Imperial elections

Merlot of the Civil Service, Overseer of Imperial Elections

All Imperial titles are elected or appointed at one of the quarterly gatherings at Anvil. These take place at the Summer and Winter Solstices and the Spring and Autumn Equinoxes. This is also when the Imperial Institutions meet and exercise their legal powers.

Some titles have tenure, the citizen may hold the title until it is revoked, they die or they relinquish the position. Most titles are either re-appointed each year following the Imperial election schedule or after the citizen has held the title for a year if one of the appointments by the Senate. Titles in the Conclave can be reappointed at any time by successful declaration.

Elections are held by various different means (for example each nation uses their own traditional voting method to appoint their senators whilst generals are usually appointed by unanimous agreement of a nations senators and sinecures vary) and are observed to ensure there are no election irregularities by Merlot, the Civil Service Overseer of Imperial Elections. For example, with a few exceptions, an imperial citizen can only vote once per year on a particular matter. This is most commonly an issue with citizens of Navarr who as wanderers, often change the territory they are in, but are not then allowed to vote in their new territory until a full year has passed since they last had the opportunity to vote in their previous locations senator elections.

For a list of who currently holds every Imperial title see current Imperial titles.

Extraordinary Elections

• If a scheduled title falls vacant early for any reason, then the Imperial civil service will arrange for an extraordinary election
• If the title becomes vacant at a summit, then the election takes place at the following summit
• Any citizen elected in an extraordinary election will hold the title until the date of the next election according to the regular schedule

If a title that is elected annually with a regular scheduled election date falls vacant for any reason, then the civil service will arrange an extraordinary election. This is an extra election which takes place to give the Empire an opportunity to fill the vacant title before the regular scheduled date. Any citizen elected to a position in an extraordinary election will hold the position until the title becomes due to be re-elected at the normal scheduled date.

This usually means they will hold the position for a reduced term - for example the Senator for Zenith is elected each year at the Winter Solstice summit. If the title falls vacant on the run up to the Summer Solstice, then the civil service will arrange an extraordinary election to appoint a new senator for Zenith at the Summer Solstice. The elected citizen will hold the position for two seasons - with a new election held at the regular date at the next Winter Solstice.

If a scheduled title becomes vacant on the run-up to a summit, then an extraordinary election will take place at the forthcoming summit. If a title becomes vacant during a summit, then an extraordinary election is held at the following summit.

The civil service have the power to arrange an extraordinary election where it is neccessary to move a scheduled election date to ensure the smooth running of the Imperial government.

Eligibility to Vote

• Where relevant, the Empire identifies where your character lives based on the location of their resource
• To change territory, you must obtain a new resource in a new territory

In nations such as the Marches, the League and Navarr, your eligibility to vote in a senatorial election is based on your territory. Imperial citizens (especially the Navarr) may move freely around the Empire as they choose, however a resource cannot move. Because of this, the civil service use the location of your personal resource to determine your "territory" for determining eligibility for voting in senatorial elections. If you are a member of a nation that votes by territory and you wish to vote in a different territory then you must get a new personal resource in the new territory.

The need to change resource still applies if you own a military unit or a fleet. Both these resources include the active service and involvement of a large number of Imperial citizens. These citizens have homes, families and roots in the territory they are based in - and they do not wish to change territory even though you do.

The laws for Imperial elections state that, if eligibility to vote in an election is restricted in some way, then you cannot vote if you were eligible to vote in an equivalent but different election in the last twelve months. For example, if you were eligible to vote for the Cardinal of Prosperity at the Winter Solstice - and you change faith to be part of the Ambition assembly - you cannot legally vote for the election of the Cardinal of Ambition until twelve months have passed from the date of the first election. To be eligible to vote you merely need to be present in Anvil at the summit where the election takes place (it does not matter if you did not actually vote). You must abstain from voting in an election if it occurs less than four events after the previous election. If you are in any doubt about your eligibility then you should consult Merlot, the civil service overseer of elections who can advise you.

Some nations do not restrict eligibility to vote in this way - for example, Highborn citizens with a congregation may vote in every Highborn senatorial election, regardless of their territory.

This restriction does not apply to eligibility to vote for a national title when a citizen changes nation.

Any Imperial citizen who believes that another citizen is committing electoral fraud by voting in an election they are not eligible for should bring the matter to the attention of the election overseer and the magistrates.

Eligibility to Stand

• You must be an Imperial citizen to be eligible for an Imperial position or for a virtue position
• You must be a member of the appropriate nation to be eligible for a national position.
• You do not need to be present to be granted an Imperial title

Only Imperial citizens may hold an Imperial title which is an Imperial or virtue position. If the title is a national position, then only a member of the appropriate nation is eligible to hold the title. In all cases, the rules for eligibility may restrict who can vote in the election for the title, but they do not restrict who is eligible to hold the position. For example, only League citizens who possess a business in Sarvos may vote in the Sarvos senatorial elections - but they may choose to vote for any citizen of the League.

It is not necessary for a citizen to be present to be granted an Imperial title, it is perfectly legal for citizens to elect a proxy or support a candidate who is absent for any reason.

Multiple Titles

• It is not legal for a citizen to accept two Imperial titles

The constitution mandates that no Imperial citizen may wield the power of two Imperial titles at the same time. If a citizen who holds an Imperial title is granted a second Imperial title, then they must either renounce their current title or turn down the new position. To avoid any risk of being prosecuted for subverting Imperial law, a citizen should not wield any powers of their new Imperial title until they have had a chance to inform the civil servants in charge of elections which title they intend to renounce.