# Petition Constitution This constitution establishes direct democracy through member petitions and community-wide voting. ## Article 1: Governance Principle ### Section 1.1: Direct Democracy This community governs through direct participation: - Any member can petition for changes - All members vote on petitions - Decisions made collectively by membership - No intermediary representatives ### Section 1.2: Petition Authority Successful petitions have authority to: - Create or change policies - Authorize administrative actions - Modify community rules - Allocate resources - Amend this constitution ### Section 1.3: Participation Governance is accessible to all: - Low barriers to creating petitions - Simple, transparent voting - Clear outcomes and implementation - Bot facilitates the entire process ## Article 2: Membership ### Section 2.1: Member Rights All community members have equal rights to: - Create petitions - Vote on all petitions - Discuss petitions publicly - Access petition history and outcomes - Challenge petition implementation ### Section 2.2: Membership Requirements To participate in governance: - Be an active community member - Agree to code of conduct - Voting eligibility after 30 days - Bot tracks membership status ### Section 2.3: Member Responsibilities Members should: - Review petitions when feasible - Vote on matters they care about - Participate in good faith - Respect petition outcomes - Help implement approved changes ## Article 3: Creating Petitions ### Section 3.1: Petition Process Any member can create a petition: 1. Draft clear proposal text 2. Submit to @govbot with "petition" tag 3. Include rationale and context 4. Specify implementation details 5. Bot validates and publishes petition ### Section 3.2: Petition Requirements Valid petitions must: - State specific change or action - Explain reasoning and impact - Be clear and unambiguous - Identify implementation approach - Follow community values ### Section 3.3: Petition Types Petitions can address: **Policy Petitions** - Changes to community rules and policies - Voting period: 7 days - Passage threshold: Simple majority (more Yes than No) **Administrative Petitions** - Platform configuration and operations - Voting period: 7 days - Passage threshold: Simple majority **Resource Petitions** - Budget allocation and spending - Voting period: 7 days - Passage threshold: Simple majority **Constitutional Petitions** - Amendments to this constitution - Voting period: 14 days - Passage threshold: 2/3 supermajority **Urgent Petitions** - Time-sensitive matters - Must justify urgency - Voting period: 3 days - Passage threshold: Simple majority - Can be challenged as non-urgent ### Section 3.4: Petition Clarity Bot reviews petitions for clarity: - Must be understandable to members - Question clearly stated - Implementation feasible - If unclear, bot requests revision - Community can also request clarification ## Article 4: Petition Discussion ### Section 4.1: Discussion Period Before voting opens: - Minimum 2-day discussion period - Petitioner explains and answers questions - Members discuss pros and cons - Bot facilitates discussion thread - Petitioner can revise based on feedback ### Section 4.2: Discussion Guidelines During discussion: - Focus on substance, not personalities - Ask clarifying questions - Suggest improvements - Identify concerns - Assume good faith ### Section 4.3: Petition Amendments Petitioner can amend during discussion: - Clarify language - Address concerns - Refine implementation - Major changes restart discussion period - Bot tracks amendment history ## Article 5: Voting ### Section 5.1: Voting Period After discussion period: - Bot opens voting - Voting period based on petition type - All eligible members can vote - Votes can be changed before deadline - Bot sends reminders ### Section 5.2: Vote Options Members can vote: - **Yes** - Support the petition - **No** - Oppose the petition - **Abstain** - Counted for participation tracking but not in passage threshold ### Section 5.3: Passage Thresholds Petitions pass when: - Simple majority: More Yes than No votes - Supermajority: At least 2/3 of votes are Yes (constitutional petitions) - Abstentions don't affect threshold calculation - Bot calculates and announces results ### Section 5.4: No Quorum Requirement No minimum participation required: - Petitions can pass with any level of turnout - Assumes members vote on matters important to them - High stakes issues naturally draw more voters ## Article 6: Petition Results ### Section 6.1: Announcing Results When voting closes: - Bot tallies votes - Announces outcome (passed/failed) - Shows vote breakdown - Explains next steps - Archives petition and result ### Section 6.2: Implementation Timeline Approved petitions: - Implementation