Here is my first ever attempt at legislating stuff.

Elections Act
An act establishing elections for office

...

2. Electoral System

...

(5) It is only permitted to conduct a campaign via telegram, direct messages and other forms of private conversation if

1. it is announced at least 24 hours before the first messages is sent.
   
   1. Such an announcement is only accepted if the period of nominations has passed.
      
   2. The announcement shall disclose the message that is sent to the electorate
      
   3. If all candidates have acknowledged the announcement the 24 hours is considered as passed and all candidates are open to send their private messages if they disclose the private messages to raise awareness of their candidacy.
      
2. It the closing of the voting booth is not less than 24 hrs away.
   
3. Any alternations to the sent private message are disclosed.
   
4. Answers of further inquires and or persuasions attempts may only be conducted on a platform open to all candidates

Criminal Code

An act laying out crimes against the Coalition and their punishments

1. Crimes

...

(14) Illegal private messaging campaign shall be considered a crime if it isn't conducted as outlined by the elections act

Reply

Considering the nature and intention of telegrams to be used as a political tool in this political simulation, candidates who seek to campaign via telegram should not have unnecessary rules rules placed upon them. I agree it might be nice to have a public archive of candidate campaign messages somewhere, but the use of telegrams for campaigning is just an expected part of this simulation.

It turns out that people can indicate that their message is a campaign message by checking the option, "This is a campaign message" under the Advanced Options in a written telegram.

We should encourage engagement in the political process, not hinder it.

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Chairman Brandulfr of the Commonwealth of Jahass
Founded: 2019  ♦  Former Legislator  ♦  Discord: Brandulfr#0643  ♦  Endorsements Reciprocated!

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Considering the nature and intention of telegrams to be used as a political tool in this political simulation, candidates who seek to campaign via telegram should not have unnecessary rules rules placed upon them. I agree it might be nice to have a public archive of candidate campaign messages somewhere, but the use of telegrams for campaigning is just an expected part of this simulation.

It turns out that people can indicate that their message is a campaign message by checking the option, "This is a campaign message" under the Advanced Options in a written telegram.

We should encourage engagement in the political process, not hinder it.

Whereas this is true, every argument has have a somewhat equal level playing field. This is why we have irl campaign laws on finances for like ads.  Private messaging are a great way to engage the public in our democratic processes no questions about that. However, it shouldn't come at the cost of a well-informed electorate.

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Considering the nature and intention of telegrams to be used as a political tool in this political simulation, candidates who seek to campaign via telegram should not have unnecessary rules rules placed upon them. I agree it might be nice to have a public archive of candidate campaign messages somewhere, but the use of telegrams for campaigning is just an expected part of this simulation.

It turns out that people can indicate that their message is a campaign message by checking the option, "This is a campaign message" under the Advanced Options in a written telegram.

We should encourage engagement in the political process, not hinder it.

This isn't only about telegram campaigns. Campaigns among legislators usually happen by Discord private messaging, and those don't have the campaign message option - which I think is meant to be for WA vote campaigns anyway

We can encourage engagement while wanting candidates to be open about what they're doing, I think.

Reply

How will ensure that candidates comply with this section besides from the receiver of the message suing them?

 

BZERNELEG 

 

South Pacifican. Public Servant. Creator. In that order.

  

Positions

Legislator (July 07, 2017 - December 14, 2017; January 05, 2018 - March 03, 2018; March 29, 2018 - October 8, 2019; January 9, 2020 - present)

Former Offices

Ambassador of The South Pacific to Hell (November 18, 2018 - October 8, 2019)

Ambassador of The South Pacific to The West Pacific (May 8, 2018 - November 16, 2018)

Deputy Chair of the Assembly (January 11, 2019 - March 7, 2019)

SPSF Trainee (April 01, 2018 - May 11, 2019)

Chair of the Assembly (March 7, 2019 - July 12, 2019)

Fellow of the Ministry of Regional Affairs (August 25, 2018 - July 17, 2019)

 

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Official Thread • Lampshade Broadcasting Company • The Tsunamy Institution of the Law and Public Policy

 

 

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How will ensure that candidates comply with this section besides from the receiver of the message suing them?

Reporting would be the only way to enforce this (or the ban), but that's okay. There are many crimes in the criminal code which can only be enforced through reporting. It will still serve as some kind of deterrent and, as had been suggested, any regulation should also be accompanied by better information sent out to voters on their rights and responsibilities.

Founder of the Church of the South Pacific [Forum Thread] [Discord], a safe place to discuss spirituality for people of all faiths and none (currently looking for those interested in prayer and/or "home" groups);
And The Silicon Pens [Discord], a writer's group for the South Pacific and beyond!

Yahweo usenneo ir varleo, ihraneo jurlaweo hraseu seu, ir jiweveo arladi.

Salma 145:8

translate

The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.
Psalm 145: 8

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May I please suggest minor reformatting of this proposal to bring it into compliance with the Law Standards Act 2(3).

