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Omega · 07-09-2019, 11:18 PM

TSP Legislators Head to the Polls in Delegate Election

At the conclusion of what has been a thrilling campaign, Legislators head to the polls for the next three days to decide which two candidates will advance onwards to the second round of Delegate voting. TSP is unique for its two-step voting process, one that allows for gameside sufferage.

This campaign saw six candidates declare initially. Owing to real-life concerns, however, Penguin has dropped out. Islands of Unity also dropped out saying he will instead “focus [his] energy on changing the region through direct action via the Ministry of Regional Affairs.” This has left voters with four candidates and the ever-present choice to reopen nominations as they decide who will fill the seat being left open by outgoing Delegate Seraph. This is the smallest first-round field in a Delegate election since July of 2017 when Drugged Monkeys beat out Seraph 65-49 in the second round to win the Delegacy. Now let’s take a look at the candidates standing for election:

Roavin has become a household name not just in TSP but in Gameplay at large recently being named fifth in the NationStates Today’s Power 20 list. Roavin has served in every cabinet role in TSP with the exception of Minister of Foreign Affairs. Roavin’s platform sets out an ambitious agenda focused on targetting nations who have the potential to get involved, looking for ways to engage TSP in the World Assembly and starting an official award initiative. Roavin has faced questions primarily related to his lack of activity when it comes to the RMB and when pressed on if he would become more active on the RMB he did reply “yeah, because ... I'll have to.” Roavin seems to hope his experience in security and politics, as well as his expansive policy proposals, will carry him to round two and the delegacy.

Qvait, while never the most active on the political side of TSP, has been a cornerstone of the roleplay community in TSP. When his Delegate campaign first launched, it seemed to be a joke. About 24 hours after this initial launch, however, he revamped it with a somewhat more serious effort largely based upon the broad ideas of promoting activity, defenderism, and democracy. The cornerstone of this campaign appears to be an attempt to get more activity forum side. With how late Qvait came into the race, however, he has not been subject to the same level of questioning other candidates have seen. Qvait seems to hope that a promise of increased activity off-site will draw Legislators to his cause.

Councilor Somyrion is, of course, currently a member of the Local Council, and he is a previous Minister of Military Affairs and Minister of Foreign Affairs. Somyrion’s campaign is the longest of any candidate, focusing on five key areas of policy where he calls upon his experience in military gameplay and the LC in order to show how he has the expertise to deliver on his proposals. His questioning has also been lighter as none were posted on any of the policies he laid out in his platform. Somyrion appears to be betting on an expansive policy agenda, along with his experience in the gameside and off-site communities in TSP to get him through the first round and to a victory in the second round.

Finally, the Solar System Scope has become a notable presence on the gameside having served previously as a Local Councilor. TSSS’s campaign platform, while effectively identical to his past one, does still highlight his activity and devotion to TSP. TSSS has faced tough questioning of both his commitment to being available when duty calls and, more prominently, his activity in "Floofgate". During questioning TSSS did expand upon his platform, however, vowing to be the primary representative for the gameside. TSSS is also the only candidate to have directly attacked another candidate's campaign, saying, “if you read some other candidates' campaigns, for example, Somy's, they have very little actual policies other then the ones everyone has always had.” TSSS appears to hope his activity on the gameside will carry him to a victory in round two, and his increased presence on the forums will aid in him in making the second round.

TSP has an exciting choice ahead as we now all get to vote on these candidates. One of them will get to hold the Delegacy and become the face of TSP. Here at SPN, we will be doing our best to keep track of votes as they come in and provide continuing election coverage as TSP decides on the future of the Delegacy. First-round voting began today and concludes at 2300 GMT on July 12th. This may be subject to change, however, as Fargento raised the concern that first-round voting is meant to be approval voting not ranked choice as it was being conducted. The Electoral Commission has yet to release a ruling on the matter. Be sure to stay tuned for updates.