1,2c1,3
< Article I – Official Names, Symbols, and Designations
< Section 1. Party Name
---
> Article I – General Provisions
> Section 2. Official Names, Symbols, and Designations
> Subsection A
4c5
< Section 2. Official Symbols
---
> Subsection B
6,10c7,20
< Section 3. Designations
< Subsection A: Every member of the Model Distributists shall be known as a “Hound.”
< Subsection B. The Model Distributist Party as a whole, when acting as a body politic for internal self-governance, shall be known as “the Cooperative.” The Cooperative shall consist of all Hounds, and each Hound shall be entitled to one vote in the Cooperative.
< Subsection C. The officers of the Model Distributist Party, which include the Chair, the Vice Chair, and the Whip, shall be known as the “Guild.”
< Subsection D. The subreddit /r/ModelUSGov and its related subreddits that together form a mock United States government shall be known in this constitution as “the simulation.”
---
> Subsection C
> Every member of the Model Distributists shall be known as a “Hound.”  The Model Distributist Party as a whole, when acting as a body politic for internal self-governance, shall be known as “the Cooperative.” The Cooperative shall consist of all Hounds, and each Hound shall be entitled to one vote in the Cooperative.  The officers of the Model Distributist Party, which include the Chair and the Vice Chairmen, shall be known as the “Guild.”  The subreddit /r/ModelUSGov and its related subreddits that together form a mock United States government shall be known in this constitution as “the simulation.”
> Section 2. Elections & Votes
> All elections and votes in this document fall under these rules.
> Subsection A
> “simple majority”, “majority”, or “first-past-the-post” elections refer to elections in which the ballot offers the voter a single vote to cast for two or more candidates or tickets, and where the winner of the election is decided by counting the number of ballots cast for each candidate and selecting the candidate with the greatest number.
> Subsection B
> “STV”, or “standard transferable vote” elections refer to elections where the ballot allows the voter to rank two or more candidates or tickets in order of preference, and one or more winners is decided by standard STV vote counting with the Droop quota.
> Subsection C
> Unless stated otherwise, elections with only a single candidate or ticket result in their win.
> Subsection D
> Unless stated otherwise, individual ballots are never to be made visible to the party at large, or the public.
> Subsection E
> The results of all votes must be visible to all members of the Guild.
15c25
< We distributists believe in the widespread ownership of wealth production – rather than it being accumulated in the hands of a few capitalists or the hands of a government and its bureaucrats. This means the abolition of big corporations and the support of small family owned businesses. This means that every man should own his own source of wealth production instead of getting all of his wealth by working on the property of the rich or the factories of the state – every man should have the means to support his own family. Every farmer should own his own land and machinery, every plumber his own tools and truck, and every software developer should own his own office and computer. No longer will the people be the slaves of big businesses and no longer will workers be deprived of their right to own their own property. Property should be democratized and widespread, not abolished or horded. Production should be as localized as possible, but for industries which require large-scale production, worker-owned cooperatives and employee-owned stock companies should be utilized. By creating an ownership economy, people can begin to re-integrate their faith, work, family, and education – rather than separating and compartmentalizing them as in capitalism and socialism. This means a society of artisans and local businesses with a rich culture, engrained family values, and joyful people.
---
> We distributists believe in the widespread ownership of wealth production – rather than it being accumulated in the hands of a few capitalists or the hands of a government and its bureaucrats. This means the support of small family owned businesses. This means that every man should own his own source of wealth production instead of getting all of his wealth by working on the property of the rich or the factories of the state – every man should have the means to support his own family. Every farmer should own his own land and machinery, every plumber his own tools and truck, and every software developer should own his own office and computer. No longer will the people be the slaves of big businesses and no longer will workers be deprived of their right to own their own property. Property should be democratized and widespread, not abolished or hoarded. Production should be as localized as possible, but for industries which require large-scale production, worker-owned cooperatives, and employee-owned stock companies should be utilized. By creating an ownership economy, people can begin to re-integrate their faith, work, family, and education – rather than separating and compartmentalizing them as in capitalism and socialism. This means a society of artisans and local businesses with a rich culture, ingrained family values, and joyful people.
17c27
< We distributists believe that the family – at its core consisting of one man and one woman, committed to each other for life in marriage, and their children but also of other relatives – is the foundation of social order. We believe that every man should have a family to support and be supported by. We believe that every human has the right to life no matter how unwanted they are – whether rich or poor, old or young, unborn or ill. We recognize that all men are brothers – that even when our own families fail us, we can fall back on our communities.
---
> We Distributists believe that the family – at its core consisting of one man and one woman, committed to each other for life in marriage, and their children but also of other relatives – is the foundation of social order. We believe that every man should have the ability to support a family is he so chooses. We believe that every human has the right to life no matter how unwanted they are – whether rich or poor, old or young, unborn or ill, regardless of mental or physical capacity. We recognize that all men are brothers – that even when our own families fail us, we can fall back on our communities.
19c29
< We distributists believe in solidarity – the idea that we should all care for each other and mutually support one another. Thus, we call for strong communities and strong families at home, and we call for peace and cooperation abroad. We acknowledge our duties towards our fellow man – for each person has been created in the image and likeness of God and thus have infinite dignity.
