Lex Equitia de vigintisexviris (Nova Roma)

Preamble

In Roma Antiqua, the Vigintisexviri--literally, 'the twenty-six men'--were minor magistrates who handled much of the routine administrative business of Rome. In Nova Roma, we preserve the title VIGINTISEXVIRI for minor magistracies, without requiring twenty-six, and without restricting these magistracies to men.

I. A. The leges Vedia vigintisexviri, Minucia de rogatoribus, and Equitia de mutandis appellationibus duorum magistratuum minorum, are hereby repealed.

B. All Nova Roman laws, decrees, and edicts which make reference to magistrates of the Vigintisexviri are revised to use the titles defined below.

II. In accordance with the Constitution of Nova Roma, the following minor magistracies are defined within the category of Vigintisexviri: ^[1]

• A. Editor commentariorum (ed. of written news) ^[2]

1. The editor commentariorum shall be responsible for the production, publication, and distribution of the official publications sponsored by the State.

2. The editor commentariorum shall have the authority to appoint his own scribae, should he deem it necessary.

3. The editor commentariorum shall be appointed by a vote of the senate on the nomination of a consul.

4. The editor commentariorum shall serve for three years.

5. A deputy editor commentariorum shall also be appointed by a vote of the senate on the nomination of a consul. The deputy will serve as the chief assistant to the editor commentariorum. If during the three year term a vacancy occurs the deputy editor commentariorum shall assume the duties for remainder of that term as editor commentariorum.

• B. Rogatores. Magistratus ad consignandos suffragium ferentes.

1.a. Until the Kalends of January MMDCCLVIII (1 January 2005), four rogatores shall be responsible for the administration of elections and the recording of votes among the curiae.

1.b. Each rogator shall have the authority to appoint his own scribae, should he deem it necessary.

1.c. The lack of a full complement of, or the active participation of, four rogatores shall not in and of itself be sufficient to invalidate or postpone a particular election.

1.d. The rogatores may divide their duties amongst themselves as they see fit and practical.

1.e. Since the rogatores are by definition privy to the details of the election process, they may not run for any elective office while they serve in office as rogatores.

2.a. Beginning on the Kalends of January MMDCCLVIII (1 January 2005), two rogatores shall be elected to act as subordinate magistrates to the censores, responsible for registering qualified voters, issuing voter codes, and administering the routine citizenship application process.

2.b. During intervals when no censors are serving in office, the rogatores may carry out the routine maintenance of the Album Civium and the Album Gentium in concert with the magister aranearius.

2.c. Each rogator shall have the authority to appoint his own scribae, should he deem it necessary.

• C. Diribitores--Suffragiorum computatores

1. Beginning on the Kalends of January MMDCCLVIII (1 January 2005), up to four diribitores shall be responsible for the counting of votes among the curiae.

2. The lack of a full complement of, or the active participation of, four diribitores shall not in and of itself be sufficient to invalidate or postpone a particular election.

3. The diribitores may divide their duties among themselves as they see fit and practical with the approval of the custodes.

4. Since the diribitores are by definition privy to the details of the election process, they may not run for any elective office while they serve in office as diribitores.

5. Diribitores shall only count votes, and shall not engage in any tie-breaking.

• D. Custodes. Iudices Electionum.

1. Beginning on the Kalends of January MMDCCLVIII (1 January 2005), two custodes shall be esponsible for certifying the tally of votes in elections as reported to them by the diribitores, breaking any ties among the centuries and tribes, and providing the results of elections to the magistrates presiding over the elections.

2. Since by definition the custodes are privy to the details of the election process, they may not run for any elective office while they serve in office as custodes.

3. The lack of a full complement of, or the active participation of, both custodes shall not in and of itself be sufficient to invalidate or postpone a particular election.

4. Custodes may, if they choose, assist the diribitores in the vote-counting process.

5. In the event that there are no diribitores, the custodes shall assume the duties of diribitores until sufficient diribitores have been elected.

III. As minor magistrates, all vigintisexviri shall possess the Ius Edicendi, the right to publish edicta within the scope of their magisterial duties.

IV. A. All vigintisexviri shall be elected by the Comitia Populi Tributa during the annual elections.

B. The normal term of office for the vigintisexviri shall be one year.

C. Suffectus (replacement) vigintisexviri magistrates elected to replace magistrates who are unable to continue in office shall serve until the end of the year in which they are elected.

V. If any of the minor magistracies of the vigintisexviri become vacant after the Ides of September in a given year, the Senate may appoint a suffectus to fill that magistracy for the remainder of the year in lieu of holding an election in the Comitia Populi Tributa