Written by submergency
- The Seastead Senate is constituted and governed by the Seastead Charter. It acts as the Board of the Seastead corporation and of the Credit Union.
- The role of the Senate is to:
● Review, confirm and recall executive appointees;
● Review and approve consolidated and departmental budgets;
● Review and approve departmental status reports; and
● Review and approve proposed changes to the Charter.
- Ship’s Funds may only be spent under the authority of a budget approved by the Senate.
- Acting as a Senator fulfils one’s community service obligation on a time served basis. There is no financial compensation for being a Senator.
- Senate votes are decided by a simple majority except where a super-majority vote is required by the Charter. A super-majority vote requires two thirds of votes cast to succeed. The Senate has as many elected members as there are voting ex officio members.
- There are no Senate election campaigns, platforms, caucuses, or parties. A person cannot propose themselves or be proposed for election to the Senate. Senators hold office either ex officio, because of their position, or they are “conscripted”. Election to the Senate is through possession of mana, a reputation-based selection system. Each mid-month, the population of Residents is ranked according to mana status as at the end of the previous month. The highest ranking mana-holders, not including those who are ineligible or already ex-officio voting members of the Senate, are each offered a seat in the Senate for the next month in rank order. They are expected to accept, but may reject the offer. The offers continue in decreasing order of mana status until all positions are filled. There are no limits on how often a person may be elected to the Senate.
- The Senate reviews and confirms by simple majority proposed executive appointments. Executive appointees must report quarterly on the state of their responsibilities. The Senate may reject a status report through a super-majority vote. By rejecting a status report, the Senate gives notice of recall.
- Any Resident may propose a change to the Charter. The Senate recommends and endorses by a simple majority vote such proposals for change to the Seastead Charter as it chooses. While the mortgage is still in effect, the Foundation may also propose changes to the Charter or Regulations. Changes proposed by the Foundation or endorsed by the Senate are then put to a binding Resident plebiscite. Changes to the Seastead Charter require a super-majority of votes cast to approve. Approved Charter changes are subject to veto by the Foundation Board within 30 days of the vote, and become effective only after this time has elapsed.
- Plebiscites are conducted electronically by the Seastead AI under the supervision of the Senate Clerk, with fourteen days’ notice. The Senate Clerk acts as Returning Officer and does not have a vote.
- The Senate meets at least weekly. It may meet in person or by Net. All meetings are public unless Senate votes to go into executive session, when only voting senators and others by express invitation of the Chair may be present. The Director acts as Chair of the Senate and has an additional deciding vote. In his absence, the Senate elects a Chair Pro Tem, who acts until the Chair returns. A quorum requires half the voting Senate plus one.