---
> We Distributists believe in solidarity – the idea that we should all care for each other and mutually support one another. Thus, we call for strong communities and strong families at home, and we call for peace and cooperation abroad. As we strive for peace, we accept both a pacifist and proactive principles in achieving this peace. We acknowledge our duties towards our fellow man- Not only should we affirm infinite dignity, but, we affirm that all persons have sacred worth.
21c31
< We distributists believe in subsidiarity, or the idea that the lowest level of government or society capable of solving a problem should. Because of this, we call for empowering local communities and for states’ rights. We support more decentralized government, initiative within communities, and less heavy-handedness by the federal government.
---
> We Distributists believe in subsidiarity, or the idea that the lowest level of government or society capable of solving a problem should. Because of this, we call for empowering local communities and for states’ rights. We support more decentralized government, initiative within communities, and less heavy-handedness by the federal government. Finally, this means that we believe the membership of communities in nations must be voluntary, and support self-determination for regional ethnic, national, and religious groups at home and abroad.
24c34,41
< Any redditor, who agrees with our principles and complies with the rules of /r/ModelUSGov and the simulation, shall be admitted to the Model Distributists and officially become a Hound. However, the Cooperative may develop party rules to inquire into the views or loyalty of prospective Hounds to the principles of the Model Distributists.
---
> Subsection A
> Any Reddit user may request membership to the Party from the Guild through any means (hereafter referred to as “applicant”.)
> Subsection B
> Within 2 days of the applicant expressing his intention to join the party, a Guild member establishes a vetting committee of himself and two (2) other hounds, and communicates a set of questions to the applicant.  The Guild member in charge of the vetting committee, the manner in which the vetting committee is assembled, its bylaws, the composition of the questions, and the manner in which they are communicated to the applicant must be outlined in the Guild Policy.
> Subsection C
> After receiving answers from the applicant, the vetting committee members discuss the application and take a vote as to whether the applicant should be admitted into the party.  The majority decision is either accepted by the Guild member, or brought before the Guild for a final decision.
> Subsection D
> The Guild member in charge of the vetting committee or a Deputy must file a report for each application on the party subreddit wiki or other official platform.  Reference to the initial application, the questions posed by the committee, the answers of the applicant, and the decision of the committee must be recorded.
26,27c43,46
< Subsection A: Hounds are entitled to the freedom of speech, freedom from intrusion in their private messages and correspondence, petitioning of the party, equality under the constitution and rules of the party, and privacy of real life and personal information.
< Subsection B: All Hounds ought to display the Distributist flair in /r/ModelUSGov and the simulation, act in accordance with party and simulation rules and policies, and, when voting, keep in mind the states and districts where votes would be most beneficial to the party as decided by party rules and the party whip. Hounds are expected to exercise respect and charity at all times during the simulation.
---
> Subsection A
> Hounds are entitled to the freedom of speech, freedom from intrusion in their private messages and correspondence, petitioning of the party, equality under the constitution and rules of the party, and privacy of real life and personal information.
> Subsection B
> All Hounds ought to display the Distributist flair in /r/ModelUSGov and the simulation, act in accordance with party and simulation rules and policies, and, when voting, keep in mind the states and districts where votes would be most beneficial to the party as decided by party rules and the Guild. Hounds are bound by their honor to exercise respect and charity at all times during the simulation.
29,31c48,53
< Subsection A: A Hound may only be expelled by a unanimous vote of the Guild after a fair and free hearing, unless the offense is so obvious and so grievous that any reasonable person would find such a hearing unnecessary.
< Subsection B: A Hound may resign from the Model Distributists by posting a public notice or by notifying any member of the Guild or moderator of the party subreddit.
< Subsection C: All departed Hounds automatically resign from any positions they may have held within the Cooperative or within the government of /r/ModelUSGov per the rules of that subreddit and its related simulation.
---
> Subsection A
> The Guild may suspend any Hound from participating in all party matters and from contributing on official party platforms by a unanimous Guild vote and public assent by two (2) former Guild members, for a maximum of 6 days per 60 day rolling period.
> Subsection B
> While suspended, the Guild may completely remove the Hound after a three (3) day public hearing with the suspended Hound, subject to a three (3) day yea/nay vote by the party opened on a Friday.  However, such requirements are waived if the Hound has remained a member for less that twenty-one (21) consecutive days immediately prior to the Guild’s motion to remove.
> Subsection C
> A Hound may resign from the Model Distributists by posting a public notice or by notifying any member of the Guild of his intentions.
33,37c55,60
< Subsection A: Every three months, four (4) weeks after every national election, the Whip shall open an “Activity Assessment” thread.
< Subsection B: Every hound shall post a comment on this thread.
< Subsection C: Every hound who fails to post a comment on this thread will be personally messaged (PMed) by the Whip asking them to be more active. Any hounds who were messaged by the Whip at the preceding assessment and have failed to post a comment will be removed from the party with a message informing them that they were removed for inactivity.
< Subsection D: Any Hound who will be unable to comment due to temporary absence must contact a member of the Guild and ask that one of them comment on their behalf.
< Subsection E: This process will last fourteen (14) days.
