Fair Elections Act

Fair Elections Act

Osolian law passed by Assembly
Osolian Assembly
Introduced by	Hydrogen
Dates
Presented to the Assembly	1 June 2024
Commencement	2 June 2024
Status: Current legislation
History of passage through the Assembly
Text of statute as originally enacted

The Fair Elections Act is a law in Osolia, passed by the Osolian Assembly with 100% approval. The act makes electoral tampering/fraud a crime, including both the buying and selling of votes. Additionally, the act introduces a 24-hour period where the results of an election may be disputed.

Background

During the switch over from form-based voting to e-voting through my.osolia, it was noticed that the buying or selling of votes, or any other tampering with the elections of Osolia, was not a criminal offence.

To ensure elections could be free and fair, and that no candidate could influence the results of the election, the Fair Elections Act was introduced to the Assembly.

Provisions

Anti-fraud measures

Electoral fraud is defined as someone engaging in

1. the purchase of votes via any means;
2. the selling of their vote;
3. the casting of duplicate ballots;
4. the casting of ballots in other Osolians’ names;
5. the casting ballots with clear intent to thwart the electoral system;
6. the tampering of other voters’ ballots;
7. the misuse of a position of power to unduly influence the election;
8. the coercion of other voters.

Anyone found to have engaged in electoral fraud would be put on trial in which a judge would issue an appropriate sentence upon receiving the verdict of the jury. Reports of electoral fraud should be directed to the Assembly.

Certification process

The act introduces an election certification process. There is a 24-hour period after the Speaker publishes the results of an election where anyone can dispute the results of the election.

For an election to be certified and its results made legally binding, there must be no active challenges being investigated at the end of this 24-hour period.