The Laws and Conductions of Elections in YN?

[Fairviolet Lake]

Code: Select all

[spoiler][b]Nation Name:[/b]

[b]Voting system for elections:[/b]

[b]How many political parties (that have a reasonable opportunity to win elections) exist in your nation?[/b]

[b]If your nation's legislature uses constituencies, how are these constituencies drawn?[/b]

[b]Do your elections have run-offs? Are they instant, or do they happen on a different day than the first election?[/b]

[b]Can independents run for office?[/b]

[b]How does a candidate for office request a recount?[/b]

[b]Do you have automatic recounts?[/b]

[b]Who settles disputes about the conduction of elections?[/b]

[b]Can an election be invalidated?[/b]

[b]What was the most controversial election in your nation's history?[/b]

[b]Anything else?[/b][/spoiler]


Nation Name: People's Republic of Fairviolet Lake

Voting system for elections:Mixed-member proportional representation in legislative elections and in presidential elections.

How many political parties (that have a reasonable opportunity to win elections) exist in your nation? Fairviolet Lake has a multi-party system. The upcoming election will have at least 7 major political parties.

If your nation's legislature uses constituencies, how are these constituencies drawn? Independent commissions with apolitical members.

Do your elections have run-offs? Are they instant, or do they happen on a different day than the first election? Yes, all elections have run-offs between the top 4 and then the top 2 candidates if no candidate receives a majority of the votes.

Can independents run for office? Yes, but they must file petitions.

How does a candidate for office request a recount? Electronic recounts are only offered under the following circumstances:

1: A judge rules that an electronic recount must take place.

2: Election results are too close to call (within 0.5%).

3: "Landslide recount" - the winner of the election wins and leads the nearest opponent by at least 30 percentage points.

4: Candidate files a petition with the local election department.

5: Candidate files a petition with the district court.

Hand recounts are only offered in the following events:

1: Election fraud, vote tampering, voter fraud, etc. All ballots must be recounted and every single ballot must be reviewed by the judge, the candidates, and representatives from the Department of Justice.

2: A power outage or cyber sabotage. Can be issued at any level by a judge presiding under that jurisdiction.

3: The Supreme Court may order a hand recount.

Do you have automatic recounts? See above.

Who settles disputes about the conduction of elections? Local departments of elections and courts.

What was the most controversial election in your nation's history? The 1970 General Election, in which the ruling FWP declared that they won 100% of the vote - a general strike later brought down the government.

Can an election be invalidated? Yes, but only if the courts are not satisfied after three attempts at a recount.

Anything else?

[Impossibly Huge Towers]

Nation Name: Impossibly Huge Towers

Voting system for elections: Single vote, X in a box - counted and seats allocated using D'Hondt in two-member constituencies (that makes 14 seats, the 15th is the Governor's seat and is awarded to the leader of the party with the largest number of seats or the most votes if the seat totals are tied)

How many political parties (that have a reasonable opportunity to win elections) exist in your nation? 3 (that's also the total number of parties we have)

If your nation's legislature uses constituencies, how are these constituencies drawn? We have 7 enormous towers in which our citizens live; each tower is a constituency

Do your elections have run-offs? Are they instant, or do they happen on a different day than the first election? No runoffs

Can independents run for office? Nothing in our Constitution would prevent it but so far no one has tried

How does a candidate for office request a recount? There's no provision for candidates to ask for recounts - they could ask, and the election administrator may grant their request, but then again he or she is not bound to

Do you have automatic recounts? No

Who settles disputes about the conduction of elections? Three magistrates (that's what we call our judges) vote to decide the outcome of disputes

Can an election be invalidated? No

What was the most controversial election in your nation's history? 14 years ago there existed a situation where two candidates won exactly the same number of votes for the second seat in a constituency - the votes were counted three times and every time the result was the same - in the end the winner was decided through a game of chess

Anything else? We have no minimum voting age

[Thermodolia]

Nation Name: The National Republic of Thermodolia

Voting system for elections: IRV for the National Assembly, two round for the president and senate.

How many political parties (that have a reasonable opportunity to win elections) exist in your nation? 20.

If your nation's legislature uses constituencies, how are these constituencies drawn?
The drawing of constituencies is up to the provinces, except for the territories who only get one representative.