---
> Every hound holding a position in any organization tied to the simulation must submit an activity report to the Guild.  This includes:
> Guild Members
> Deputies
> Hounds holding any official position in the simulation
> Hounds holding any position in a semi-official in-sim organization, such as a news source or an in-sim lobby
> Such reports must be submitted at a regular frequency established in the Guild Policy, such as one or two months.  The Guild may remove Hounds from party-controlled offices for failing to file a report, provided that the Hound has not submitted a repost for six (6) months, or 3 periods as defined by the Guild, whichever is more.
40,79c63,111
< The Guild shall consist of: the Chair, the Vice Chair, and the Whip. All members of the Guild shall be made moderators of the party subreddit and any related subreddits. The Guild shall serve as the party leadership, contributing to its organization and smooth functioning.
< Section 2. The Chair
< Subsection A: The Chair shall be responsible for:
< a) recruiting and retaining Hounds, including monitoring threads related to joining parties;
< b) moderating the party subreddit and settling disputes within the subreddit;
< c) presiding over and announcing the results of primary elections, elections to the Vice Chair and Whip, and debates and votes concerning party rules as well as amendments to the constitution or platform;
< d) informing the Cooperative on measures, events, and other happenings in the simulation;
< e) announcing official stances on legislation, events, and other matters after the Cooperative votes and on behalf of the whole Model Distributist Party;
< f) drafting initial statements, to be amended and voted on by the Cooperative, in reaction to legislation and events in the simulation;
< g) being a liaison between the party and the moderation of /r/ModelUSGov;
< h) representing the Model Distributist Party in its external affairs, especially during coalition negotiations;
< i) appointing a Whip or Vice Chair whenever either office becomes vacant, but the appointment shall only last until the end of the month when such a position shall be filled for the remainder of the term and entirety of the next term;
< j) appointing a CSS Master and Wiki Master, who shall not be considered part of the Guild. While the CSS and Wiki Masters serve at the pleasure of the Chair, they are subject to votes of no confidence by the Cooperative.
< k) and for any other duty that can reasonably be considered under the jurisdiction of the Chair.
< Subsection B: During the first week of each month, the Chair shall make a public address on the party subreddit regarding the state of the Model Distributist Party and its future, the measures he recommends for the Cooperative, and his or her goals for the month.
< Subsection C: The holder of the Chair shall be known as the “Chairman” if male, the “Chairwoman” if female, or simply as “the Chair” if they desire not to disclose their sex.
< Section 3. The Vice Chair
< Subsection A: The Vice Chair shall be responsible for:
< a) acting as the Chair whenever the Chair is vacant or so requests, or whenever the Chair is unable or unavailable for an extended period, defined as any period more than three days;
< b) assisting and advising the Chair in his duties, taking on the responsibilities assigned to him or her by the Chair;
< c) presiding over elections for the Chair;
< d) moderating the party subreddit and settling disputes within the subreddit;
< e) and recruiting and retaining Hounds, including monitoring threads related to joining parties.
< Subsection B: The holder of the Vice Chair shall be known as the “Vice Chairman” if male, the “Vice Chairwoman” if female, or simply as “the Vice Chair” if they desire not to disclose their sex.
< Section 4. The Whip
< Subsection A: The Whip shall be responsible for:
< a) ensuring Hounds and supporters of the Model Distributists vote in federal and state elections within the simulation, especially by sending out private messages and posting advertisements in other subreddits;
< b) executing the electoral strategy of the Model Distributists as created by the Guild after consultation with the Cooperative, especially in regards of the places to vote in and the candidates to vote for;
< c) maximizing votes for Model Distributists stances while minimizing votes against Model Distributists stances in Congress, the Supreme Court, state legislatures, referenda, and all other elections and votes in the simulation;
< d) sending out the private messages required by this constitution to notify Hounds of Guild elections, party primaries, motions for rules or changes to the platform, votes of no confidence, and constitutional amendments;
< e) familiarizing himself or herself with the platform, and enlightening new Hounds as to its content;
< f) and keeping an accurate history and record of the Model Distributists and its platform.
< Subsection B: The Whip may appoint up to two deputy whips to assist him or her. The deputy whips shall not be considered part of the Guild. While deputy whips serve at the pleasure of the Whip, they are subject to votes of no confidence by the Cooperative.
< Section 5. Elections and Terms
< Subsection A: The Guild – the Chair, Vice Chair, and Whip – shall be elected in accordance with Article V of this constitution.
< Subsection B: The first Chair shall serve a three-month term, the first Vice Chair shall serve a two-month term, and the first Whip shall serve a one-month term, but all subsequent holders of each office shall serve terms of three months.
< Section 6. Removal
< A member of the Guild may only be removed by a vote of no confidence by the Cooperative as established in Article VIII of this constitution or by the confirmation of the other two members of the Guild that said member of the Guild has been inactive due to unknown reasons (i.e. this provision does not apply if the Guild member said they would be on vacation for this period) for at least seven days.
< Section 7. Temporary Leave
< A member of the Guild may take leaves of absence lasting no longer than twenty-one days cumulative per term. During the absence of the Chair, the Vice Chair shall serve temporarily in his or her stead as acting Chair. During the absence of the Vice Chair or Whip, the Chair can appoint an acting Vice Chair or Whip, but the other member of the Guild shall receive first consideration for such temporary appointment.
---
> The Guild is a group of three (3) hounds who lead the party, oversee its operation, and represent it to outside persons or groups.  The Guild is organized into a single Chairman and two Vice Chairmen.  The Chairman is the primary and authoritative member of the Guild, taking the role of commanding officer.  The Vice Chairmen are the secondary and inferior members of the Guild, taking the role of executive officers.
> Section 2. Rights & Responsibilities
> Subsection A
> The Guild holds the authority and responsibility to carry out the following actions:
> recruiting and retaining Hounds and managing membership;
> moderating and owning all platforms used by the party (see IX.2), including settling disputes between hounds regarding the use of these platforms, maintaining them, and improving them to offer the most utility to the cooperative;
> running all debates and votes on all platforms used by the party;
> representing the party to the public in published statements and addresses, especially concerning current events in the simulation and legislation;
> being a liaison between the party and the moderators and other party leaders of /r/ModelUSGov;
> ensuring Hounds and supporters of the Model Distributists vote in federal and state elections within the simulation, especially by sending out private messages and posting advertisements in other subreddits;
> creating and executing electoral strategies after consultation with the cooperative;
> maximizing votes for Model Distributists stances while minimizing votes against Model Distributists stances in Congress, the Supreme Court, state legislatures, referenda, and all other elections and votes in the simulation;
> sending out the private messages required by this constitution to notify Hounds of Guild elections, party primaries, motions for rules or changes to the platform, votes of no confidence, and constitutional amendments;
> enforcing the provisions of this constitution by carrying out its mandates and holding hounds accountable to its requirements;
> familiarizing new hounds with the platform;
> keeping an accurate history and record of the Model Distributists and its platform;
> appointing hounds to positions outside the guild where they can assist secondarily in the duties listed above.
> Subsection B
> The Guild may appoint Hounds as Deputies.  Deputies have no additional rights or abilities beyond Hounds except that they may receive elevated responsibilities on official party platforms in order to:
> aid in moderation, organization, and improvement on such platforms;
> provide counsel and recommendations to the Guild;
> aid in the duties of the Guild where such duties are explicitly delegated in the Guild Policy.
> Subsection C
> During the first week of each month, the Chair shall make a public address on the party subreddit regarding the state of the Model Distributist Party and its future, the measures he recommends for the Cooperative, and his or her goals for the month.
> Section 3. Guild Policy
> Subsection A
> The Guild Policy is a document outlining several procedural rules to be implemented by the Guild.  The Guild Policy must be submitted along with a candidate’s nomination to Chairmanship as described in Article V of this constitution.
> Subsection B
> The Guild Policy carries the same authority as this constitution, except that it cannot conflict with, or override the provisions set down here.  The Guild Policy can be amended by party vote in the same manner as this constitution is to be amended (see Article X), or by unanimous agreement of the Guild.
> Subsection C
> The following elements are required to be included in the Guild Policy:
> Clear delegation of Guild duties between the Guild members, explicitly delegating all duties listed in Section 2, Subsection A of this Article;
> Clear and explicit definitions of all positions established outside the guild and their duties as described in Section 2, subsection B of this Article;
> Required frequency of the submission of activity reports as described in Article III, Section 4 of this constitution;
> Details for the vetting committee as described in Article III, Section 1, Subsection B of this constitution, including:
> the Guild member in charge of the vetting committee;
> the manner in which the vetting committee is assembled;
> its bylaws, if any;
> the composition of the questions posed to the applicant;
> and the manner in which they are communicated to the applicant;
> Specific electoral, legislative, and/or membership goals which the Guild will attempt to reach during their 3-month term;
> Plans for the direction of the party, including:
> planned constitutional amendments,
> Electoral strategies and expected electoral coalitions with other parties
> Section 4. Removal & Temporary Leave
> Subsection A
> A member of the Guild may only be removed by a vote of no confidence by the Cooperative as established in Article VIII, Section 3 of this constitution or by the confirmation of the other two members of the Guild that said member of the Guild has been inactive due to unknown reasons (i.e. this provision does not apply if the Guild member said they would be on vacation for this period) for at least seven (14) days.
> Subsection B
> A member of the Guild may take leaves of absence lasting no longer than twenty-one (21) days per 90 day rolling period. Before taking a leave of absence, the chairman must specify a Vice Chairman to take his place during the term of absence. During the absence of a Vice Chairman, the Chairman may appoint any Hound as a temporary replacement for the duration of the absence.
81,90c113,142
< Section 1. Purpose
< This article outlines the election procedures to be used for electing members of the Guild. Elections shall be free, fair and egalitarian in nature. Elections shall ensure democracy and legitimacy within the party leadership.
< Section 2. Nominations
< Seven days before the end of each calendar month, the Chair, or the Vice Chair in the case of elections for the Chair, shall open a nomination thread for the official that is up for election that month, and for any special elections that month. Every Hound of the Cooperative who desires to run for the position that is up for election shall nominate himself or herself in the respective nominations thread. Hounds may nominate other Hounds, but the nominated Hound must accept such a nomination for it to be valid. A nomination thread shall be open for two days, and at the conclusion of which the nomination thread shall close and voting shall begin. Should only one Hound nominate for a position, then they shall be declared elected by that fact.
