id: K4
number: 4
title: Ratification Classes and Thresholds
layer: kernel
notes: >-
  Governance semver. Quorum and approval are exact rational arithmetic;
  thresholds are written as fractions, never floats, so one-vote margins
  cannot flip on rounding.
clauses:
  - id: K4.1
    title: Classes
    text: >-
      A major change is any change to normative kernel content, including
      adding, removing, or rewording a kernel clause, or changing a kernel
      parameter value, its bounds, or its forkability. A minor change is
      any change to normative userland content. A patch change alters only
      non-normative content, the registry, or governed tooling and
      documentation without normative effect. A change touching the
      invariants file is an invariant change regardless of anything else
      it touches. When a proposal contains changes of several classes, the
      most demanding class applies to the whole proposal. Ratifying a
      major change increments MAJOR, a minor change increments MINOR, and
      a patch change increments PATCH of the governance version. An
      invariant change increments MAJOR.
  - id: K4.2
    title: Thresholds
    text: >-
      A proposal is ratified if and only if, at the close of its voting
      window, the number of valid ballots cast divided by the number of
      eligible citizens is at least the quorum for its class, and the
      number of yes ballots divided by the number of yes plus no ballots
      meets the approval rule for its class. Abstentions count toward
      quorum and never toward approval. Where the approval threshold is
      exactly one half, yes ballots must strictly exceed no ballots;
      otherwise the yes ratio must be at least the threshold. If no yes or
      no ballots are cast, the proposal fails.
    parameters:
      quorum_major:
        type: ratio
        value: "1/2"
        forkable: true
        min: "1/2"
        max: "1"
      approval_major:
        type: ratio
        value: "2/3"
        forkable: true
        min: "3/5"
        max: "1"
      quorum_minor:
        type: ratio
        value: "1/3"
        forkable: true
        min: "1/4"
        max: "1"
      approval_minor:
        type: ratio
        value: "1/2"
        forkable: true
        min: "1/2"
        max: "1"
      quorum_patch:
        type: ratio
        value: "3/20"
        forkable: true
        min: "1/10"
        max: "1"
      approval_patch:
        type: ratio
        value: "1/2"
        forkable: false
  - id: K4.3
    title: Invariant thresholds
    text: >-
      A proposal that adds, removes, or changes an invariant is ratified
      only at the invariant thresholds. These thresholds are not forkable
      and may themselves only be changed at these thresholds.
    parameters:
      quorum_invariant:
        type: ratio
        value: "3/4"
        forkable: false
      approval_invariant:
        type: ratio
        value: "9/10"
        forkable: false
  - id: K4.4
    title: The gate decides
    text: >-
      Ratification is determined mechanically by the vote gate from the
      ballots, the eligibility snapshot, and the thresholds of the
      constitution version in force when voting opened. A proposal merges
      only on a passing gate run, and the gate run, its inputs, and its
      verdict are recorded in the ledger. No officer, maintainer, or
      majority may merge a normative change around the gate.