Senatus consultum ultimum on the conduct of elections

Senatus consultum ultimum concerning the conduct of elections

Under the Constitution of Nova Roma, "The Senate shall have the power to issue the Senatus consultum ultimum (the ultimate decree of the Senate). When in effect, this decree will supersede all other governmental bodies and authorities (with the exception of the dictator) and allow the Senate to invest the consuls with absolute powers to deal with a specific situation, subject only to their collegial veto and review by the Senate. Even under the authority of the Senatus consultum ultimum, the consuls may only temporarily suspend this Constitution; they may not enact any permanent changes hereto." (Const. N.R. V.E)

Under the authority of Section V.E of the Nova Roman Constitution the Senate of Nova Roma issues the following senatus consultum ultimum.

1. Elections held in the Comitia centuriata, Comitia plebis tributa and Comitia populi tributa shall be conducted by utilizing:

a. Any electronic system of voting authorized by means of a senatus consultum in force at the time any call for candidates is made.

or

b. a method of voting by email in a manner that approximates as closely as possible the system of voting as specified by any lex currently in force at the time any call for candidates is made.

2. Utilization of the method at 1.b shall only be permitted if the method at 1.a is unavailable, either by virtue of a lack of senatorial authorization, or if such authorization exists, by virtue of technical, financial, or operational problems. Subject to these restrictions, the Consuls shall determine whether 1.a or 1.b shall be used.

3. The Consuls shall appoint by means of edictum any persons that they deem necessary to conduct and/or supervise any election held within the comitia centuriata, the comitia plebis tributa or the comitia populi tributa.

4. Any section of the Constitution, any lex, any other Nova Roman legal authority and any right or power, that the Consuls deem, by means of edictum, to conflict, invalidate or otherwise hinder, the electoral method selected at 1.a or 1.b, is overridden and shall have no legal effect.

5. The Consuls shall by means of edictum make such amendments to any aspect of the method of the election that they deem necessary.

6. The person who shall act in the absence of either, or both, Consuls, shall be the Censor Titus Iulius Sabinus, whom the Senate authorizes to act for either Consul, or both of them, in the event that an absence of one or both Consuls, in the estimation of the Titus Iulius Sabinus, imperils the conduct of any election.

7. Any edictum issued by Titus Iulius Sabinus under the authority of section 6 of this senatus consultum ultimum, shall be deemed to have the same legal effect as a consular edict issued under the authority of this senatus consultum ultimum.