2013-II Election

The election for the second trimester of 2013 had two significant game-changing aspects. The first was the introduction of the new system for electing people to the Administrative Branch, as due to massive overhauls in the Administrative Branch and how members are elected to it each trimester, this was a new experience for the Triumvirate. Ballots would be cast by nearly every Triumvirate citizen to vote for the six candidates they deemed most appropriate to hold office, and with seven candidates total, one of them would not be acquiring a seat. The second game-changer was depressing inactivity in the Executive Branch, as Arnold Ogamon had just retired, Aym Uluto was completely inactive, and where Elliot Neil (the current Major Executive) was extremely secretive about her intents to run for a second term.

## Executive Branch

The Executive Branch election for Major was complicated, as many were skeptical as to whether the sitting Major Executive, Elliot Neil, would run for a second term. She had been dodging questions about it and refusing to answer when asked claiming it was her business. This upset both her fellow Executives and especially the members of her own party. As it turned out, Neil had never intened to run for a second term, and in her first month in office she spoke with Nathan Maine, a Progressive and an Executive who had gained a lot of attention in the past trimester for his aggressive and reckless style and told him that she would not plan to run and that he should use that opportunity to seek the office of Major Executive for the second trimester of 2013. In return Maine helped Neil out a great deal during her trimester in office and both sought moderate reforms together. As far as is known, Neil did not confer with any other as to her intents not to run and only she and Maine knew that she would not be running for a second term. In February Nathan Maine announced his candidacy for Major Executive and his intent to run when the LIFE Act was proposed, which was an extremely liberal piece of legislation that ultimately failed (though most of it would be passed later on through other bills). There appeared to be no genuine challenger throughout the entire trimester to Maine and, when the election did come, Maine did run unopposed. Much of the Triumvirate was shocked that Neil did not run as she was incredibly popular and perhaps the most effective Major Executive to date, but she stepped down from Major when Maine won and left the Executive Branch (and the Triumvirate shortly after).

The election for Minor Executive was also fairly simple, with Hester running to keep the office and the only challenger, Mitar Curesse, running to push for a more left-leaning Executive Branch. Hester handily won with Curesse receiving only his own vote.

## Administrative Branch

The Administrative Branch election for the second trimester of 2013 was historic as it was the first where the new election system was in effect and where most Triumvirate citizens cast a ballot for their favorite candidates. Only six seats were available, and with seven candidates, one of them would lose the election and not get a seat in the branch. Andrew Mearl (the Speaker at the time), Jackson Mearl (the Deputy Speaker at the time), Nremni, and Ermier were the four incumbents, who were already serving in the Administrative Branch. Three newcomers, Aaron Ehtya (the younger brother of Chief Ambassador Ehtya), Ryan Bleitze, and Edward Stenbach also were on the ballot. The closest fight was between Ermier, who was a fierce conservative who was wildly unpopular due to extreme ideals, and Ryan Bleitze, who appeared to have socialist tendencies and radically authoritarian ideas.

A total of 18 ballots were cast and the election was called on April 16 with the following results:

* **ANDREW MEARL (E):** Unanimously elected
* **EDWARD STENBACH (E):** Unanimously elected
* **JACKSON MEARL (U):** Unanimously elected
* **AARON EHTYA (U):** Unanimously elected
* **NREMNI (P):** 15 votes
* **RYAN BLEITZE (I):** 12 votes
* **ERMIER (L):** 9 votes

Thus, Ermier would be the one to not get a seat. Half of the Administration was old members, and half were entirely new, so this Administration would be very interesting to deal with for the next trimester. