The Political Tracker - Farewell

[Lumine]

Blair-Yankee Runoff Special:
Atlasia Decides, October 2016

Lumine: Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Vice-President Lumine here, with what promises to be a brief but memorable special from The Political Tracker on the current presidential election. As always, be prepared for the usual bias from a man who has spent way too much time on this Republic of ours, as we continue to report periodically and with interviews should the leading figures of public and political discourse wish to do so.

For those of you at home, the second round of this presidential election has begun a few hours ago, promoted by the stunning tie between Senator Blair and Justice Yankee once second preferences were accounted for. With the booth open and more than forty votes in, it should be a memorable election with Atlasia having to choose between both men... or none of the above. So let's take a look at the early results, and see if we can make some sense of it all:

[Lumine]

October Presidential Election:

National Turnout: 26,45% (41 voters - Last Voter: Cashew)

Yankee: 51,21% (21)
Blair 46,34% (19)
None of the Above: 2,43% (1)

Lumine: With a very encouraging turnout we're off to an eventful start, with Yankee taking a narrow early lead over Blair. Both men have taken the leadership from each other a couple of times now, and we don't expect that to change until the very end if turnout remains similar to the first round. None of the Above also garnered its first vote, it remains to be seen if more Atlasians cast a protest vote of this nature. Early lead for the Federalist nominee, we repeat, but the election is young.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Thanks for doing this, Lumine - it's wonderful to see this back.

[Lumine]

October Presidential Election:

National Turnout: 30,32% (47 voters - Last Voter: Siren)

Blair 51% (24)
Yankee: 46,8% (22)
None of the Above: 2,2% (1)

Lumine: The numbers have reversed now, and Blair has taken the lead by two votes as turnout hits the magic 30%. We've also had our first "deeply disturbing" thread of the election cycle (which at this point in time we can consider almost an Atlasian tradition), this time regarding voter intimidation. Indeed, as we speak Adam Griffin attacks the Federalist Party over what is claimed to be voter intimidation of a Labor voter, with Secretary of State Truman supporting these comments. On the opposing side, Senator dfwlibertylover rejects the idea of voter intimidation having taken place, claiming that election coordination has taken place within full view of Labor members.

We'll be reporting as this almost mandatory election drama goes on, but it seems that once again the IRC is another source of discord in the Republic.

[Terry the Fat Shark]

October Presidential Election:

National Turnout: 30,32% (47 voters - Last Voter: Siren)

Blair 51% (24)
Yankee: 46,8% (22)
None of the Above: 2,2% (1)

Lumine: The numbers have reversed now, and Blair has taken the lead by two votes as turnout hits the magic 30%. We've also had our first "deeply disturbing" thread of the election cycle (which at this point in time we can consider almost an Atlasian tradition), this time regarding voter intimidation. Indeed, as we speak Adam Griffin attacks the Federalist Party over what is claimed to be voter intimidation of a Labor voter, with Secretary of State Truman supporting these comments. On the opposing side, Senator dfwlibertylover rejects the idea of voter intimidation having taken place, claiming that election coordination has taken place within full view of Labor members.

We'll be reporting as this almost mandatory election drama goes on, but it seems that once again the IRC is another source of discord in the Republic.

North Carolina Yankee, being the wise man that he is, warned that IRC could do this, but I didn't listen, maybe I should just stay off IRC as PM's are far less fluid.

[Lumine]

October Presidential Election:

National Turnout: 38,70% (60 voters - Last Voter: TheDeadFlagBlues)

Blair 50,87% (29)
Yankee: 47,36% (27)
None of the Above: 1,75% (1)
Invalid: 3

Lumine: The Secretary of Federal Elections has helpfully pointed out that three current voters would have their ballots invalid due to not meeting requirements, eliminating two votes for Blair and one for Yankee. Turnout continues to increase in a very encouraging way, close to hitting 40% as we speak. The gap becomes slightly closer as night falls, with Blair narrowly overcoming 50% with the race more than open considering the amount of people left to vote. And boy, the amount of PM's and IRC conspiracies that must be brewing from both large parties at this moment... there's nothing like voting early, I can tell you that.

Anyway, this afternoon's scandal seems to be winding down as more people have come up to offer a clarification of today's events, with some believing we have voter intimidation and others pointing out that the accusing side is the one overreacting. It doesn't really seem like something that will continue to be a major factor, but we'll see how the debate goes on. Personally though, this officeholder is a bit surprised some people seem to have able to freely quote from the IRC yet other people have been harshly criticised from doing the same in the past...

Anyway, we'll continue reporting as the weekend goes on.

