VIII. The Senate and Suffragia (Voting)

A. Suffragia (Voting)

Voting takes place only in the Senate in Rome during a hiems.

  1. Only those present may vote, though a player may use the votes transferred to him by another;
  2. In all Senate legislation (except caedes), a simple majority of votes cast determines the outcome
    1. Players may abstain from voting, in which case their suffragia do not affect the outcome of the vote, except in the case of caedes (VIII.C.4);
  3. Venus breaks all ties.

B. Voting Procedures

Voting proceeds, as follows

  1. At the start of every hiems there will be a brief period (its exact length to be determined by the will of Venus), during which those in Rome nominate individuals for consulship (high executive office);
  2. The Senate then holds a voice vote for consulship
    1. The two individuals who receive the loudest acclaim, as determined by Venus, are designated that year's consuls;
    2. If the voting process is delayed, Venus may choose at will two players to serve as consuls for that hiems;
  3. Each consul is then allowed to introduce one piece of legislation upon which the senatores present may vote.

C. Legislation

The Senate can engage in five types of legislation:

  1. Imperium (Legionary Command): The Senate may reassign any or all of one imperator's legiones curiales to another imperator or senator by a simple majority vote;
  2. Proscriptio (Formal Condemnation): The Senate may impose a death sentence on an imperator, senator or amazon
    1. If the proscribed player is in Rome, they are summarily executed;
    2. If the proscribed player is outside Rome at the time of the proscriptio, they are sanctioned and may enter Rome only upon pain of death; this sanction is represented by the signum proscriptionis (red headband) which all proscribed players must wear
      1. Any legiones curiales in the player's possession at the time the proscriptio is announced become the property of Mars; otherwise, proscribed players may keep or dispose of their transferrable properties at will;
    3. A proscriptio may not be imposed upon a numen, rex, virgo or matrona;
  3. Restitutio (Removing a Proscriptio): The Senate may vote to lift a proscriptio, allowing a player to enter Rome;
    1. No reparations will be made for any losses incurred during the proscriptio;
  4. Caedes (Assassination): The Senate may vote to assassinate any mortal player
    1. The vote must be unanimous, with no senator abstaining;
    2. After a vote of caedes, Mars/Phobos/Deimos announce(s) the Senate's decree to the individual designated for assassination, wherever that player is at the moment, and confiscates all the legiones (curiales and clientarum) in that player's possession, which become the numen's property; the player may keep or dispose of his/her other transferrable properties at will.
  5. Census (Taxation): By a simple majority vote, the Senate may levy a tax on any mortal Romans (excluding virgines and matronae) residing in one particular provincia during a hiems. In doing so, they garnish all Denarii which those players have in their possession at that moment. Venus collects these funds and distributes them at her discretion among those who voted in favor of the census.

To help tally votes, Phobos will count all votes in favor and Deimos all those against.