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Legislation & Voting

The legislative system is the heart of Lawmaker. This guide explains how to propose laws, vote on legislation, and understand the voting process.

How Legislation Works

graph TD
    A[Party Proposes Law] --> B[60-Day Voting Period]
    B --> C[Parties Cast Votes]
    C --> D{Majority Support?}
    D -->|Yes| E[Law Passes]
    D -->|No| F[Law Fails]
    E --> G[Law Takes Effect]
    F --> H[Status Quo Remains]

The Process

  1. A party proposes a new law (costs 30 PP)
  2. All parties can vote during a 60-day period
  3. Votes are weighted by seat count
  4. After 60 days, votes are tallied
  5. Majority support → law passes
  6. Majority opposition → law fails
  7. Laws take effect immediately when passed

Understanding Laws

Law Structure

Each law in Lawmaker has:

  • Name - What the law governs (e.g., "Minimum Wage Policy")
  • Code - Unique identifier (e.g., MIN_WAGE)
  • Options - Different policy positions (usually 2-3 choices)
  • Current state - Which option is currently active

Law Options

Each law has multiple options representing different policy positions:

Minimum Wage Law

Current state: Basic minimum wage

Options:

  1. No minimum wage - Let the market decide wages
  2. Basic minimum wage - Ensure a minimum living standard
  3. High living wage - Guarantee comfortable living for all workers

Each option represents a different philosophical approach.

Law Categories

Laws cover areas like:

  • Labor & Economy - Minimum wage, unions, taxation
  • Social Policy - Healthcare, education, welfare
  • Environment - Emissions, conservation, green energy
  • Immigration - Border policy, citizenship, quotas
  • Defense & Security - Military spending, police powers
  • Civil Rights - Equality, freedom of speech, privacy
  • Governance - Electoral rules, government structure

See the full catalog: Laws & Policies

Proposing Legislation

Creating a Proposal

To propose a new law:

  1. Ensure you have 30 Political Power
  2. Navigate to the "Propose Law" page
  3. Fill in the proposal details
  4. Submit for voting

Proposal Components

1. Proposal Title

Give your proposal a descriptive name:

  • ✓ Good: "Workers' Rights and Minimum Wage Act"
  • ✓ Good: "Green Energy Transition Package"
  • ✗ Bad: "My Proposal"
  • ✗ Bad: "Law #1"

2. Proposal Description

Explain why you're proposing this law:

  • What problem does it solve?
  • How will it benefit the country?
  • Why should other parties support it?

Writing Good Descriptions

Persuasive descriptions increase the chances other parties will support your proposal. Explain the reasoning, not just the mechanics.

3. Articles

Each proposal contains 1-5 articles - individual law changes:

  • Minimum: 1 article (simple proposal)
  • Maximum: 5 articles (complex reform package)
  • Each article changes one law from its current option to a new option

Multi-Article Proposal

"Social Welfare Reform Act"

  • Article 1: Change healthcare from "Private system" to "Universal healthcare"
  • Article 2: Change education from "Paid tuition" to "Free public education"
  • Article 3: Change minimum wage from "None" to "Basic minimum"

This is a package deal - all three pass or none pass.

Strategic Proposal Design

Single vs. Multi-Article

One law change

✓ Easier to build consensus ✓ Clear message to voters ✓ Higher chance of passage ✗ Uses full 30 PP for one change

Multiple law changes (2-5)

✓ Efficient use of PP ✓ Can create coherent policy packages ✓ Forces other parties to accept whole package ✗ Harder to get support ✗ One controversial article can sink entire proposal

Timing Your Proposals

Consider:

  • Early in election cycle - Safe time to propose controversial laws
  • Mid-cycle - Normal legislative activity
  • Late in cycle - High visibility, defines your pre-election platform
  • After election - Claim a mandate from voters
  • During coalition talks - Demonstrate legislative priorities

Proposal Costs

Each proposal costs 30 Political Power, regardless of:

  • Number of articles (1-5 all cost the same)
  • Complexity of changes
  • Whether it passes or fails

Plan accordingly! See Political Power for resource management.

Voting on Proposals

The Voting Period

  • Duration: 60 game days (2.5 real days)
  • Open voting: All parties can see how others voted
  • Can change vote: Change your mind anytime before closing
  • Automatic closure: Voting ends after 60 days

Casting Your Vote

For each proposal, you choose:

Support the proposal

  • You want these laws to pass
  • Aligns with your ideology
  • Part of a coalition agreement

Oppose the proposal

  • You disagree with these changes
  • Conflicts with your values
  • Strategically opposing a rival

Neutral / No position

  • You don't have strong feelings
  • Minor issue for your party
  • Politically safer than taking a stance

Vote Weight

Your vote is weighted by seats held:

  • Party with 100 seats = 100 votes
  • Party with 10 seats = 10 votes
  • Party with 0 seats = 0 votes (can't vote)

No Seats = No Vote

Parties without seats in a legislature cannot vote on proposals for that legislature. Win seats in elections to gain voting power!

