fix: marshalling available positions from str to list[str]

Author: jbriones1

src/elections/tables.py

@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@
     String,
     Text,
 )
-from sqlalchemy.ext.hybrid import hybrid_property
 from sqlalchemy.orm import Mapped, mapped_column
 
 from constants import (
@@ -21,6 +20,7 @@
     NomineeApplicationUpdateParams,
 )
 from officers.types import OfficerPositionEnum
+from utils.types import StringList
 
 MAX_ELECTION_NAME = 64
 MAX_ELECTION_SLUG = 64
@@ -36,20 +36,13 @@ class Election(Base):
     datetime_start_voting: Mapped[datetime] = mapped_column(DateTime, nullable=False)
     datetime_end_voting: Mapped[datetime] = mapped_column(DateTime, nullable=False)
 
-    # a csv list of positions which must be elements of OfficerPosition
-    _available_positions: Mapped[str] = mapped_column("available_positions", Text, nullable=False)
+    # a comma-separated string of positions which must be elements of OfficerPosition
+    # By giving it the type `StringList`, the database entry will automatically be marshalled to the correct form
+    # DB -> Python: str -> list[str]
+    # Python -> DB: list[str] -> str
+    available_positions: Mapped[list[OfficerPositionEnum]] = mapped_column(StringList(), nullable=False,)
     survey_link: Mapped[str | None] = mapped_column(String(300))
 
-    @hybrid_property
-    def available_positions(self) -> str: # pyright: ignore
-        return self._available_positions
-
-    @available_positions.setter
-    def available_positions(self, value: str | list[str]) -> None:
-        if isinstance(value, list):
-            value = ",".join(value)
-        self._available_positions = value
-
     def private_details(self, at_time: datetime) -> dict:
         # is serializable
         return {
@@ -62,7 +55,7 @@ def private_details(self, at_time: datetime) -> dict:
             "datetime_end_voting": self.datetime_end_voting.isoformat(),
 
             "status": self.status(at_time),
-            "available_positions": self._available_positions,
+            "available_positions": self.available_positions,
             "survey_link": self.survey_link,
         }
 
@@ -78,7 +71,7 @@ def public_details(self, at_time: datetime) -> dict:
             "datetime_end_voting": self.datetime_end_voting.isoformat(),
 
             "status": self.status(at_time),
-            "available_positions": self._available_positions,
+            "available_positions": self.available_positions,
         }
 
     def public_metadata(self, at_time: datetime) -> dict:
@@ -105,7 +98,7 @@ def to_update_dict(self) -> dict:
             "datetime_start_voting": self.datetime_start_voting.date(),
             "datetime_end_voting": self.datetime_end_voting.date(),
 
-            "available_positions": self._available_positions,
+            "available_positions": self.available_positions,
             "survey_link": self.survey_link,
         }
 

src/elections/urls.py

@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ def _raise_if_bad_election_data(
     datetime_start_nominations: datetime,
     datetime_start_voting: datetime,
     datetime_end_voting: datetime,
-    available_positions: str
+    available_positions: list[str]
 ):
     if election_type not in ElectionTypeEnum:
         raise HTTPException(
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ def _raise_if_bad_election_data(
             detail="dates must be in order from earliest to latest",
         )
 
-    for position in available_positions.split(","):
+    for position in available_positions:
         if position not in OfficerPositionEnum:
             raise HTTPException(
                 status_code=status.HTTP_400_BAD_REQUEST,
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ async def get_election(
             )
         election_json["candidates"] = []
 
-        available_positions_list = election._available_positions.split(",")
+        available_positions_list = election.available_positions
         for nomination in all_nominations:
             if nomination.position not in available_positions_list:
                 # ignore any positions that are **no longer** active
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ async def create_election(
         start_nominations,
         start_voting,
         end_voting,
-        ",".join(available_positions),
+        available_positions
     )
 
     is_valid_user, _, _ = await _get_user_permissions(request, db_session)
@@ -330,7 +330,7 @@ async def update_election(
         election.datetime_start_voting,
         election.datetime_start_voting,
         election.datetime_end_voting,
-        election._available_positions,
+        election.available_positions,
     )
 