Click to view excerpt of the Law Standards Act

Law Standards Act
An Act to define the standard of all laws in the Coalition of The South Pacific

...

2. Formatting of Bills and Amendments

(1) Titles should be bolded and centered.

(2) Subtitles should be italicized and centered.

(3) The following should be observed for articles, sections, and sub-sections:
a. Articles should be numbered and bolded.
b. Sections should be numbered with parentheses, unless there is only one section without any sub-sections.
c. Sub-sections should be lettered with lowercase letters.

(4) Addendums should be numbered and at the bottom of all bills, regardless of where the referenced material is in the bill, and placed in a quote box.

...

Click to view proposed reformatting

Elections Act
An act establishing elections for office

...

2. Electoral System

...

(5) It is only permitted to conduct a campaign via telegram, direct messages and other forms of private conversation if:
a. It is announced at least 24 hours before the first messages is sent.
i. Such an announcement is only accepted if the period of nominations has passed.
ii. The announcement shall disclose the message that is sent to the electorate.
iii. If all candidates have acknowledged the announcement the 24 hours is considered as passed and all candidates are open to send their private messages if they disclose the private messages to raise awareness of their candidacy.
b. It the closing of the voting booth is not less than 24 hrs away.
c. Any alternations to the sent private message are disclosed.
d. Answers of further inquiries and or persuasions attempts may only be conducted on a platform open to all candidates.

Criminal Code

An act laying out crimes against the Coalition and their punishments

1. Crimes

...

(14) Illegal private messaging campaign shall be considered a crime if it isn't conducted as outlined by the Elections Act.

Code:

[quote="Elections Act"]
[align=center][b]Elections Act[/b]
[i]An act establishing elections for office[/i][/align]
[align=left]...

[b]2. Electoral System[/b]

...

[color=#16a085](5) It is only permitted to conduct a campaign via telegram, direct messages and other forms of private conversation if:
a. It is announced at least 24 hours before the first messages is sent.
i. Such an announcement is only accepted if the period of nominations has passed.
ii. The announcement shall disclose the message that is sent to the electorate.
iii. If all candidates have acknowledged the announcement the 24 hours is considered as passed and all candidates are open to send their private messages if they disclose the private messages to raise awareness of their candidacy.
b. It the closing of the voting booth is not less than 24 hrs away.
c. Any alternations to the sent private message are disclosed.
d. Answers of further inquiries and or persuasions attempts may only be conducted on a platform open to all candidates.[/color][/align][/quote]
[quote="Criminal Code"]
[align=center][b]Criminal Code[/b][/align]
[align=center][i]An act laying out crimes against the Coalition and their punishments[/i][/align]

[align=left][b]1. Crimes[/b]

...

[color=#16a085](14) Illegal private messaging campaign shall be considered a crime if it isn't conducted as outlined by the Elections Act.[/color][/align]
[/quote]

CHANGELOG

Elections Act (5) Removed the list BBCode and replaced it with lowercase letters. (a) Capitalised the word 'It' in 'It is announced at least 24 hours before the first messages is sent'. (a)(ii) Added a period to signify the end of the sentence. (d) Added a period to signify the end of the sentence. (d) Corrected 'inquires'. Criminal Code (14) Capitalised 'Elections Act'. (14) Added a period to signify the end of the sentence.

I would further suggest that rather than create a third tier of lists (sub-sub sections?) — beginning with 'Such an announcement is only accepted if the period of nominations has passed' — the author should restrict it to sub-sections only as this is the norm in our current legislative pieces.

An example of what I am referring to

Elections Act
An act establishing elections for office

...

2. Electoral System

...

(5) It is only permitted to conduct a campaign via telegram, direct messages and other forms of private conversation if:
a. It is announced at least 24 hours before the first messages is sent.
b. Such an announcement is only accepted if the period of nominations has passed.
c. The announcement shall disclose the message that is sent to the electorate.
d. If all candidates have acknowledged the announcement the 24 hours is considered as passed and all candidates are open to send their private messages if they disclose the private messages to raise awareness of their candidacy.
e. It the closing of the voting booth is not less than 24 hrs away.
f. Any alternations to the sent private message are disclosed.
g. Answers of further inquiries and or persuasions attempts may only be conducted on a platform open to all candidates.

Reply

I'm for something of this nature. I could take or leave the timeframe bits, I can see why you added them though. Give people a chance to object to potentially illegal methods etc.

I do remember something Seraph suggested in the other thread. I might add something like this below what you have now, Kurn:

...

5. All private communications regulated under this Act shall include the names of all others the candidate is running against and links to their campaign threads.

I think a provision like this is important. My concern is the lack of access to information about all candidates in the communications that we're talking about, especially gameside.

 
Witchcraft and Sorcery

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Former Prime Minister and Minister of Defense. Formerly many things in other regions. Defender. Ideologue. he/they.

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Due to changing circumstances, I have to drop this. Feel free to recycle parts of it.

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