< Section 3. Voting
< The Chair, or the Vice Chair in the case of elections for the Chair, shall open the voting thread for each election, and they shall also close the thread or announce in advance the ending time of the election. The election thread shall last for two days, at which time every Hound shall be private messaged and asked to vote. Hounds shall be able to cast multiple votes in an amount equal to the total number of candidates running for a position minus one or a total of four, whichever is lower. However, no Hound may cast more than one vote for any candidate during a single election. The candidate with the most votes shall win the office being contested. All incumbents shall remain in their office until another Hound is chosen to succeed them through the proper procedure as listed in this constitution.
< Section 4. Run-off Voting
< If a tie occurs at the conclusion of voting that would have an effect on who would be victorious in that election, then the Chair, or the Vice Chair in cases of elections for the Chair, shall create a new thread, where the options of those who tied shall be available. Each Hound shall be able to case a single vote. A run-off election shall last for two days, at which time all Hounds shall be private messaged and asked to vote. The candidate who receives the most votes in the run-off election shall be declared the winner. Should a tie occur in a run-off election, then the candidate who has been a Hound the longest shall win, and a further tie shall be decided by who has been a redditor longer, down to the second.
< Section 5. Rules for Election Campaigns
< The Cooperative, as empowered under Article VIII of this constitution, may establish rules for election campaigns, provided such rules are sensible and do not disrupt elections, give an unfair advantage to certain candidates over others, or infringe upon the freedom of speech.
---
> Section 1. Scheduled Elections
> Schedule
> The three (3) members of the Guild are elected by the party and serve three (3) month terms.  Elections, starting off with nomination and ending with  announcement and installment of the winner, are held on the first Monday of the following months:
> February
> May
> August
> November
> Nominations
> Elections begin with a nomination and debate  period of 4-5 days, from Monday to Friday.  During the first day (Monday) the Guild will open a thread on the party subreddit (hereafter referred to as “nomination thread”) announcing the upcoming vote, outlining the requirements for candidacy, and listing all current candidates.  This nomination thread is used for hounds to nominate candidates for Chairmanship or Vice Chairmanship and for debate.
> The Guild will monitor the nomination thread and add new candidates Chairman when the following criteria are met:
> The potential candidate nominated himself or accepted the nomination from another hound in the nomination thread, or explicitly expressed the intention to become a candidate publicly, or to the Guild privately
> The potential candidate has posted a link to the final draft of his Guild Policy on the thread, and the Policy does not conflict with this Constitution
> The potential candidate has been a member of the party for at least sixty (60) days
> The Guild will also add new candidates for Vice Chairman when the following criteria are met:
> The potential candidate nominated himself or accepted the nomination from another hound in the nomination thread, or explicitly expressed the intention to become a candidate publicly, or to the Guild privately
> The potential candidate has been a member of the party for at least thirty (30) days
> On the last day of the nomination period (Friday) the Guild will close the thread, editing the text to reflect this and accepting no more nominations.  At this time, the Guild will create a final copy of each candidate’s Guild Policy to prevent unnoticed changes during and after the election.
> Vote
> The voting period begins on Friday as soon as the nomination thread is closed and lasts 3-4 days.  The Guild shall create a thread (hereafter “voting thread”) and open a vote to the party as soon as possible after the close of the nomination thread, and before the day ends.  The ballot contains two races, both decided by STV:
> the Chairmanship race
> the Vice Chairmanship race
> The Guild will close the vote, making it impossible for hounds to submit ballots, on the last day (Monday).
> Result
> After the the vote is closed, the Guild counts the votes according to the methods described above, and will create a thread (hereafter “results thread”) declaring the results of the election.
> Section 2. Replacement Elections
> Subsection A
> If a position in the Guild is ever vacated, and there are less than 30 days between the vacation of the position and the next scheduled guild election, the Chairman may appoint an interim Guild member to take the position.  If the next scheduled guild election is more than 30 days after the date where the position was vacated, a replacement election must be held, beginning on the first Monday of the next calendar week.
> Subsection B
> Replacement elections are held in the same manner as Scheduled Elections outlined above, except that they may only involve the election of only one or two guild members, instead of all three.
> Replacement elections begin on the first Monday after the vacation of the Guild position, and proceed under the same rules as Scheduled Elections.  Votes are counted by STV in the same manner as they would if the position was being elected in a Scheduled Election.
92,94c144,154
< Section 1. Creation
< Subsection A: Fourteen (14) days prior to each Presidential Election, the Party will put together a list of proposed planks for the Party Platform. The Guild will create a post announcing that proposed platform planks will be accepted. Every top-level comment on this post must be a proposed plank. All non-proposals will be removed at the discretion of the Guild. Discussion will be formed as replies to top-level comments. When a proposed plank receives four (4) or more assentions, it will be added to the list of proposed planks in the body of the post. This process will last eight (8) days.
