As recently as last session, we had issues with factions exhausting their lists. We muddled through, but didn't come to a consensus on what to do if it happens again.
The fundamental question is this: Are you or are you not voting for a person when you , as a citizen not a member of a faction, cast your ballot? As I've said before, I believe the answer is no. I say this primarily because there is no requirement that the names of those faction members seeking RA seats be made public. Some factions have chosen to do so, but this is not obligatory.
Based on this, I come to the conclusion that a citizen's vote in the general election is in support of a platform and faction rather than a person. Who then decides what persons carry forward a given platform?--- the members of that faction.
I therefore propose the following constitutional amendment:
In the event that a faction, via resignation or impeachment, exhausts its list of eligible RA members drawn up at the previous general election during the course of an RA term:
1) If the faction no longer meets the constitutional requirements or if no members of the faction are willing to serve, there shall be a special election to fill, for the remainder of the term, the seats left vacant.
2) If the faction the list of which is exhausted still meets constitutional requirements as spelled out in Article IV and there are members of that faction, who did not stand in the previous general election, willing to fill the vacated seats, members of the affected faction shall rank those candidates to fill the vacated seats as they do in the general election.
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Some have proposed that a faction which runs through its list oughtto forfeit its seats. My concern with this is that, by leaving the RA, individual members can in essence invalidate the result of the previous election. Since only members of a given faction decide, during the general election. who can best represent their platform, why not let them do that at any time during the term that such a decision becomes necessary.