Mirfak
27-03-2005, 04:16
In response to the large number of active political parties in Mirfak and growing public concern about elections going to candidates with no real majority the Mirfakan Council passed the nation's first constitutional amendment today, which put in place an instant runoff voting process. The decision, passed with the votes of 402 of the nation's 500 Councilors, with dissent primarily in conservative parties such as the Mirfakan Private Interest Party and support strongest among Party Internationale and Xanthalian Socialist Councilors, was greeted enthusiastically by Alphin Kevin Ailes, who called it "the nation's first constitutionally-based proactive policy decision" and "a way to prevent future issues with contested elections," referring to the Daiho's past indications that it would rule any Alphin taking office without more than fifty percent of the national vote constitutionally unable to serve. There were originally two proposed amendments with propositions on how to solve the election issue, but the second, which would have placed party restrictions and removed the constitutional need for a majority, was voted out of consideration last month.
First Amendment to the Mirfakan Constitution:
Section 1. In all public elections, voting shall be carried out by providing a ballot listing five candidate choices, ordered by voter preference, for each position to be filled. In the counting process the first-choice votes for each candidate shall be totalled. If no candidate has a majority of the vote, the candidate with the least votes shall be eliminated, and ballots cast for that candidate counted towards the next non-eliminated choice. This process shall be repeated until one candidate has a majority.
Section 2. If no majority is reached through the process in Section 1, a new vote shall be held as soon as possible with only the top two candidates from the final count listed as choices for the vote, and whosoever of the two recieves the majority of votes shall be counted the election's winner.
Section 3. In the extraordinary event that no majority is reached in the process designated in sections 1 and 2, the official legislative body having most immediate relation to the disputed position shall select the winner.
Section 4. Voters shall in all elections be provided with a complete list of all candidates and their political affiliations to aid in the voting process, but no candidates or parties may be represented on the ballot itself.
First Amendment to the Mirfakan Constitution:
Section 1. In all public elections, voting shall be carried out by providing a ballot listing five candidate choices, ordered by voter preference, for each position to be filled. In the counting process the first-choice votes for each candidate shall be totalled. If no candidate has a majority of the vote, the candidate with the least votes shall be eliminated, and ballots cast for that candidate counted towards the next non-eliminated choice. This process shall be repeated until one candidate has a majority.
Section 2. If no majority is reached through the process in Section 1, a new vote shall be held as soon as possible with only the top two candidates from the final count listed as choices for the vote, and whosoever of the two recieves the majority of votes shall be counted the election's winner.
Section 3. In the extraordinary event that no majority is reached in the process designated in sections 1 and 2, the official legislative body having most immediate relation to the disputed position shall select the winner.
Section 4. Voters shall in all elections be provided with a complete list of all candidates and their political affiliations to aid in the voting process, but no candidates or parties may be represented on the ballot itself.