[SUSAN CRUSHBONE]

Anyway, this afternoon's scandal seems to be winding down as more people have come up to offer a clarification of today's events, with some believing we have voter intimidation and others pointing out that the accusing side is the one overreacting.

v neutral language you're using there

[Lumine]

October Presidential Election:

National Turnout: 67,74% (106 voters - Last Voter: Simfan)

Yankee: 52,42% (54)
Blair 46,60% (48)
None of the Above: 0,97% (1)
Invalid: 3

Lumine: As the third day develops and few hours separate us from the outcome of this election, the race remains a nailbiter. On a turnout that is already close to 70% (which either reflects the interest the election has garnered or the party machines being well oiled this time), Yankee has taken a five vote lead over Blair, a lead which nonetheless is not safe at all with some of the changes we've seen during the runoff. As a result, The Political Tracker makes no projection at this hour, and believes the election to remain a toss up solely dependent on which side brings more of their voters from the 30% pool of Atlasians who haven't voted yet.

The latest "deeply disturbing" frenzy continues as Yankee and Griffin duel each other with the usual charges or partisanship, harassment, cliques, bias, hypocrisy and so on. There seems to be a broad agreement that some improper behavior was involved in the treatment of a Labor voter, with Justice Windjammer pointing out previous laws regulating these have ceased to exist and other politicians from different sides suggesting moving on from the controversy or dismissing its relevance in context. In any case, The Political Tracker we'll get at least one or two more walls of text on the ongoing public debate, as seems to be the norm.

[Lumine]

Anyway, this afternoon's scandal seems to be winding down as more people have come up to offer a clarification of today's events, with some believing we have voter intimidation and others pointing out that the accusing side is the one overreacting.

v neutral language you're using there

I do try to be careful with how I word things, but a neutral and impartial observer I am not, lol

[Lumine]

October Presidential Election:

National Turnout: 74,19% (115 voters - Last Voter: Mr. Cub)

Yankee: 50,89% (57)
Blair 48,21% (54)
None of the Above: 0,89% (1)
Invalid: 3

Lumine: What a tense situation, ladies and gentlemen. The election has almost reached its end, and once again the gap has narrowed. As turnout is close to 75% (but very unlikely to hit more than 80% barring any surprises) Yankee holds a three vote lead over Blair, meaning the Labor nominee has managed to close the gap by half. You can feel the tension in the air, and we still cannot make any firm projections on how this will turn out.

[Lambsbread]

Is Xahar's vote considered invalid?

[Lumine]

Is Xahar's vote considered invalid?

I don't think so, personally I counted it as valid. Google Translator on Tamil (I believe) shows the ballot to say "Blair" (the translation is a bit more dubious on VP), so I'd take that as a clear vote for the Blair/Kingpoleon ticket.

[Lumine]

October Presidential Election:

National Turnout: 82,58% (115 voters total, 128 voting)

Yankee: 50,40% (62)
Blair 48,78% (60)
None of the Above: 0,81% (1)
Invalid: 5

Lumine: A few hours ago the voting period was over, with the SoFE releasing the official results not long ago. According to them we'd have 5 invalid voters, and a two victory margin for the Yankee/Rpryor ticket on the runoff. Alas, The Political Tracker will not call the election as over, as the certification of the results is now the center of a controversy, several Atlasians having a different opinion on which votes should actually be counted. The result is, you guessed it, more and more lawsuits. Indeed, as we speak Bacon King, Potus and dfwlibertylover have all sued on their own, the Supreme Court getting to work as we speak.

With only four days to go until inauguration day, we're in for a fascinating week.

[Lumine]

A note from management: With our formal coverage of the runoff technically finished, The Political Tracker will resume circulation for the time being as we move towards Inauguration Day, if only because it's depressing to have few media sources on the country. And why not, we've also developed a new logo as the old one is more or less two years old:

[Lumine]

All eyes set on the Supreme Court

November 2nd:

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Vice-President Lumine here, with a new edition of The Political Tracker. With the election results still in doubt as the Supreme Court debates two remaining lawsuits that could change the entire outcome, we're only two days from formal inauguration day, at which President Leinad and myself are to leave office. While it is hoped that the Supreme Court - currently hard at work - issues the election rulings with record breaking speed, this does open several interesting questions.

One of them, of course, is whether certain officers should be barred from participating in a presidential election, a debate the nation is certain to have. Another, perhaps more pressing, is the fact that the country lacks a line of succession, meaning the absence of results by November 4th could make up for an odd situation in which the Presidency and the Vice-Presidency are vacant but no provisions are in place for the Speaker or the Secretary of State to become Acting President.

In the meantime, let's have a look at some headlines as the afternoon goes on:

President Bore returns: After a prolonged absence from public debate, former President Bore (Labor - March to November 2015) returned with a scathing attack of Justice Yankee, and a revisionist approach towards his presidency as one of "strong leadership" and one of the driving reasons behind the Con Con. Responses have been mixed, with people like Griffin, Evergreen or Al expressing some degree of support at one or several of his points, and others like SoS Truman satirising Bore's return and record as that of Atlasia's James Buchanan.