< Subsection B: Each proposed plank will be voted on by all registered members. Planks where more than three fourths (75%) of their votes are yeas will be added to the official party platform. This process will last four (4) days.
---
> Section 1. Review
> Subsection A
> The Party shall review the Party Platform, making necessary improvements, during the following periods each year:
> From the second Sunday in March to the third Sunday in April
> From two (2) weeks before December 25th to two (2) week after December 25th
> Subsection B
> The Guild will create a thread on the party subreddit announcing that proposals for new platform planks and amendments will be accepted. Every top-level comment on this thread must be a proposed plank, or an amendment of a current plank. All non-proposals will be removed at the discretion of the Guild. Discussion will be formed as replies to top-level comments. When a proposed plank is recommended by four (4) or more Hounds, it will be added to the list of proposed planks in the body of the thread.
> Subsection C
> No fewer than ten (10) days prior to the close of the review, the Guild shall open a vote allowing hounds to vote on each proposed plank which has received the four (4) recommendations. Planks where more than three fourths (75%) of their votes are yeas will be added to the official party platform.
> Subsection D
> The Guild must end the vote no more than three (3) days after the end of the period described in Subsection A.  The Guild must publish the results of the vote and update the platform no more than seven (7) days after the end of the period.
101,105c161,168
< Subsection A: As soon as a federal or state election shall be announced, the Chair shall open a general nominations thread.
< Subsection B: Every Hound desiring to be the party candidate for an open position in the upcoming election shall state their intent to run and for which position(s).
< Subsection C: The Chair shall add those Hounds who are seeking the party nomination to a list of potential party candidates for that position.
< Subsection D: Every candidate is required to post a platform or speech before the voting begins, and failure to do so results in disqualification from the primary. If a candidate dissents from the party platform to the extent of completely rejecting one or more planks, then this information must be included in the aforementioned platform or speech.
< Subsection E: The nominations process will last three (3) days.
---
> Subsection A
> No more than two (2) days after the announcement of an sim election, the Chair shall open a thread on the party subreddit (hereafter referred to as “nomination thread”) announcing the upcoming vote, outlining the requirements for candidacy, and listing all current candidates.  This nomination thread is used for hounds to nominate candidates for Chairmanship or Vice Chairmanship and for debate. Every Hound desiring to be the party’s candidate for an open position in the upcoming election shall state their intent to run and for which position(s) in this thread.
> Subsection B
> The Guild will monitor the nomination thread and add new candidates Chairman when the following criteria are met:
> The potential candidate has posted a platform or speech along with their nomination/acceptance which lists any areas where the nominee differs from the party platform.
> The potential candidate has been a member of the party for at least twenty (20) days
> Subsection C
> The nominations process will last no fewer than three (3) days, but no more than five (5), or else be closed during the first Sunday after the opening of nominations, whichever results in a longer period.
107,111c170,173
< Subsection A: A voting thread will be opened, allowing Hounds to select which candidates they support via a Google Form or similar form.
< Subsection B: Every Hound shall have equal suffrage in all primary elections.
< Subsection C: Voting will be held via a Google Form or similar form created by the Chair, and if he or she does not have access to the creation of such forms, then the Vice Chair, and if he or she also does not have access to the creation of such forms, then the Whip.
< Subsection D: The creator of the voting form will share a viewing link of the form result spreadsheet to all other Guild members to guard against fraud.
< Subsection E: The primary election will last three (3) days.
---
> Subsection A
> The Guild must open voting on the day following the closing of the nomination thread or sooner.  Voting will be held via a Google Form or similar form created by the Chair, and if he does not have access to the creation of such forms, then the a Vice Chair.  The creator of the voting form will allow all other Guild members to view the live results of the vote.
> Subsection B
> Every Hound shall have equal suffrage in all primary elections and the primary election will last three (3) days, or until Sunday at 11:59PM, whichever results in a longer period.
113,117c175,182
< Subsection A: All primary elections where more than one position is involved shall take place using a single transferable vote (STV), and all primary elections for a singular office shall take place using the instant run-off vote (IRV). In either STV or IRV, Hounds may rank their preferences from one (1) to the number of candidates running for a position, but they shall have the right to rank as many or as few candidates as they desire.
< Subsection B: The Chair may use a program to assist him or her, or he or she may do the calculations on their own, in counting the votes for primary elections.
< Subsection C: For singular offices – such as those elected through first-past-the-post voting or IRV – the winning candidate of the IRV primary election shall be the official candidate of the Model Distributists in the upcoming federal or state election. The runner-up shall be the first person considered should the original need to be replaced.
< Subsection D: For positions which use proportional election methods, the candidates will be ranked from first to be elected to last to be elected based on the order they took in the STV primary election.
< Subsection E: Should any candidate win the Distributist nomination for multiple positions, then he or she shall resign all but one of such nominations and the runners-up shall take his or her place for the other nominations. The Cooperative may waive this requirement on a case-by-case basis by a standard motion.
---
> Subsection A
> All primary elections where more than one position is involved shall take place using a single transferable vote (STV), and all primary elections for a singular office shall take place using the instant run-off vote (IRV). In either STV or IRV, Hounds may rank their preferences from one (1) to the number of candidates running for a position, but they shall have the right to rank as many or as few candidates as they desire.  The Chair may use a program to assist him, or he may do the calculations on his own, in counting the votes for primary elections.
