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Back in March, we created new Alder positions in the Riksraad with the idea that Citizens would elect people to represent them in the day-to-day running of Wintreath. That idea has not worked out as well as I’d hoped. The last elections were not competitive, and by the middle of the season all Alder positions had become vacant. This is not an aberration, either. There have rarely been competitive Thane elections, and the Citizenry decided to eliminate the Underhusen entirely earlier this year. At this point, we have to accept that there simply isn’t much demand for elected positions in Wintreath, even ones with minimal responsibilities.

However, I believe there are people who deserve to have a voice in the day-to-day running of the region: those who have made major contributions to our community recently. These are people who have put time, effort, and most importantly care into building some aspect of the region, and I can’t think of any other group of people who could better contribute to discussions about leading this community. With that in mind, there will be some changes beginning with the autumn season, with the appropriate decree being updated shortly.

• Alders will be appointed based on their contributions to the community as recorded in the previous seasons’ Record (you can find the Summer 2021 Record here). Not everyone listed will be invited to become an Alder, as the Record attempts to record all contributions, both major and minor and by both Citizens and non-Citizens. However, the Record will serve as the basis for consideration of who made major contributions to Wintreath.
• Thanes will be elected by the Riksraad, which by then will consist of the members who are most active and involved with Wintreath and are best able to weigh in on the best candidate for each portfolio.
• At the end of the season, members of the Riksraad who have not made a major contribution to Wintreath as recorded in the previous seasons’ Record will be dismissed at the end of the season. With more authority comes more responsibility, and the days of being able to sit inactive in the Riksraad are coming to an end.

I believe that these changes will not only further recognize and reward people who have helped maintain and build Wintreath, but also create a governing force that’s active, involved, and caring. I believe that this Riksraad will be a strong foundation that we can build the future success of our community on, and I believe that this will be a group deserving of the aspirations of current and future Citizens.

Draft update to Decree 012:

1) The Cabinet of Wintreath shall be named the Riksraad, which shall be headed by the Monarch and consist of Citizens who have been delegated authorities by the Monarch.

2) The Riksraad shall include the following ministries:
  a) The Ministry of Culture shall assist the Citizens of the region in the development, maintenance, and advancement of discussions, games, and activities that are outside the purview of other ministries.
  b) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall promote Wintreath and Wintrean interests by creating and fostering partnerships and communications with other communities.
  c) The Ministry of Regional Affairs shall be responsible for maintaining and improving the NationStates region page and RMB community.

3) Each ministry shall be led by a Jarl, who shall have the authority and responsibility to advance the portfolio of their respective ministries. Jarls shall serve at the will and pleasure of the Monarch, who shall appoint and dismiss them as needed.

4) With the consent of the Monarch, Jarls may delegate clearly-defined portions of their portfolio to subordinate positions, which shall be held by Thanes. Jarls shall maintain a current list of Thane positions that include a list of duties and responsibilities for each position.
  a) Thanes shall be chosen during elections among the members of the Riksraad that begin on the first day of December, March, June, and September. Prior to the start of the election, candidates for Thane shall stand for election in the designated nomination topic and post a campaign topic addressing any questions listed for candidates in the nomination topic. Candidates who fail to do this shall be dropped from the election and not placed on the ballot.
  b) The Monarch or supervising Jarl may reject a candidacy for a Thane position by posting their decision along with the reasoning behind it in the candidate's campaign topic prior to the beginning of the election.
  c) Once elected, Thanes shall serve at the will and pleasure of their Jarl and the Monarch. If dismissed from the Riksraad, the person who dismissed them shall notify the community of the reasons behind their dismissal.
  d) Supervising Jarls may appoint members to fill vacant Thane positions for the remainder of a term.
  e) The duties and responsibilities of the legal delegate of the Wintreath NationStates region shall be vested in a Thane position within the Ministry of Regional Affairs.

5) Citizens shall elect three Alders to the Riksraad, who shall represent Citizens directly to the Riksraad.
  a) Alders shall be chosen during elections that begin on the first day of December, March, June, and September. Prior to the start of the election, candidates for Alder shall stand for election in the designated nomination topic and post a campaign topic addressing any questions listed for candidates in the nomination topic. Candidates who fail to do this shall be dropped from the election and not placed on the ballot.
  b) In the event of a vacancy, candidates who lost the last regular election for Alder shall have the opportunity to fill it in order of the candidate with the most votes to the candidate with the least votes. In the event that there are no remaining candidates, the vacancy shall be filled by special election unless there are fewer than 14 days left until the next regular election, in which case it shall remain vacant.

5) Alders shall represent the active Citizens of Wintreath, and shall be appointed by the Monarch at the beginning of every season based on their contributions and accomplishments during the previous season.
  a) Members who resign from other positions in the Riksraad may be appointed as Alders for the remainder of a term if their contributions and accomplishments during the previous or current season merit the appointment.

6) The Monarch may appoint advisory members who shall hold no duties and responsibilities beyond those listed in Section 7.

7) Members of the Riksraad shall:
  a) Hold no more than either one Jarl and one Thane position or two Thane positions at any one time
  b) Not hold both an Alder position and any other position on the Riksraad at the same time
  b c) Maintain an account on the main Wintreath Discord server which is linked to their Wintreath website account
  c d) Participate in discussions in the designated Riksraad forums and Discord channels

8) The Monarch may modify this decree at any time, and shall notify the regional community of doing so by creating a new post in the topic in which the decree was published detailing the modifications made