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Title
1. This Act shall be cited as the Procedural Rules Amendment XVIII

Amendments
Section 11 of the Procedural Rules of the Underhusen will be amended to read as follows:

11. At the conclusion of each Underhusen election, the incoming Skrifa shall have forty-eight (48) hours to convene to nominate candidates for the Speakership of the Underhusen. All Skrifa will be eligible for nomination to the Speakership. Following the nomination period, each Skrifa shall have one (1) vote for Speaker of the Underhusen in an open roll-call lasting forty-eight (48) additional hours or until all elected Skrifa have voted and no tie for first place has occurred, or until one candidate achieves majority support from the Underhusen.
      (a) Should there be only one (1) candidate for Speaker, the candidate shall be Speaker immediately following the nomination period. There shall be no voting period in this instance.

Before we get bogged down in the OA debates that are likely to occur this term it might be prudent to tweak our election of the Speaker. This first draft removes the monarch's responsibility to administer the selection process, as well as clarifying an ambiguity about the nature of the vote ("poll" could be misinterpreted as requiring a forum poll, whereas "open roll-call" is a bit more clear). And now if a candidate receives majority support they instantly win, regardless of if we're still waiting on a few votes.

I also propose removing the Monarch's ability to expedite the selection process — if they're not actually running the election then we would have to expedite it ourselves, which we couldn't do without having everybody vote, which is basically just an election. I don't believe four days tops out of a term isn't a massive issue anyway, even if it is a truncated term.

Current Text

11. At the conclusion of each Underhusen election, the Monarch shall announce a forty-eight-hour (48 hours) nomination period in which elected Skrifa may stand as a prospective candidate for Speaker of the Underhusen. Following the nomination period, each Skrifa shall have one (1) vote for Speaker of the Underhusen in a poll lasting forty-eight (48) additional hours or until all elected Skrifa have voted and no tie for first place has occurred.
      (a) Should there be only one (1) candidate for Speaker, the candidate shall be Speaker immediately following the nomination period. There shall be no voting period in this instance.
      (b) The nomination and/or voting period may be shortened at the discretion of the Monarch if the relevant Underhusen session is shortened.

Eh, I like that we're getting things out the door, but I can't really support this one.  If Moot doesn't put up and run the nominations on time at the beginning of the term, I can see it being either easily forgotten or bickered upon by the UH members as to who should post it, when the right time to vote would be (as people in the current ones already tried to technicalize poorly)...and overall I see it just being a mess.

I really see nothing wrong with letting the Monarch continue to run the Speaker Election and do that process, personally.

I also don't see where he's actually tried to expedite the process.  He's always kept it at the same pace every time from what I've always seen.

Whilst I understand the concerns you've raised, Pengu, I can't see Skifra having to post/start Speaker nominations and voting as having a detrimental effect on activity at all - for example, I've been raring to go this term but technically we can't begin working until we have a Speaker.

My initial suggestion was that Wintermoot has to open Speaker nominations, but after that Skifra take over the operations; a 'ceremonial' opening of the term by the Monarch followed by a symbolic switch to the Underhusen running the show.

I think Charax was talking about expediting the process in relation to the ability the Monarch has to expedite, which would also need to be adjusted if we made UH Speaker protocol in house rather than Monarchical.

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My initial suggestion was that Wintermoot has to open Speaker nominations, but after that Skifra take over the operations; a 'ceremonial' opening of the term by the Monarch followed by a symbolic switch to the Underhusen running the show.

there's no requirement for the Monarch to open elections, only to open nominations

This is already not a thing.  Moot's only actual job is to open the early nominations and see that we choose someone, that's all.  The only reason he does the elections himself as well is because nobody else in the UH group takes the initiative to do so normally.  It's everyone waiting and expecting Moot to do it himself, so he does so.

If any of the Skrifa actually want to do it on time, that already exists for them.  But as this was the only time some else jumped in to start the votes, then there's a reason he always does it himself.

I think Charax was talking about expediting the process in relation to the ability the Monarch has to expedite, which would also need to be adjusted if we made UH Speaker protocol in house rather than Monarchical.

Expediting is only allowed in the instance of when the term is shorted because of something like run-off elections when there's candidates tied for spots.  Why on earth would we want to remove that and shift it to bureaucratic voting before we even have a Speaker?

The only reason he does the elections himself as well is because nobody else in the UH group takes the initiative to do so normally.  It's everyone waiting and expecting Moot to do it himself, so he does so.

Yes, this is the legal precedent that was set and followed since the first Underhusen election, which is why everyone until now has waited for Moot. That's why Charax and I are suggesting a procedural amendment to solidify a new precedent - whether that be Skifra run Speaker elections AND nominations, or just elections remains to be seen.

I also don't see where he's actually tried to expedite the process.  He's always kept it at the same pace every time from what I've always seen.

This is true as far as I'm aware, the process has never actually been expedited. I removed that requirement in this draft because we're convening to select the speaker ourselves, and there's no way for us to decide to expedite the process without everyone voting, in which case we may as well just vote for the Speaker.

I understand why some may prefer to keep that provision (and it's the change I'm least wedded to myself) but if we're acknowledging that placing obligations on the Crown in the procedural rules of a body which they are not a part of doesn't really make sense, I think it's logical to take them out of the section completely.

For the benefit of any Skrifa who aren't sure which provisions we're talking about or what specifically has been changed I'm editing in the original text to the OP.

Yes, this is the legal precedent that was set and followed since the first Underhusen election, which is why everyone until now has waited for Moot. That's why Charax and I are suggesting a procedural amendment to solidify a new precedent - whether that be Skifra run Speaker elections AND nominations, or just elections remains to be seen.

I think this term has shown that we're capable of doing both, and once the uncertainty surrounding precedent is clarified it will be even smoother sailing, so both would be preference personally.

As this Bill has been in discussion for more than 72 hours, and considering Monarchical input in the Citizens Platform,

I motion to table discussion until we have affirmed Wintermoots' intentions and established what shape these changes will take.

@Crushita @Charax @Pengu @monkey @Mathyland @Doc

I second this motion.

I'm not sure "thirded" is a word but I concur.

With three people motioning to table, I hereby declare this bill tabled.