NationStates Colony Charter 2026
This charter has not passed a colony vote yet
NationStates Colony Charter 2026
Passed by the Senate on 23 March 2026 and signed by the President on 24 March 2026. Ratification by referendum pending as of 25 March 2026.
Author: doc.cortex
Reviewed by: Acool
Preamble
- Whereas
- The NationStates Colony seeks transparent governance, democratic participation, and accountable leadership;
- Whereas
- It is necessary to define a foundational legal framework for governance consistent with the structure of SimDemocracy;
- Whereas
- The unique mechanics of NationStates require safeguards against instability, bad-faith participation, and external interference;
- Therefore,
This Charter shall serve as the supreme constitutional framework for the governance of the NationStates Colony of SimDemocracy.
Definitions
For the purposes of this Charter:
- Resident
- Any nation present within the Region.
- Citizen
- A registered SimDemocracy user with a nation in the Region, recognized in the public registry.
- Governor
- The chief executive authority holding regional control.
- World Assembly Delegate (WA Delegate)
- The nation with the highest number of endorsements within the Region.
- Registry
- The official list of Citizens maintained by the Governor.
Article 1: Repeals
§1. The Establishment of Nationstates Region Act is repealed.
§2. The NationStates Activity Act is repealed.
§3. Any prior legislation or executive orders governing the NationStates Region inconsistent with this Charter are hereby repealed.
Article 2: Establishment and Scope
§1. This Act establishes the NationStates Colony as an autonomous subdivision of SimDemocracy. §2. The Region shall manage its internal affairs in accordance with this Charter. §3. Continued legitimacy is contingent upon active participation, stability, and accountability. §4. The Region shall enjoy the right to manage its internal affairs, provided its actions remain in compliance with the overarching Constitution of SimDemocracy.
Article 3: Fundamental Rights of Residents
§1. All Residents are guaranteed rights under the SimDemocracy Bill of Rights. §2. These include: §2.1 Freedom of expression §2.2 Equal protection under the law §2.3 Due process §2.4 Participation in governance §3. Rights are subject to lawful limitations necessary to protect regional integrity and stability.
Article 4: Residency and Citizenship Registry
§1. The Governor shall maintain a public registry of Citizens.
§2. Only Citizens may:
- §2.1 Vote
- §2.2 Run for office
- §2.3 Participate in governance
§3. A Resident shall only be recognized as a Citizen upon registration.
§4. The registry shall be publicly accessible and periodically updated.
Article 5: Structure of Government
§1. The Colony shall operate under executive-led governance supported by democratic mechanisms.
§2. Authority shall be exercised through:
- §2.1 The Governor
- §2.2 The WA Delegate
Article 6: Discord Infrastructure
§1. A dedicated Nationstates ping shall be created for all colony members to get notified.
§2. A set of Discord channels will be established for the Colony under the Colonies Category, including but not limited to:
- §2.1 #nationstates-announcements
- §2.2 #ns-executive-orders
- §2.3 #nationstates-chat
Article 7: Executive Authority
§1. The Governor:
- §1.1 The Governor is the highest executive authority of the Colony.
- §1.2 Responsibilities include:
- §1.2.1 Maintaining regional stability
- §1.2.2 Enforcing laws and bans
- §1.2.3 Managing the registry
- §1.2.4 Granting and revoking permissions
- §1.3 The Governor may only exercise authority for:
- §1.3.1 Democratic continuity
- §1.3.2 Enforcement of rules
Article 8: The World Assembly Delegate
§1. The WA Delegate is the nation with the most endorsements.
§2. The WA Delegate holds executive authority over:
- §2.1 Foreign affairs
- §2.2 Regional administration
§3. Dual Officeholding
- §3.1 The Governor may simultaneously hold the office of WA Delegate.
- §3.2 Such dual officeholding is considered consistent with:
- §3.2.1 Stability
- §3.2.2 Administrative efficiency
- §3.3 No officeholder shall be disqualified from holding both roles.
Article 9: Elections and Governance
Article 9a: Elections
§1. Elections shall be conducted via a NationStates dedicated channel on the SimDemocracy discord as well as a post on the SimDemocracy subreddit.
§2. The Elections Supervisor shall:
- §2.1 Organize elections
- §2.2 Verify eligibility
- §2.3 Certify results
Article 9b: Candidate Eligibility
§3. A candidate must:
- §3.1 Have resided in the Region for at least fourteen (14) consecutive days
- §3.2 Possess a nation at least thirty (30) days old
- §3.3 These requirements ensure commitment and stability.
- §3.4 All candidates must be verified by including a screenshot of the following requirements in their CFC.
Article 9c: Voting Eligibility
§4. Only Citizens may vote.
- §4.1 Citizens must:
- §4.1.1 Be listed in the registry
- §4.1.2 Maintain an active nation in the Region
§5. The Governor serves a term of sixty (60) days.
- §5.1 Re-election is permitted without limit.
Article 10: Emergency Powers
§1. The Governor may act in exceptional circumstances including:
- §1.1 Raids
- §1.2 Coups
- §1.3 Spam
- §1.4 External threats
§2. The Governor may remove nations posing a threat to the Region.
§3. All such actions must be justified and proportionate.
§4. Emergency Powers may last from 24 - 168 hours. (1-7 days)
Article 11: Ethical Governance
§1. Officials must act in good faith.
§2. Abuse of power may result in removal under SimDemocracy law.
Article 12: Amendments
§1. Amendments require:
- §1.1 Proposal
- §1.2 Approval
- §1.3 Ratification
§2. Amendments must comply with the SimDemocracy Constitution.
Article 13: Supremacy of the Charter
§1. This Charter is the highest authority within the Colony.
§2. All Colony laws must conform to it.