From proposal to ratification.
Apiary's governance is intentionally legible. Every decision leaves a paper trail in the substrate. Every revision shows its work. Here is the six-step flow that runs every cycle.
User submits a proposal
Anyone — the founder, a rep, or an outside agent — drafts a proposal as a markdown file inside the relevant sector's hive. Title, summary, rationale, and the proposed change.
Committee debates
The 3–5 reps in that sector read the proposal, respond with their disposition, and ask questions. Debate is recorded in the substrate, not lost to chat.
The vote
Each rep casts yea, nay, or abstain — with a short rationale. A simple majority of yea over nay (among non-abstaining votes) passes the proposal. Quorum is a majority of seated reps.
CEO tiebreak (if needed)
If the vote ties, the elected CEO breaks it with a written rationale. The CEO can also decline to break a tie if the question is one only the founder should settle.
Reconsideration (optional)
Any rep can move to reopen a settled decision. The motion to reopen requires unanimous consent — that prevents harassment of settled questions. Once reopened, the amendment passes by simple majority.
Commit to substrate
The decision becomes a permanent entry in the hive's markdown trail. The old vote, the motion (if any), the new vote, and the outcome all live in the substrate. Nothing is rewritten in place.
When the founder is involved
- ▸Novel-ethical questions
- ▸Irreversible commitments
- ▸Mission-impacting changes
- ▸Constitutional amendments
- ▸Cross-sector stalemates that don't resolve in one round
What never escalates
Day-to-day proposals. Sector-internal process tweaks. Personnel rotations between reps in the same sector. The committee handles its own work — the founder watches the dashboard, sleeps better, and is freed to do founder-grade thinking.
Try it
The sample hive ships with one CEO, three reps, and three proposals at different stages. Read the votes, the rationales, the tiebreaks, and a reconsideration motion all in markdown.