SO 2017-52 Amendments to SO#2016-18 ("Parliamentary Elections Act 2017")

Noting that the current election system can independents without a seat despite receiving as many votes as the candidates with a seat, and we believe that a more democratic system can be implemented;
Be it enacted with the consent of Parliament as follows:-

Article I
Guidelines 7 and 8 of SO#2016-18 shall have their numbers changed to 8 and 9 respectively.  

Article II
The following text shall be added to SO#2016-18 as Article III, Guideline 7, Point A:
Whenever a number of independents have equal votes, and are competing for a smaller number of seats than the number of candidates concerned, a runoff election will be called between the drawn candidates.  

The following text shall be added to SO#2016-18 as Article III, Guideline 7, Point B:
When such an election is called, the founder will announce on the regional message board that the election will occur in a day and that should anyone wish to withdraw they must send the founder a telegram.  Once a day has passed since the announcement the founder will create a poll for the runoff election with a time of two days.  If the election finishes in a draw between one of more candidates, then the seats are awarded to the nation with longest permanent residency.  Once the election has finished the founder will announce the results on the regional message board.

July 12, 2017
The Hon. Netherking Land, MP
The Rt. Hon. Minister without Portfolio Thomolia, MP
The Rt. Hon. Minister of Jurisprudence Libertarian Democracy, MP LSM GSM
The Rt. Hon. Prime Minister Abdoa, MP LSM GSM

Debate scheduled July 15-17, 2017
Amendment tabled by Senator Abdoa July 15, 2017
Motion to Pass to a Vote made July 15, 2017

Debate will last until Monday July 17, 2017.

I do hereby table the following amendment to the bill (this was originally another bill that I intended to introduce, dealing with parliamentary by-elections, but since we're amending SO#2016-18 anyways, I thought it would be better to put it in the same bill):

Amendment I, Abdoa:
 
To number the first and second paragraphs of Article II of the bill Sections A and B respectively, and to append the following language to the bill as Section C of Article II:
“The following text shall be added SO#2016-18 as Article III, Guidelines 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19:
10) When one or more seats fall open through the resignation or removal from office of an incumbent within two days from one another, a by-election shall be called by the Founder for the number of seats that have fallen open within those two days after they have passed, and the nominations will last three days; anyone may declare their intention to form an electoral list, alone or with specified others.
11) If there are more than one seats to be filled in the by-election, the Founder will follow Article III, Guidelines 2), 3), 12) and 13) of this Act in that order.
12) The Founder will then enter the Number of Seats as the number of seats that are to be filled in the election, set the Percent Hurdle to “0”, and put the number of votes for the electoral list with the most votes in the Party 1 section, the number of votes for the electoral list with the next most votes in the Party 2 section, et cetera, before clicking on calculate.
13) Thereafter, the Founder will follow Article III, Guidelines 5), 6), 7), 8 ) and 9) of this Act, unless there are only two single candidates running, in which case he will not follow Article III, Guideline 7 of this Act, and if the election finishes in a draw between the two candidates, then the seats are awarded to the nation with longest permanent residency.
14) If there is only one seat to be filled in the by-election, the Founder will follow Article III, Guidelines 15), 16), 17), 18), and 19) of this Act in that order.
15) After the candidatures are closed, the first round of voting will begin. The Founder will post a three-day poll on the regional page with the name of each candidate and their (optional) political affiliations.
16) If, in the first round of voting, a candidate secures a majority (half plus one) of the votes cast, they are elected to the vacant seat.
17) If, in the first round of voting, no candidate secures a majority (half plus one) of the votes cast, then a second round of voting will be held. The Founder will post another three-day poll on the regional page with the name of the two candidates with the first and second highest number of votes in the first round and their (optional) political affiliations.
18) The candidate with the most votes in this second round is elected to the vacant seat.
19) If at any point in this process there is a relevant tie of votes, the candidate with the longest permanent residency in the region is favored.”

With that, I do hereby move to pass to a vote.

I suggest that my Right Honourable friend amend his amendment to correct the typos in proposed Guidelines 16 and 18 which erroneously refer to the position of "Senator" as "President".

I am so sorry, completely forgot about that - and I don't even have the excuse of having written this late at night, silly me. Done.

Debate closed; please go vote on the amendment to the bill in the Voting Chamber.