Do your elections have run-offs? Are they instant, or do they happen on a different day than the first election?
Only for the senate and president. If a candidate for senate or president doesn’t get 51% of the vote they must have a runoff in two weeks time.

Can independents run for office?
Yes, though this is extremely rare

How does a candidate for office request a recount?
By filling with their provincial elections office. Though requests for non-automatic recounts must fall within 5%.

Do you have automatic recounts?
Yes. Any race that is within 1.5% is automatically recounted

Who settles disputes about the conduction of elections?
The provincial elections office, if they can’t resolve the issue it is referred to the courts.

Can an election be invalidated?
No.

What was the most controversial election in your nation's history?
The 1910 presidential election. At the time the rules stated that a candidate had to get 51% in both rounds in order to win. However in this case the candidates where effectively tied. The National Assembly had to decide who won the race ultimately picking Martin Leach.

After this incident the elections law was changed to that this wouldn’t happen again.

Anything else?
Voting age in Thermodolia is 18.

[Gandoor]

Nation Name: The Democratic Republic of Gandoor

Voting system for elections: Members of the Forum are elected via the D'hondt method of party-list proportional representation.

How many political parties (that have a reasonable opportunity to win elections) exist in your nation? There are four political parties with representation in the Forum: the Gandoor Communist Party, the New Democratic Party, the People's Party of Gandoor, and the Gandoor Freedom Group. However, only the Gandoor Communist Party and New Democratic Party have ever had the majority of seats in the Forum.

If your nation's legislature uses constituencies, how are these constituencies drawn? Each of our eight administrative divisions sends 125 Members to the Forum. Within each administrative division, electoral districts are created by a multi-partisan committee based upon population and, if necessary, must be updated following a census, which occurs every ten years. By law, an electoral district must send a minimum of two Members to the Forum and a maximum of ten.

Do your elections have run-offs? Are they instant, or do they happen on a different day than the first election? Run-offs are not utilized.

Can independents run for office? No, all candidates must be a registered member of a political party.

How does a candidate for office request a recount? They must file a request with their local electoral office, although the election results must be within 6% for a non-automatic recount to be approved.

Do you have automatic recounts? Yes, elections which fall within a 1% margin are automatically recounted.

Who settles disputes about the conduction of elections? The local electoral office, but if they fail to settle the dispute, then the matter is sent to the courts.

Can an election be invalidated? No

What was the most controversial election in your nation's history? The 1946 National/Forum Election. At the time, Prime Minister Alexei Petrikov was governing Gandoor under the authority of the State of Emergency Law and the Forum had become a de facto rubber-stamp legislature. While he did not suspend elections, widespread voter intimidation, compounded with fears that Petrikov would ban the Communist and New Democratic Parties if they attempted any major stand against his party, the Revolutionary Socialist Party, resulted in an election where only 12% of the eligible population voted (making it the election with the lowest turnout in our history) and one where the aforementioned Revolutionary Socialist Party won 657 of 1000 seats; in comparison the Communist Party won 145 seats and the New Democratic Party won 198 seats.

Anything else? The voting age in Gandoor is 20 and suffrage is extended to all Gandoorese citizens.

[Lancov]

Nation Name: Democratic Republic of Lancov

Voting system for elections: Lancov uses ranked-choice voting for all offices. Up to five names can be voted on.

How many political parties (that have a reasonable opportunity to win elections) exist in your nation? The Liberal Party, the Social Democrat Party, the Progressive-Conservative Party, the United Lancov Party.

If your nation's legislature uses constituencies, how are these constituencies drawn? The Electoral Tribunal, overseen by the Constitutional Court, draws boundaries every five years based on population maps.

Do your elections have run-offs? Are they instant, or do they happen on a different day than the first election? Kind of, in our voting system after each 'round', the candidate with the lowest number of votes is eliminated and the ballots that listed him become votes for their second choice, and so on.

Can independents run for office? Yes.

How does a candidate for office request a recount? They can apply to the Electoral Tribunal.

Do you have automatic recounts? No.

Who settles disputes about the conduction of elections? The Constitutional Court and the General Courts. The Public Advocate is also empowered to investigate any voter suppression.

Can an election be invalidated? Yes, if an extremely high amount of fraud can be proven, a General Court can order a do-over.

What was the most controversial election in your nation's history?

