The Secret Ballot Investigation Act

[Dréu Gavárþic'h]

WHEREAS the Kingdom of Talossa has always had a public ballot, and

WHEREAS more information is needed on whether or not secret ballots are plausible, and

WHEREAS a fact-finding team would be best for this, now

THEREFORE, the Ziu hereby resolves that a committee shall be formed of three people, assigned by the Seneschal, and that that committee shall investigate pertinent examples, in the material world and online, of secret balloting techniques; and shall report back upon their methodologies, and make a recommendation upon how to use this information, to the Ziu.

Uréu q'estadra så: Alexandreu Gavárþic'h (LRT-Vuode)

[Capt. Sir Mick Preston]

And why, pray tell do we need to there to see how secret ballots are done? Is this the only place in the world that has secret ballots? Why did you choose this particular location?

I don't think anyone in thier right mind thinks this is a Totalitarian state.



Oh, and btw-

It's " Uréu q'estadra så: " according to current OrgLaw.

[Dréu Gavárþic'h]

I chose the Republic because they have a system of secret balloting that works and is used over the internet. Thus, we can see how they do it. I'm not quite sure the US would be willing to share their source code.

[Sir Alexandreu Davinescu]

I think the learned MC would be wise to first offer reasons why we need a secret ballot. Totalitarian states also have beer, but we are not ridding ourselves of that valuable resource, either.

I must also agree with the Secretary; this is very poor form for fact-finding, even if a secret ballot were agreed upon as necessary.

[Dréu Gavárþic'h]

Three reasons:

1. I am uncomfortable with the fact that other people can see my vote as I had said above, " if he had a friend running and did not agree with his ideas, but did not want to hurt his feelings" since we are all (relatively) friends in Talossa.

2. It's true that there is beer in Totalitarian states, but public ballots are especially used in those sorts of places to have a pretend democracy, where anyone who votes against the dictator faces serious consequences. Obviously this is not the case in Talossa, but I'm a pessimist, what if it were?

3. Why not? I'm not proposing a secret ballot as of yet. Just forming a committee to see if it's plausible or not.

As for the fact-finding mission in the Republic. Why is that bad? They have a system that seems to currently be working.

[Capt. Sir Mick Preston]

"They have a system that seems to currently be working."

So does the Kingdom.

[Dréu Gavárþic'h]

I meant a system of secret ballots, S:reu Preston.

[Capt. Sir Mick Preston]

Conveniently enough, that is also one of the reasons why they refuse to join the Kingdom.

Ironic, isn't it?

[Dréu Gavárþic'h]

Hardly so, sir. It's one of the reasons they left!

And yes, it's true, this bill may have other motives.

[Capt. Sir Mick Preston]

Then I am uncomfortable with a bill that pretends to be something it isn't.

[Sir Alexandreu Davinescu]

I should point out that the Republic has many fewer voters than we do. Even going by voting population rather than total population, we have more voters by a greater order of magnitude. If we were going to examine the secret ballot, it might be advisable to examine it in a place where it would be more likely to apply to us.

The reasons given for secret ballots are interesting ones.

1. Discomfort with your vote being public. This is entirely valid and understandable, and the primary problem with open ballots in Talossa inasmuch as I can see.

2. Threat of ill-use by the powers that be, punishing those who vote against their party. Given that virtually everyone active in politics is one of those powers that be (thanks to the eternal Talossan phenomenon of "all chiefs, no indians"), this is unlikely to be a problem soon. If it might be a problem, it could be one without the open ballot and would be, in fact, an issue with the protections and securities found in the OrgLaw rather than a requirement for a secret ballot.

3. I should also point out to the honourable Member of Cosa that this bill does in fact condemn open ballots, so it would seem to not be a bill in favor of exploring options, but rather in favor of secret ballots.

[Dréu Gavárþic'h]

Hmm I understand your point.

I think that the old proverb of "don't run if you're not being chased" is much outweighed by "in times of war prepare for peace, in times of peace prepare for war." In other words, let us prepare for a time where there are 100 people per province.

As for the fact that it does condemn open ballots, give me a second and I will change it to be more neutral. This is supposed to be a simple formation of a fact-finding team to find out if it's plausible to have a secret ballot or not.

EDIT: As for the place where the fact-finding team should find their facts, I am open to suggestions.

[Sir Alexandreu Davinescu]

Do we need to specify? Let them find their answers where they will.

[Owen Edwards]

I certainly believe we should seek to understand the processes the Republic uses, though I for one favour open ballots.

[Dréu Gavárþic'h]

agbdavis said:

Do we need to specify? Let them find their answers where they will.

Excellent point. Let us make sure that their sources are credited though.