> Subsection C
> For singular offices – such as those elected through first-past-the-post voting or IRV – the winning candidate of the IRV primary election shall be the official candidate of the Model Distributists in the upcoming federal or state election. In situations where the winner of an election is unable to assume office, the runner up shall be put forward as an interim-candidate until a special election can be held to choose a replacement.  Such special elections must take place before the interim-candidate has held office for more than fourteen (14) days.
> Subsection D
> For positions which use proportional election methods, the candidates will be ranked from first to be elected to last to be elected based on the order they took in the STV primary election.
> Subsection E
> Hounds are prohibited from nominating themselves for more than one position in a primary.  Should any candidate win the Distributist nomination for multiple positions, then he or she shall resign all of such nominations and the runners-up shall take his or her place. The Cooperative may waive this requirement on a case-by-case basis by a standard motion.
119,120c184,187
< Subsection A: The Hounds chosen to be the official candidates of the Model Distributists shall be communicated to the moderators of /r/ModelUSGov, declared according to the rules of /r/ModelUSGov and the simulation, announced to the Cooperative in the party subreddit, and announced as much as possible in /r/ModelUSGov and the other subreddits of the simulation.
< Subsection B: The Whip shall support and encourage every Hound and supporter of the Model Distributists to vote for the candidates of the Model Distributist Party in the general elections.
---
> Subsection A
> The Hounds chosen to be the official candidates of the Model Distributists shall be communicated to the moderators of /r/ModelUSGov, declared according to the rules of /r/ModelUSGov and the simulation, announced to the Cooperative in the party subreddit, and announced as much as possible in /r/ModelUSGov and the other subreddits of the simulation.
> Subsection B
> The Guild shall support and encourage every Hound and supporter of the Model Distributists to vote for the candidates of the Model Distributist Party in the general elections.
123c190
< The Cooperative may create party rules in accordance with the procedure outlined in Section 2 of this article. During any vote outlined in Section 2 of this article, every Hound shall receive one vote.
---
> The Cooperative may create party rules in accordance with the procedure outlined in Section 2 of this article. During any vote outlined in Section 2 of this article, every Hound shall receive one vote.  Any Hound may propose a motion to the party at any time.
125c192,199
< A motion is a formal proposal to be put into action. Motions may be for rules, to overturn an action of the Guild or any of its members, or for any other subject or area concerning the Model Distributists, the Cooperative, or any part of it. Any Hound may propose a motion to the party at any time. A motion shall be discussed for at least three days, and if at least three other Hounds express written support for the motion within its discussion thread, then the Chair will be required to open a vote. If after ten days, the motion fails to produce the necessary written support or there is no continuing, meaningful dialogue in the discussion thread as decided by the Chair, then the Chair may table the motion. A vote will remain open for three days; however, the Chair has the ability to extend the vote by one day if he or she deems there to be inadequate participation. If a three-fourths majority of those voting vote in favor of the motion, then the motion shall be considered passed by the Cooperative. Should the motion not receive a three-fourths majority of the votes, then the motion has failed. Upon the completion of a successful vote, any motion passed by the Cooperative shall be immediately considered a party rule. A motion passed by the Cooperative may only be altered or removed via a new motion following the same procedure.
---
> Subsection A
> A motion is a formal proposal to be put into action. Motions may be for rules, to overturn an action of the Guild or any of its members, or for any other subject or area concerning the Model Distributists, the Cooperative, or any part of it.
> Subsection B
> A motion shall be discussed for at least three (3) days, and if at least three (3) other Hounds express written support for the motion within its discussion thread, then the Chair will be required to open a vote. If after ten (10) days, the motion fails to produce the necessary written support and there is no continuing, meaningful dialogue in the discussion thread as decided by the Chair, then the Chair may table the motion.
> Subsection C
> A vote will remain open for three (3) days or untill 11:59PM on Sunday, whichever results in a longer period; however, the Chair has the ability to extend the vote by no more than three (3) days if he or she deems there to be inadequate participation. If a three-fourths majority of those voting vote in favor of the motion, then the motion shall be considered passed by the Cooperative. Should the motion not receive a three-fourths majority of the votes, then the motion has failed.
> Subsection D
> Upon the completion of a successful vote, any motion passed by the Cooperative shall be immediately considered a party rule. A motion passed by the Cooperative may only be altered or removed via a new motion following the same procedure.
127c201,210
< Any Hound may initiate a vote of no confidence against any member of the Guild at any time. It shall require written support from at least three other Hounds within five days of being initiated in order to continue. Those Hounds who give their written support to a vote of no confidence may withdrawal or reinstate their support for such a vote of no confidence at any time before the actual vote has started. Once a motion for a Vote of no confidence is initiated, each side (the member of the Guild in question and the Hounds initiating the vote of no confidence) shall be given a period of no less than two days but no more than four days to present their case. The Chair, or the Vice Chair when the vote of no confidence motion is against the Chair, shall open the actual vote for a vote of no confidence, but only if the initiator and at least three other Hounds still support the vote of no confidence. The vote will last for a period of three days, whereby the Cooperative will vote to either remove or retain the Guild member. A vote of no confidence must receive an affirmative vote from at least two-thirds of those present and voting to pass. Should the two-thirds majority be reached, then the Guild member is immediately removed from office and a replacement is chosen by the proper procedures. Should the vote fail to reach the necessary two-thirds majority, then the Guild member may choose to continue in their office.
