Parliamentary Elections (Party Registration & Electoral Offenses)
- Author: Jebediah Crumplesnatch MP
- Sponsor: N/A
- Type: Act of Parliament
- Preamble: In recognition of the upcoming by-election, this act is designed to ensure all involved parties operate fairly and democratically.
1. Party Registration
a. All political parties must be registered with the Ministry of Social Services.
i. The registration shall require a Party Name, a 2-4 character short-hand code, and the names of the party leadership.
ii. If a Party Discord is created, an invitation link should be provided alongside the registration.
b. All candidates will by default stand as an independent, unless standing with a registered party
i. At the end of the declaration period, all candidates claiming to stand for a registered party MUST be verified with party leadership prior to qualification.
c. The Ministry of Social Services will have the power to create its own party deregistration process and will be empowered to force parties to deregister.
i. Reasons for forced deregistration include but are not limited to:
1. Failure to stand candidates in 3 consecutive elections
2. Extensive History of Electoral Crimes
d. Names must be approved by the Ministry of Social Services
i. New parties cannot register with a name or code which may be reasonably confused with an already registered party.
ii. Names cannot contain language which direct attacks another party or individual
iii. No inappropriate language
2. New Offences
a. Electoral Fraud (Misrepresentation)
i. Falsely standing for a party without either their approval, or knowledge.
b. Coercive Behaviour
i. Blackmailing, threatening, or applying undue pressure on citizens to ensure they vote a certain way.
ii. Pressure is not the same and persuasion. Messaging citizens asking them to vote for you is both reasonable and still allowed as long as good conduct is upheld and the recipients do not feel pressured.
c. Electoral Fraud (False Voting)
i. Attempting to vote on behalf on someone else
ii. Attempting to vote multiple times
d. Electoral Dissuasion
i. Engage in behaviours that make citizens feel they are unable to take part in an election, whether as candidate or voter.
ii. A party denying you the ability to run under their name does not qualify, as you are still able to run as an independent.
e. Undermining Democracy
i. Catch-all offence for engaging in behaviours that the MOJ or Court deems an attempt at undermining the results of the election
3. Enforcement
a. These offences apply for the national parliamentary election, as well as any internal party primary election held within the declaration period.
b. The MOJ would be empowered to charge any individuals suspected of committing the aforementioned offences.
i. The suspects would be arrested and read their rights before being released on bail awaiting trial.
ii. Suspects may continue to stand in elections whilst awaiting trial, however they may not take office until the trial has ended.
c. Sentencing will remain at the discretion of the Judiciary, until such time that a new criminal code is written.
4. Limitations
a. Statues 2 and 3 will only last until a new criminal code is written.
i. If an offence is listed here and not included in the new criminal code, then it will no longer be an offence from the enactment of a new code.
ii. Anyone found guilty of an above crime which is not included in the new criminal code will have it removed from their criminal record.
Enactment: This act will take immediate effect upon receiving crown approval.