How Votes Are Tallied

After 60 days:

  1. Count all "Yes" votes (weighted by seats)
  2. Count all "No" votes (weighted by seats)
  3. If Yes > No: Proposal passes
  4. If No ≥ Yes: Proposal fails
  5. Abstentions don't count either way

Vote Tally Example

Total seats in legislature: 650

Votes cast: - Party A (250 seats): Yes - Party B (200 seats): Yes - Party C (150 seats): No - Party D (50 seats): Abstain

Result: - Yes votes: 450 (250 + 200) - No votes: 150 - Abstentions: 50 (don't count)

Outcome: Proposal passes (450 > 150)

Voting Strategy

Ideological Voting

Vote according to your party's ideology:

  • Builds consistent legislative record
  • Voters reward consistency
  • Clear party brand
  • Easier to predict and explain

Strategic Voting

Consider:

  • Coalition agreements - Honor deals with allies
  • Electoral timing - Popular vs. unpopular votes
  • Voter preferences - What the electorate wants
  • Opposition tactics - Block rival parties' proposals

The Abstention Strategy

Abstaining can be useful when:

  • Issue is minor - Save political capital for important fights
  • Coalition conflict - Avoid breaking agreements
  • Uncertain voter response - Don't risk taking unpopular position
  • Lack of information - Need more time to decide

Overuse of Abstentions

Voters may see excessive abstentions as weak leadership. Use sparingly!

Reading the Room

Check voting trends:

  • How are other parties voting?
  • Who are your natural allies supporting?
  • Is there a consensus forming?
  • Will your vote matter?

Vote Switching

You can change your vote before the 60-day period ends:

  • Respond to coalition negotiations
  • React to new information
  • Adjust to changing voter sentiment
  • Fix mistakes

After the Vote

If Proposal Passes

  • Laws change immediately
  • Country's law state updates
  • Proposing party gets credit
  • All votes are recorded in legislative history

If Proposal Fails

  • Status quo remains
  • Laws don't change
  • Proposing party loses 30 PP with no result
  • All votes still recorded (voters remember!)

Legislative History

Every vote is permanently recorded:

  • Voters analyze your voting history
  • Other parties research your positions
  • Historical records show party evolution
  • Can't delete or hide past votes

Votes Are Forever

Every vote shapes your party's reputation. Vote carefully - you can't take it back!

Advanced Tactics

Log-Rolling

Definition: Trading votes - "I'll support your proposal if you support mine"

  • Common in coalition politics
  • Can build legislative majorities
  • Requires trust and communication
  • Use the messaging system

Blocking Coalitions

Coordinate with other parties to block a rival's proposal:

  • Organize opposition through messages
  • Ensure enough "No" votes
  • Prevent rivals from achieving their goals

Poison Pills

Add controversial articles to multi-article proposals:

  • Forces opponents to oppose the entire package
  • Can sink otherwise popular legislation
  • Risky: may backfire and hurt your own proposal

Timing Games

Strategic use of the 60-day window:

  • Vote early to signal commitment
  • Vote late to see others' positions
  • Change vote at last minute
  • Coordinate surprise coalition votes

Proposal Comments

Discussion System

Each proposal has a comment thread:

  • Argue for or against the proposal
  • Explain your vote to other parties
  • Try to persuade others to change votes
  • Build public record of debate

Using Comments Strategically

  • Rally support: Persuade undecided parties
  • Explain votes: Justify controversial positions to voters
  • Negotiate: Offer to change vote if articles amended
  • Campaign: Use as public platform for your values

Tips for Legislative Success

Proposal Tips

  • Build coalitions first - Line up support before proposing
  • Keep it simple - Single-article proposals pass more often
  • Write compelling descriptions - Persuasion matters
  • Time it right - Consider election cycles
  • Have backup plans - Don't spend PP on doomed proposals

Voting Tips

  • Vote consistently - Align with your ideology
  • Vote on everything - Abstaining too much looks weak
  • Read proposals carefully - Understand what you're voting for
  • Communicate with allies - Coordinate coalition votes
  • Remember voters are watching - Every vote affects elections

Next Steps