term Civitate with Citizen to indicate membership of both Civitate and Artifex classes)

Suggestions welcome.