Second Ratification Convention (Silofais)
| Second Ratification Convention | |
|---|---|
| 03 June 2017 | |
| Chairman | Avro Keatings |
| President elected | Horatio Eden |
| Chief Secretary elected | Andrew Bevolo |
| Delegates elected | Nine |
| This article is part of a series on the |
| History of Silofais |
|---|
 |
| Founders |
|
• Avro Keatings • Andrew Bevolo |
| Pre-Constitution |
|
• 1st Ratification Convention • 2nd Ratification Convention |
| First Republic |
|
• First presidential election |
A second Ratification Convention of the Republic of Silofais took place on the 3rd of June, 2017, on the Silofaisan Discord server. Chaired by Avro Keatings, the original framer of the Silofaisan Constitution, the convention lasted exactly one hour, from 19:00 to 20:00 UTC.
Context and Causes
As a result of a "Great Split", an irremediable constitutional crisis arose and necessitated the ratification of a new constitution. The remaining citizens deliberated over nearly two weeks whether changes should be made and, if so, which changes and how. Ultimately revisions were entered, and chief among them were:
- An authorization of a written ballot method, so that legislators could vote on certain matters while absent from their sessions;
- Putting the Senate into abeyance, until there exist 30 citizens; and
- An easing of judicial review, so that suits could not be brought merely for (un)constitutionality.
At the end of this deliberation, once each citizen was generally satisfied with the changes, Avro Keatings called again for a new ratification convention.
The Convention
The Convention reinstated the First Republic of Silofais following unanimous ratification by the attendees, on behalf of all the signatories. Eleven of eighteen were present at the outset, with one leaving halfway through; thus, a Quorum was maintained from beginning to end.
Delimitation of Electoral Districts
The Chair sought to put on record the age and approximate place of domicile of each attendee, as well as the rest of the signees. From this information, and given that Silofais itself has an edge-to-edge distance that crosses from Sydney and Dubai to London and Kansas City, he delimited and proposed three electoral districts, all of which were agreed to unanimously: South Kansas City (SKC), Western Plains (WSP), and Eurwest (EUW). Each district had six signees within its borders.
Election of the President and Chief Secretary
The Chair called for the election of the first President of Silofais, and afterwards the election of the first Chief Secretary. In order to win, a candidate for either office needed ten affirmative votes, i.e. an absolute majority of all the signees. Horatio Eden and Andrew Bevolo was nominated respectively (and separately) and, without opposition, were summarily elected by unanimous acclimation.
Election of the Senators and Delegates
The Chair ordered that the Convention break into three smaller caucuses, each corresponding to the electoral districts made earlier. In each caucus, a majority of those present elected from among the signees of their district a joint slate of three Delegates. The results are shown below.
Adoption of the Minutes, the Oaths of Office, and Dissolution
The minutes were adopted without objection when the question was put by the Chair, who then administered the Oaths of Office:
I swear solemnly that I take this obligation freely and purposefully, without mental reservation or purpose of evasion; that I will support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true allegiance to the same; and that, on the Powers and Duties of the Office on which I am about to enter, I will serve faithfully and to the best of my ability. (So help me God.)
— Silofais Constitution, Chapter Five, Art. XXIII[1]
The President-elect, the Chief Secretary-elect, and those Delegates-elect present took office upon the Oath.
The Chair published the minutes at large, and then adjourned and dissolved the Convention, whereupon the nation, its Constitution, and its Government came (again) into existence with full force.
Formation of the Government
At close of the Convention, the new Silofaisan Government was formed as follows, excluding the Supreme Court. The Court was not elected at the Convention and will be appointed in the future by the President, "by and with the advice and consent of the Chamber of Delegates".[2]
| President | |||
| Horatio Eden (EUW) | |||
| Chief Secretary | |||
| Andrew Bevolo (EUW) | |||
| Chamber of Delegates | |||
| SKC: Avro Keatings, Sara K., Cody M. WSP: Caleb F., Zach F., Christopher Woods EUW: Stephen F., Patrick R., David R. | |||
| Presumptive Nominees for the Supreme Court | |||
| Tim K. (SKC) Mike Lewis (EUW) Mark A. (SKC) | |||
| Presumptive Nominee for a Trial Court | |||
| Bharadwaj T. (WSP) | |||
| Remaining | |||
| Mark P. (WSP) Alex D. (WSP) Logan W. (SKC) |
Post-Convention
President Eden called the first session of the National Assembly for Friday, June 9, 2017. The legislature thereafter remained in session until the 26th of August, 2017, when it adjourned sine die, to convene the following session in September.