[Eisophca]

In an unprecedented move by Ceoranan voters today, they managed a five-way tie for the Ceoranan presidential election. In light of this, Congress, the votes for which have already been counted, took an unprecedented move and decided to open up voting to other nations of the IDU. Each nation may cast one vote, and this will determine the next Ceoranan president.

(OOC: I get to RP the absentee ballots that got lost in the mail if I don't like what you guys choose )

The Candidates:

Bjorn Cooper, Jr.
Ceorana Liberal Party
Ethnicity: Scandinavian
Age: 37
Two-term incumbent president of Ceorana. Led the nation out of the dark ages, although it is now knpwn that that probably had more to do with the Convergence (OOC: see history of Ceorana on NSwiki for details) than anything else. Holds left-wing views, favors low police and military, excessive welfare and public education, subsidies for businesses. Billed by the CLP as a "caring choice", billed by opponents as a "borderline commie".

Myra Peterson
Ceoranan Community Coalition (not actually a coalition, just the party name)
Ethnicity: Western European
Age: 68
Soft-spoken but hard-line community activist, with strong conservative Christian values but also "caring choices". Current member of the House of Representatives, but quitting in order to run for President. Anti-gay rights, anti-abortion, pro-establishment, anti-big government, pro-lots of welfare, pro-conscription, anti-military, and pro-environment. Billed by opponents as a "backwards, radical, hyper-religious hippy", billed by the CCC as an "alternative to big business and government, bringing the focus back to communities". (OOC: Yeah, right.)

James Lin
Global Progressive Party
Ethnicity: Slavic/Chinese
Age: 49
A software developer and State Department worker from Tzatzing, James Lin is the strongest advocate of the United Nations among all of the candidates. He is generally mild-mannered and a bit shy, but on some issues, he can get really riled up and has a habit of banging his fist on tables. True to his party's name, he strongly favors free trade and was the architect behind the software for the Ceoranan Anti-Tariff Gun, which inhabits the Ceoranan UN office. He favors increased education replacing welfare and has moderate views regarding fair competition laws, environmental policies, and gun laws. Billed by his supporters as the "progressive choice", billed by opponents as a "radical moderate flip-flopper".

Opal Kzeichnier
Ceoranan Right Wing Alliance
Ethnicity: Russian
Age: 89
A libertarian, Opal Kzeichnier is a loud and voracious speaker who doesn't ever seem to breath. Sending strong arguments for her pro-gun rights, anti-abortion, antidisestablisment, anti-government, anti-UN, anti-small business, anti-public education, anti-welfare position, she has managed to convince many a voter to consider her. She did lose a few rating points for making a strange gurgling noise into a microphone at a rally in Komosit last month. Billed by her party as the "right choice", billed by opposition as a "negative nut".

Horace Indigo
Ceoranan Alternative Party
Ethnicity: Indian/Finn
Age: 36
Horace Indigo is a member of a the Ceorana Alternative Party, a party which seeks to reach out to people who don't like any of the other parties. A hip (comparative) youngster, he is the most moderate of the candidates, mildly favoring free trade but slightly against big business. He is generally billed as the "people's candidate" by supporters, but billed as a "pandering idiot" by opponents.

[Enn]

... I presume the Ms. Bighorn in the poll is meant to be Horace Indigo? If so, he sounds like fun to try and carry on diplomatic relations with.

Hannah Sikura
Secretary of Intra-Regional Affairs

[Antrium]

I'm going to be boring and vote for Bjorn again. Our politics could be called "borderline commie" at best, and our beliefs match up well.

But as long as it's not Peterson or Kzeichnier, I'll be fine.

Selest J?r?d?n
Minister of International Relations

[Baranxtu]

After this announcement, the parliament of Baranxtu convened to decide on how to cast its vote. And after much bickering and name-calling, it was decided that we will support Bj?rn Cooper.

Hameri Sigbeni,
Minister of Foreign Affairs

[Kelse]

The President of the Republic, Julieta Valerio, and I have decided, in conjuction with various members of Kelse's Government, that we support and hereby vote for James Lin of the Global Progressive Party.

[Eisophca]

(OOC: Oh, come on. Don't elect the commie for a third term...now I have to weatherwank :lol: )

IC:

BREAKING NEWS: SNOWSTORMS IN TZATZING DELAY CENTRAL MAIL PROCESSING
Millions of absentee ballots could still be coming in
Ceorana News Network Special Report (print version courtesy of the New Boston Times)

TZATZING - With a giant snowstorm in Tzatzing and surrounding areas last night, mail was delayed severely on Kelvin Island, leaving an estimated five to ten million absentee ballots in limbo.

Congress's plan for IDU voting will still continue, and Congress has voted to have each vote count for 500 votes, in light of the fact that the president of the regional delegate ought to have had some say from the region. Analysts can't seem to agree who they predict the votes will be cast for. The mail is expected to be moved as soon as the monorail network is defrosted.

[Eisophca]

OOC: I'm bored of Cooper. Sorry guys. The absentee ballots can do some weird things occasionally. I know it's not realistic, but this is NationStates. I'll do what I please with my nation. *parental grunt* And we get to have Indigo be an ambassador!

IC: Each province certified their vote totals earlier today, and Tzatzing had the addition of a whole bunch of extra ballots. We have a clear winner, a close match for second and third, and then fourth and fifth kind of dropped off the edge.