     # NOTE: If you update available positions, people will still *technically* be able to update their
@@ -449,7 +449,7 @@ async def register_in_election(
             detail=f"election with slug {slugified_name} does not exist"
         )
 
-    if body.position not in election._available_positions.split(","):
+    if body.position not in election.available_positions:
         # NOTE: We only restrict creating a registration for a position that doesn't exist,
         # not updating or deleting one
         raise HTTPException(

src/load_test_db.py

@@ -313,7 +313,7 @@ async def load_test_elections_data(db_session: AsyncSession):
         datetime_start_nominations=datetime.now() - timedelta(days=400),
         datetime_start_voting=datetime.now() - timedelta(days=395, hours=4),
         datetime_end_voting=datetime.now() - timedelta(days=390, hours=8),
-        available_positions="president,vice-president,treasurer",
+        available_positions=["president", "vice-president", "treasurer"],
         survey_link="https://youtu.be/dQw4w9WgXcQ?si=kZROi2tu-43MXPM5"
     ))
     await create_election(db_session, Election(
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ async def load_test_elections_data(db_session: AsyncSession):
         datetime_start_nominations=datetime.now() - timedelta(days=1),
         datetime_start_voting=datetime.now() + timedelta(days=7),
         datetime_end_voting=datetime.now() + timedelta(days=14),
-        available_positions="president,vice-president,treasurer",
+        available_positions=["president", "vice-president", "treasurer"],
         survey_link="https://youtu.be/dQw4w9WgXcQ?si=kZROi2tu-43MXPM5 (oh yeah)"
     ))
     await create_nominee_info(db_session, NomineeInfo(
@@ -349,7 +349,7 @@ async def load_test_elections_data(db_session: AsyncSession):
         datetime_start_nominations=datetime.now() - timedelta(days=5),
         datetime_start_voting=datetime.now() - timedelta(days=1, hours=4),
         datetime_end_voting=datetime.now() + timedelta(days=5, hours=8),
-        available_positions="president,vice-president,treasurer",
+        available_positions=["president", "vice-president" ,"treasurer"],
         survey_link="https://youtu.be/dQw4w9WgXcQ?si=kZROi2tu-43MXPM5"
     ))
     await create_election(db_session, Election(
@@ -359,7 +359,7 @@ async def load_test_elections_data(db_session: AsyncSession):
         datetime_start_nominations=datetime.now() + timedelta(days=5),
         datetime_start_voting=datetime.now() + timedelta(days=10, hours=4),
         datetime_end_voting=datetime.now() + timedelta(days=15, hours=8),
-        available_positions="president,vice-president,treasurer",
+        available_positions=["president" ,"vice-president", "treasurer"],
         survey_link=None
     ))
     await db_session.commit()

src/utils/types.py

@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+
+from sqlalchemy import Dialect
+from sqlalchemy.types import Text, TypeDecorator
+
+
+class StringList(TypeDecorator):
+    impl = Text
+    cache_ok = True
+
+    def process_bind_param(self, value, dialect: Dialect) -> str:
+        if value is None:
+            return ""
+        if not isinstance(value, list):
+            raise ValueError("Must be a list")
+
+        return ",".join(value)
+
+    def process_result_value(self, value, dialect: Dialect) -> list[str] | None:
+        if value is None or value == "":
+            return []
+        return value.split(",")
+
+

tests/integration/test_elections.py

@@ -108,7 +108,6 @@ async def test_endpoints(client, database_setup):
     assert response.status_code == 401
 
     response = await client.post("/elections", json={
-        "slug": _slugify(election_name),
         "name": election_name,
         "type": "general_election",
         "datetime_start_nominations": "2025-08-18T09:00:00Z",