[ Union Laws, Union ]

This law has been amended in Turn 67, and again in Turn 281.

The Union is a democratic entity with democratically chosen leaders. To this end, elections are held every 50 weeks to elect the Chancellor.

The electoral process is as follows:

1. Opening & Registration
   1. Four weeks before the next period, the Chancellor shall open the floor for Inner Worlds and Core Worlds to promote their senator for the position of Chancellor. At least two voting worlds must second this candidacy. A member world may only second one candidacy.
   2. The candidate chancellor must then agree with two other senators to be their running-mates. These senators will become ministers in the chancellors cabinet. It is common for these two senators to be the same as those who second the candidacy, but this is not required. A senator may only be running mate to one candidate chancellor. The running mates of the candidate must be announced publicly.
      1. To back their registration, the candidates worlds generally commit an amount of their choice in additional funding to the Union. A common amount is 1000 . This funding will be made available to the Union on the turn the candidate is entered and is put into the Improvment of Unity funds for projects for the benefit of the entire Union. Note that the payment is not mandatory, but not abiding this custom generally rules out much chance of getting votes. Also note that the payment is made regardless of whether or not the candidate successfully becomes Chancellor (it is in fact paid before the elections even take place): it is intended as a show of devotion to the Union.
2. Elaboration
   1. Once the candidacy is announced (and often during the announcement), but no less than three weeks before the next period, each candidate explains their plans for the union, should they be elected Chancellor. Any electoral promises are legally binding - that is, if the candidate promises to lower taxes by 5%, they are bound to do this during their chancellorship, should they be elected.
3. Elections
   1. Two weeks before the next period, elections are opened, and they remain open for a period of one week. Voting is closed and results are tallied by an independent committee (read: the Storyteller). At no point is it revealed what world voted for what candidate. Only the aggregated totals are revealed.
   2. All Core Worlds, Inner Worlds and Minor Worlds may vote. Fringe Worlds may not vote. Voting is by majority - the candidate with the most votes automatically wins, even if they do not have an absolute majority. In case of a tie between two or more candidates, the current Chancellor casts the deciding vote. (Refer to the General Election Vote)
   3. One week before the next period, the Chancellor announces the official results, which are confirmed by the independent committee.
      1. During this week, the Chancellor, if he was not the winner of the elections, arranges the transfer of power. If there are more than three Ministries to be divided (currently there are five), the chancellor uses this time to find appropriate voting worlds as candidates for these positions, thus forming the final Cabinet and Inner Worlds.
4. At the start of the new period, the new Chancellor symbolically accepts the transfer of power from the old Chancellor and takes a vow to serve the Union, after which begin their rule.

Definitions:

• 'voting world': Any world that holds a vote during the general elections. Currently includes Core Worlds, Inner Worlds and Minor Worlds.

See also: Union Voting Laws

This section contains notes to help with the interpretation of the law text.

• The first electorial period ran from 1 to 20.
• The order of events of an election is as follows (using the election for the second period as an example):
  • 17: Article 1: The Chancellor shall open the floor for Inner Worlds and Core Worlds to promote their senator for the position of Chancellor. Candidates announce themselves.
  • 18: Article 2: Each candidate explains their plans for the union, should they be elected Chancellor.
  • 19: Article 3.I and 3.II: Elections are opened, and they remain open for a period of one week.
  • 20: Article 3.III: The Chancellor announces the official results.
  • 21: Article 4: New period starts with new Cabinet.