CABINET ORDER 10 | Originally published by @HumanSanity on 9 January 2022
Summary | The Cabinet unanimously issues an executive order pursuant to Article VI(16) of the Charter to address a gap in the Elections Act related to a scenario where only one candidate is running for office.
the South Pacific,
Having observed that the January 2022 Delegate election’s forum-side round only has one valid declared candidate,
Concerned by the Elections Act not explicitly considering the case where only one candidate enters the forum-side vote,
Believing that Legal Question 2201.HQ, which asks the High Court for guidance on this matter, cannot be reasonably adjudicated before the conclusion of this election,
Aware that the forum-side vote has already been started by the Election Commissioner,
Asserting its authority under Article VI Section 16 to address immediate and pressing issues created by ambiguity or holes in a particular law by use of an executive order,
Fulfilling its obligation of unanimous consent under that same section,
Guided by a principle of least disruption,
Hereby:
Amends the Elections Act through executive order to include the following sub-section to Article 3 Section 2 of the Elections Act:
g. If there is only one candidate for Delegate in the first round of Delegate elections, the Assembly will vote whether to approve that candidate or re-open nominations. If the candidate receives less than 50% approval, the option to Re-Open Nominations will be "approved", and the process shall begin again at the campaign and debate period. If the candidate receives greater than 50% approval, the Election Commissioner will initiate a second round of voting conducted via a week-long poll of Native World Assembly members, with the options of the approved candidate and Re-Open Nominations. If the option to Re-Open Nominations receives the majority of the votes in the regional poll, then the process of electing a Delegate will begin again at the campaign and debate period.