Here's the tally:

Myra Peterson: 395,197,651 votes + 0 IDU votes = 312,197,651
Opal Kzeichnier: 396,957,124 votes + 0 IDU votes = 345,957,124
Horace Indigo: 397,235,241 votes + 1 IDU vote = 397,235,741
Bjorn Cooper, Jr.: 397,232,299 votes + 6 IDU votes = 397,235,799
James Lin: 401,384,493 + 2 IDU votes (1 from the Ceoranan Congress) = 401,385,493

The winner is James Lin of the Global Progressive Party!

However, in a strange turn of events, Lin apparently decided to do something known politically as "making peace with the opposition", known clearly as "appointing an opposing candidate to his department, and known even more clearly as "appointing Horace Indigo as ambassador-at-large". (And known OOCly as "a cop-out letting Ceo put a fun character in an ambassadorial position.) Strategists have concluded that this was probably to keep Indigo from running against Lin in 2050, due to the fact that their values are very close together.

Mr. Cooper also filed a press release, saying that he felt that the mail system must have been rigged somehow, and demanded a recount. The Office of Elections denied this request, saying that a margin of 4 million votes was too large for a recount under the election rules.

Mr. Lin was busy with reporters, but he appointed Mr. Indigo to explain the situation. He's coming into the office now. OK:

Yo, IDU! I am Horace Indigo, Ceorana's new Ambassador-at-Large, or A.A.L. for short. This means I get to represent Ceorana to places that don't have an ambassador yet, as well as whenever I'm needed. I also get to say "yo" when the whole world is watching, and that's probably the best benefit of this job. No, no, you don't have to take away my pension, that's a good benefit too. Now, Mr. Lin is busy moving his piano into the exec -- oh, I wasn't suppose to reveal that? Oh, OK. Give me a break, it's my first day on the job! Well, Mr. Lin is talking to reporters, so I'm here to talk to y'all about the election 'n' stuff. What? You don't me saying 'n' stuff? Why? Oh, well. See, Mr. Cooper was winning, but Congress didn't want Mr. Cooper, so they opened it up to the IDU. And then Cooper was still winning. So Congress decides to check the mail to kill time before they had to go sign the results. But then the realize there ain't no mail. So they go and they say "What happened to the mail?" And then Alex [Klaus] gives the postal service a call, and they're like, "Whoa, haven't ya heard? There's the biggest snowstorm you ever did see in Tzatzing, and the mail can't get through. There's probably a bazillion and a half ballots still out here." And Klaus is like "and a half?" And they're like, "Yeah, one of 'em got kinda ripped. We can still see the vote for Lin though." And Klaus is like "Send that one first!" So a few days ago in the morning they all came in, and Lin won. And then I was about to go back to my job as a person who gets people to sign petitions, and then I get this phone call from Lin. And Lin's like "Hey, I'm a shy kind of guy, and I think you'd be great to serve as an ambassador." And I'm like "Whoa! That sure beats getting people to sign petitions, I'd be honored to serve, yo!" And then Lin's like "Yeah, I figgered you'd say that. Plus I don't want to running against me in the next election, but don't tell anyone I said that," Oops. And I'm like, "OK, I'll work things out with you in a few minutes. I've got a hundred signatures to get!" And he laughs kinda and he's like, "OK. I'll be in touch."

In other news, he appointed some other people, but those are classified. He's trying to decide whether to appoint a drunkard to the UN post, or keep Bobson, or get someone else. Who knows.

- H.I., representing the C.R. of C., yo!

[Baranxtu]

(OOC: Laughing my f...ine ass off right now. You kill me more than snakes on a plane ever could.)

In the name of Baranxtu, Their Royal Majesties the Kings, the Prime Minister Mersagi and the Baranxtuan citizens, I congratulate Mr Lin on his win.
And of course, our thoughts are with the Ceoranan people... I mean, we want to applaud the Ceoranan people on their choice. We definitely look forward to working with Mr Indigo and Mr Lin, and hope that a new, fresh wind will come to Ceoranan-Baranxtuan relations.
We also want to express our relief that Mrs Peterson was not elected, because, well, for obvious reasons.

~
Apsani Enarigitu Dehogi
Baranxtuan Ambassador to the IDU

[Enn]

As Secretary of Intra-Regional Affairs (SIRA), it is my duty to offer congratulations to James Lin for his clear victory in the recent Ceoranan elections. I hope that the new Ceoranan government will continue working well with the Triumvirate of Enn.

Also, I wish to congratulate Horace Indigo for his appointment as Ambassador-At-Large. I am sure he and I will work well together.

Hannah Sikura,
SIRA,
Department of Foreign Affairs,
Office of Lady Faren,
The Triumvirate of Enn

[Antrium]

I, and the people of Antrium, congratulate Mr. Lin on his election. I'm sure he will be a good leader of Ceorana, and hopefully will continue to work cooperatively with my country too.

And congratulations to Mr. Indigo as well. I just hope I can understand him...

Selest J?r?d?n
Minister of International Relations

[Saidercray]

The government of Saidercray officially congratulates Mr. Lin and the GPP on their victory in this democratic election. We wish the people of Ceorana a happy future and look forward to co-operation and discussions with Mr. Lin and the new government.

Ian Woshkal, President of Saidercray
Melanie Wathers, Minister of Foreign Affairs