Senator LLR deregisters: Citing a growing sense of disaffection with Atlasia, North Senator LLR has taken the decision to deregister from the game, in what can only be a deep loss for the North, the Labor Party, and indeed, the game. With his vacancy warranting a special election, Game Moderator Clyde has announced that he will indeed contest said election.

Fremont to have a budget: Courtesy of the hard work of Fremont Governor GAworth and Game Moderator Clyde, the Fremont Legislature will see a budget debate in the coming days as the Governor has come up with a proposal, which according to his estimates would establish a large regional budget while bringing on a surplus of some $30 billion or so.

Atlas Forum Movement: Xahar launched yesterday the new "Atlas Forum Movement", citing inactivity and an apparent lack of things to go as motivation to propose having Atlasia debating and acting on issues pertaining the Forum rather than a mere fantasy world. The proposal remains to be clarified on its finer points as several citizens note a lack of clarity, so it remains to be seen where exactly this will go to.

Oakvale v. SoFE closed: The first of the four election lawsuits to go, a court case presented by Oakvale was denied a writ of certiorary by the Supreme Court today, a decision not involving Justice Yankee. Oakvale's lawsuit, based on the lack of electoral law links on the election ballots, would have seen a third election taking place under a "non-partisan" figure, believing the first and second rounds of the Blair-Yankee election as "improper" and illegitimate".

dfwlibertylover v. SoFE closed: Second of the election cases to end, this lawsuit was based on having the votes of Cassius and Bmotley counted by challenging their disqualification under registration rules. Justice Dereich issued a ruling today, citing that with the SoFE not being responsible of registration/deregistration (which falls under the RG) the current lawsuit as it stood was to be dismissed.

[windjammer]

Btw, one of the 4 lawsuits has already been dismissed.

[Lumine]

Btw, one of the 4 lawsuits has already been dismissed.

True, I'll add that right away.

[Dereich]

Make that two

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

perhaps more pressing, is the fact that the country lacks a line of succession, meaning the absence of results by November 4th could make up for an odd situation in which the Presidency and the Vice-Presidency are vacant but no provisions are in place for the Speaker or the Secretary of State to become Acting President.

Actually, per the reboot, we reverted to the real life U.S. Code, meaning that the Presidential Succession Act of 1947 (as amended) is still in effect. As such, the line of succession (after the VP) remains as follows:

2. Speaker of the House
3. President Pro-Tempore of the Senate
4. Secretary of State
etc.

As the offices of Speaker and PPT will both fall vacant upon the seating of the 3rd Congress, the Secretary of State (hi) will become acting president in the event that there is no president-elect at noon on Friday.

[Lumine]

Make that two

Updated.

perhaps more pressing, is the fact that the country lacks a line of succession, meaning the absence of results by November 4th could make up for an odd situation in which the Presidency and the Vice-Presidency are vacant but no provisions are in place for the Speaker or the Secretary of State to become Acting President.

Actually, per the reboot, we reverted to the real life U.S. Code, meaning that the Presidential Succession Act of 1947 (as amended) is still in effect. As such, the line of succession (after the VP) remains as follows:

2. Speaker of the House
3. President Pro-Tempore of the Senate
4. Secretary of State
etc.

As the offices of Speaker and PPT will both fall vacant upon the seating of the 3rd Congress, the Secretary of State (hi) will become acting president in the event that there is no president-elect at noon on Friday.

That's interesting, I was unsure on whether we fully reverted to U.S law or not on this case. It seems like the line of succession will indeed go to the Secretary of State, I assume we'd consider the Atlasian version of the office as the legal successor of the U.S one?

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Damn! I should've let Truman be GM and take the State instead...

Another time Kalwejt misses the presidency.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

I assume we'd consider the Atlasian version of the office as the legal successor of the U.S one?

Considering other officials retain the powers and responsibilities granted to them by the USC, I can't imagine why this wouldn't be the case.

Damn! I should've let Truman be GM and take the State instead...

Another time Kalwejt misses the presidency.

No backsies!

[Blair]

Well one constitutional crisis just wouldn't be enough for Atlasia

[Mike Thick]

Weird how after these two outstandingly crazy Presidential elections we might just come back to President Truman

[MyRescueKittehRocks]

perhaps more pressing, is the fact that the country lacks a line of succession, meaning the absence of results by November 4th could make up for an odd situation in which the Presidency and the Vice-Presidency are vacant but no provisions are in place for the Speaker or the Secretary of State to become Acting President.

Actually, per the reboot, we reverted to the real life U.S. Code, meaning that the Presidential Succession Act of 1947 (as amended) is still in effect. As such, the line of succession (after the VP) remains as follows:

2. Speaker of the House
3. President Pro-Tempore of the Senate
4. Secretary of State
etc.

As the offices of Speaker and PPT will both fall vacant upon the seating of the 3rd Congress, the Secretary of State (hi) will become acting president in the event that there is no president-elect at noon on Friday.

Until the speaker and Senate PPT are named.