begins within 7 days - Urgent petitions: within 24 hours - Bot executes authorized actions - Implementation progress reported - Completion confirmed ### Section 6.3: Failed Petitions If petition fails: - Outcome recorded - Can be resubmitted after 30 days - Resubmission should address concerns raised - Or wait for changed circumstances ## Article 7: Concurrent Petitions ### Section 7.1: Multiple Petitions Multiple petitions can run simultaneously: - No limit on active petitions - Bot tracks each independently - Members vote on each separately - Clear labeling prevents confusion ### Section 7.2: Conflicting Petitions If petitions conflict: - Both can be voted on - If both pass, later one takes precedence - Or petition can explicitly supersede earlier one - Bot identifies potential conflicts ### Section 7.3: Related Petitions For related issues: - Consider combining into single petition - Or vote sequentially - Note relationships in petition text - Bot helps coordinate related petitions ## Article 8: Administrative Actions ### Section 8.1: Authorized Actions Bot implements approved petitions: - Policy changes - Moderation actions - Platform configuration - User role changes - Content management ### Section 8.2: Action Logging All actions logged with: - Petition that authorized action - Timestamp - Implementation details - Who executed (bot or member) - Reversibility information ### Section 8.3: Action Review Members can review actions: - Check audit log anytime - Verify correct implementation - Report discrepancies - Petition for correction if needed ## Article 9: Emergency Procedures ### Section 9.1: Emergency Petitions For urgent safety/security matters: - Accelerated process (24-hour total) - Must clearly justify emergency - Higher passage threshold (60% Yes) - Can be challenged as non-emergency ### Section 9.2: Emergency Actions Without Petition For immediate threats: - Any moderator can act immediately - Must report action within 6 hours - Emergency petition created retroactively - Community votes to ratify or reverse ### Section 9.3: Bot Malfunction If bot acts contrary to petitions: - Any member can call emergency halt - Manual override by admin - Emergency petition to address issue - Fix implemented before resuming ## Article 10: Challenging and Reversing ### Section 10.1: Implementation Challenges To challenge implementation: - Member submits challenge to @govbot - Explains discrepancy from petition - Community reviews implementation - Correction made if challenge valid ### Section 10.2: Reversing Decisions To reverse approved petition: - Create new petition to reverse - Requires same threshold as original - Constitutional reversals need supermajority - Bot implements reversal if approved ### Section 10.3: Constitutional Violations If petition violates constitution: - Any member can raise challenge - Special constitutional review petition - Requires 2/3 vote to overturn - Bot halts implementation pending review ## Article 11: Petition History and Precedent ### Section 11.1: Petition Archive Bot maintains complete archive: - All petitions (passed and failed) - Discussion threads - Vote tallies - Implementation records - Amendments and reversals ### Section 11.2: Precedent Value Past petitions inform future ones: - Show community values and priorities - Guide petition drafting - Inform discussion - Establish norms - Not binding but instructive ### Section 11.3: Periodic Review Community can review past petitions: - Identify policies needing update - Consider consolidation - Remove obsolete policies - Via normal petition process ## Article 12: Constitutional Amendments ### Section 12.1: Amendment Process To amend this constitution: 1. Create constitutional petition 2. Extended discussion period (7 days) 3. Extended voting period (14 days) 4. Requires 2/3 supermajority 5. Bot updates constitution if approved ### Section 12.2: Constitutional Interpretation For interpretation questions: - Member requests interpretation via petition - Community discusses interpretation - Vote on correct interpretation - Guides future similar cases - Bot applies interpretation ### Section 12.3: Core Principles Amendments should preserve: - Direct democracy - Member petition rights - Transparent voting - Equal participation - Bot facilitation --- ## Implementation Notes This constitution creates direct participatory democracy: 1. **Accessibility**: Any member can petition 2. **Transparency**: All votes and outcomes public 3. **Simplicity**: Straightforward petition and voting 4. **Flexibility**: Multiple concurrent petitions 5. **Member Power**: Direct decision-making authority The bot should make petitioning easy, facilitate clear voting, implement decisions accurately, maintain complete records, and help members track governance activity.