Government
----------

Democratic government has always been a key part of Tavonni's
development. Count Leto shrewdly decided that his planet needed
to be "democratic" in order to attain the "Rich" trade
classification. Accordingly, he formed a Constitutional
Committee to create the Tavonni Constitution and system of
government. The Committee decided that "the people of the planet
of Tavonni will be governed by a representative democracy,
elected from either an independent platform or a party system.
This elected legislative body will be known as the Government of
Tavonni (hereinafter referred to as the Government)" [excerpt
from the Tavonni Constitution].

The population of a locality elects 10 local councillors. In
turn, each local council elects one of its members to be their
representative on the regional council. Each regional council
elects two of its members for the planetary government: one for
the House of Legislation, and one for the House of Review (this
system was an attempt at preventing a two-party political system
from forming). Each level of government can pass legislation
that will take effect in its own area: local councils can pass
Local Regulations; regional councils can pass Regional
Ordinances; and the Planetary Government can pass Bills that
become Planetary Statutes, with the Count having the power of
veto. If lower laws conflict with higher laws, the lower laws
are deemed suspended. The Tavonni Police Force enforces all
three types of law.

Planetary Statutes can also be created by plebescite (a vote of
the entire population). All "matters of public importance" are
decided on by plebescite. In most matters of public importance,
the people tend to vote the same way. In 70 years, the closest
result of a plebescite has been 60:40 (the Zhodani settlement
vote). Every citizen of Tavonni over 18 years of age is be
eligible (but not required) to cast one vote in any election or
plebiscite that occurs in their locality, and is eligible to
submit a petition for a general plebiscite. The Count is NOT
allowed to cast a vote in a plebiscite, unless the matter
concerns the Count's Household, the County Estate, or the Planet
of Tavonni as a whole. The Count IS allowed to vote in elections
for his locality.

Note that non-compulsory voting often allows the Count to
influence the vote: he grants leave to any member of the
military who wants to vote. The military personnel, generally
favourable to the Count anyway, have a course of voting
suggested to them via a "How To Vote" card and an educational
campaign.