---
> Subsection A
> Any Hound may initiate a vote of no confidence against any member of the Guild at any time by creating a thread invoking this section on the party subreddit. It shall require written support from at least three (3) other Hounds within five (5) days of being initiated in order to continue to a vote. Those Hounds who give their written support to a vote of no confidence may withdraw or reinstate their support for such a vote of no confidence at any time before the actual vote has started.
> Subsection B
> Once a motion for a vote of no confidence is initiated, each side (the member of the Guild in question and the Hounds initiating the vote of no confidence) shall be given a period of no less than two (2) days but no more than four (4) days to present their case.
> Subsection C
> The Chair, or the Vice Chair when the vote of no confidence motion is against the Chair, shall open the actual vote for a vote of no confidence, but only if the initiator and at least three other Hounds still support the vote of no confidence. In cases where there is no Guild member whose impartiality is not in question, the vote shall be opened under two (2) former Guild members.
> Subsection D
> The vote will last for a period of three (3) days or until 11:59 PM on Sunday, whichever results in a longer period.  The Cooperative will vote to either remove or retain the Guild member. A vote of no confidence must receive an affirmative vote from at least two-thirds of those present and voting to pass. Should the two-thirds majority be reached, then the Guild member is immediately removed from office and a replacement is chosen by the proper procedures outlined in Article V, Section 2. Should the vote fail to reach the necessary two-thirds majority, then the Guild member may choose to continue in their office.
> Subsection E
> In cases where the Guild fails to conform to a peaceful transition, the party is in a state of chaos.  Such a situation likely points to a fundamental failure in the party to select trustworthy leadership.  In such cases, this constitution can lend no aid, and recommends either a coup d'état to restore the authority of this constitution, or disbandment of the party.
131,132c214,217
< Section 2. Subreddits
< The party subreddit shall be /r/ModelDistributists, but the Model Distributists may employ other subreddits for teaching prospective Hounds, electing members of the Guild, conducting primaries, discussing platforms planks and general political issues, or for any other reasonable cause.
---
> Section 2. Party Platforms
> As a virtual community, the party shall maintain the following official online platforms:
> The official party subreddit shall be /r/ModelDistributists, but the Model Distributists may employ other subreddits for teaching prospective Hounds, electing members of the Guild, conducting primaries, discussing platforms planks and general political issues, or for any other reasonable cause.  Because the simulation is based on Reddit, /r/ModelDistributists shall remain the primary online platform used by the Party for all official internal matters such as leadership elections, primaries, and party motions.
> The official party Discord Server, https://discord.gg/THchGv6, but the Model Distributists may employ other discord servers for interacting with other parties, organizing campaigns, and other extraneous causes.
135,139c220,227
< Subsection A: Any Hound may propose an amendment to this constitution by sending his proposed amendment to a Guild Member.
< Subsection B: The Chair or Vice Chair shall initiate a discussion period of at least five (5) days by creating a discussion thread open to all Hounds.
< Subsection C: Once an amendment motion has been discussed for five (5) days, a vote will be opened if at least three (3) other Hounds have given it their written support. If after ten (10) days, the amendment motion fails to produce the necessary written support or there is no continuing, meaningful dialogue in the discussion thread, the Chair may table the amendment motion.
< Subsection D: Once a vote has been opened, all Hounds will be private messaged and asked to vote. The voting period shall last for five (5) days.
< Subsection E: In order for an amendment motion to pass, it must receive at least a fourth-fifths majority of those who voted to be in favor of the amendment motion. Should the vote fail to reach that the requisite four-fifths majority, then the amendment motion has failed. Successful amendments shall take effect immediately after passing.
---
> Subsection A
> Any Hound may propose an amendment to this constitution by sending his proposed amendment to a Guild Member, or posting it on the party sub.
> Subsection B
> The Chair or Vice Chair shall initiate a discussion period of at least five (5) days by creating a discussion thread open to all Hounds.
> Subsection C
> Once an amendment motion has been discussed for five (5) days, a vote will be opened if at least three (3) other Hounds have given it their written support. If after ten (10) days, the amendment motion fails to produce the necessary written support or there is no continuing, meaningful dialogue in the discussion thread, the Chair may table the amendment motion.
> Subsection D
> The voting period shall last for five (5) days.  In order for an amendment motion to pass, it must receive at least a fourth-fifths majority of those who voted to be in favor of the amendment motion. Should the vote fail to reach that the requisite four-fifths majority, then the amendment motion has failed. Successful amendments shall take effect immediately after passing.  The Guild must update the constitution to reflect the amendment within seven (7) days of its passage.
141a230,231
> Section 3. Preservation
> Whenever a new version of the constitution is adopted via amendment, its predecessor must be recorded in the wiki of the party’s official subreddit, available to all hounds.