Anything else? The Constitutional Court's main function is to guarantee free and fair elections to the citizens of Lancov. It does this through the Electoral Tribunal, which is constitutionally an independent fourth branch of the government. The President of Lancov, the Prosecutor-General, members of the Sovet, and the Board of Health Commissioners are all popularly elected. At the local level, mayors, city and county councillors, and police commissioners are also elected. Lancov has automatic voter registration for all citizens who are at least 18 years of age. Early voting and mail-in voting is possible for three weeks before the official election day. Elections are scheduled by the President when constitutionally required.

[Menaturia]

Nation Name: The People's Republic of Menaturia

Voting system for elections: First past the post

How many political parties (that have a reasonable opportunity to win elections) exist in your nation? Realistically only the Social Democratic and Labour Party will ever win an election, although other parties do exist and do win seats. The SDLP are simply the most popular party, carrying with them the will of the people

If your nation's legislature uses constituencies, how are these constituencies drawn? They are drawn up by an independent board, appointed with the Assembly's oversight. This means that in practice, they are appointed by the SDLP group in the legislature.

Do your elections have run-offs? Are they instant, or do they happen on a different day than the first election? There is a run-off vote organised for one week after the first round of a Presidential election, if any candidate fails to secure a majority in the first round. It is held between the two most popular candidates from the first round. We haven't needed to hold a run-off for over twenty years

Can independents run for office? Yes

How does a candidate for office request a recount? They must write to the Electoral Commission after obtaining signatures from at least 10% of people in their constituency.

Do you have automatic recounts? If the margin of victory is within 500 votes, yes

Who settles disputes about the conduction of elections? The Electoral Commission has final say over all disputes

Can an election be invalidated? Yes, by the Electoral Commission

What was the most controversial election in your nation's history? Despite the Electoral Commission's reassurances that it was a free and fair election, fascist & imperialist saboteurs in the international community continue to claim that the 2014 election was somehow rigged

[Felsigberg]

Nation Name: The Republic of Felsigberg

Voting system for elections: Parliamentary Democracy

How many political parties (that have a reasonable opportunity to win elections) exist in your nation? 2, The Nationalist-Libertarian Party, Social-Liberal Party

If your nation's legislature uses constituencies, how are these constituencies drawn? By Municipality

Do your elections have run-offs? Are they instant, or do they happen on a different day than the first election? Usually happens three to four months after an election.

Can independents run for office? No

How does a candidate for office request a recount? By submitting a written letter to the Supreme Court

Do you have automatic recounts? Yes

Who settles disputes about the conduction of elections? The Supreme Court

Can an election be invalidated? Yes

What was the most controversial election in your nation's history? 2013 Election, Social-Liberal, Fredrick Hoffman

Anything else?

[Korwin]

Nation Name: The Korwinian Anthrostate

Voting system for elections: First-Past-the-Post system (sole official method); proportional representation proposed.

How many political parties (that have a reasonable opportunity to win elections) exist in your nation? 4: Liberal Democrats, Social Democrats, Christian Democrats, and Nations United. Most politicians are independents, however.

If your nation's legislature uses constituencies, how are these constituencies drawn? Based off of population, in a non-partisan manner.

Do your elections have run-offs? Are they instant, or do they happen on a different day than the first election? One round only.

Can independents run for office? Yes; most lawmakers are non-partisans.

How does a candidate for office request a recount? If the High Court of Korwin finds that there was election tampering, or if the vote margin is within 100 votes.

Do you have automatic recounts? Technically, but no instance as of yet.

Who settles disputes about the conduction of elections? The All-Entity Electoral Commission; controlled by non-partisan members.

Can an election be invalidated? Yes; although doing so would probably spark civil conflict.

What was the most controversial election in your nation's history? The 2017 General Election. Before 2018, when they were deposed, Korwin was an autocracy, which commonly held sham elections every year. 2017, however, was unique as the ruling Kretuists allowed for opposition members to run for office. During the 2017 General Election, the opposition was winning in a landslide against the Kretuists, The Kretuists halted all election coverage and threw out the results of the election. This sparked massive protests, which culminated in the Korwinian Civil War (Apr - May 2018), which lead to the Kretuists' downfall in May of 2018.

Anything else?Due to the recent civil war, the electoral system and the government in in shambles. There is an election scheduled for February 7. The first since 2017. The government is currently in an interim government.

[Xanthal]

All questions are answered for the federal election system- state and local election rules and results vary

Nation Name: Democratic Apparat of Xanthal

Voting system for elections: At the federal level, closed party-list proportional representation for the Assembly and top-three plurality vote for the Triumvirate.

How many political parties (that have a reasonable opportunity to win elections) exist in your nation? A couple dozen will typically win seats in the Assembly, but only five of these are currently considered major parties (controlling more than 5% of seats).

If your nation's legislature uses constituencies, how are these constituencies drawn? The Triumvirate is elected at-large. Assembly seats are apportioned to the states by population and elected in statewide contests, non-state territories being collectively treated as a single state for the purpose of elections.

Do your elections have run-offs? Are they instant, or do they happen on a different day than the first election? There are no run-offs.

Can independents run for office? They can for Triumvir, but since the Assembly is elected on the basis of party lists you must be affiliated with a party to be seated there. The requirements for forming a political party are fairly low however, so for anyone with enough support to have a shot at winning a seat in the first place this is more of a technicality than a serious barrier.

How does a candidate for office request a recount? A petition may be submitted to the governing body for elections in the state where a recount is desired, but most states have specific rules governing when and how recounts happen, so individual requests generally carry very little weight.

Do you have automatic recounts? Yes, when there are procedural or statistical irregularities. Notably, there is no automatic recount based on how close a result is.

Who settles disputes about the conduction of elections? Ultimate authority rests with the High Court, but most disputes are resolved by election commissions or by lower courts.

Can an election be invalidated? Some state laws explicitly provide for re-running an election when the results are indelibly tainted (though the matter of how that's ascertained would inevitably be contentious), others are silent on the issue. None expressly prohibit it, but the invalidation of an entire election has never happened in the history of the modern Xanthalian nation. It is the case that candidates have been found ineligible after being elected, but they were replaced without the need for a new election.

What was the most controversial election in your nation's history? It's hard to pick one out of Xanthal's entire history, but the election of 2690 stands out in modern history: it was the first election following the admission of Aellis to the union, which meant that there was an unprecedented reapportionment of seats (Aellis being as populous as the next two largest states combined) and an accompanying major shift in the balance of political power. Following a result whereby the three major left wing parties went from controlling 45% of the Assembly to 56% and the two left-most parties both won seats on the Triumvirate, the State of Trasnia threatened to leave the union. A compromise was eventually reached whereby the government pledged to uphold the two-thirds rule for passing federal laws and the Xanthalian Socialist and National Socialist parties merged, ceding their second Triumvirate seat to the centrist Domestic Defense Party.

[Vault 93]

Nation Name:
Vault 93

Voting system for elections:
First past the post

How many political parties (that have a reasonable opportunity to win elections) exist in your nation?
Though it can vary by election year, generally 5 parties hold the most power in the Vault. These are the Security Party, the American Freedom Party, the Technicians Guild, the Vault Liberty Organization, and the Loyalty Party.

If your nation's legislature uses constituencies, how are these constituencies drawn?
N/A

Do your elections have run-offs? Are they instant, or do they happen on a different day than the first election?
Yes, they are held a week after the first election

Can independents run for office?
Yes

How does a candidate for office request a recount?
A candidate can request a recount if the vote difference is within 25 votes.

Do you have automatic recounts?
If the vote difference is within 25 votes, yes.

Who settles disputes about the conduction of elections?
The Supreme Court of Vault 93

Can an election be invalidated?
Yes, if it is proven beyond a reasonable doubt that tampering has been conducted.

What was the most controversial election in your nation's history?
The 2142 Overseers Election. After an inconclusive result, a runoff election was held between Mark Ocean of the American Freedom Party and Michael S. Douglas of the Vault Technicians Guild. After Mark Ocean won the election, Douglas accused him of vote tampering. However, the Vault Council and Supreme Court, which were controlled by the American Freedom Party, denied any accusations put fourth to them. This resulted in a strike by the Vault technicians who refused to work, causing a power outage, water shortage, and other infrastructure issues for nearly a month. Though Mark Ocean ordered Vault Security to use force on the technicians, Vault Security refused as the Security Party was in a coalition with the Vault Technicians Guild. After firing the Security Chief and officers not loyal to Ocean, the new security officers forced the technicians to go back to work, which caused the Massacre of the South Hall which saw the deaths of 7 technicians and 3 other Vault dwellers. Ocean would promptly be impeached by his own party and Douglas managed to win the 2146 election.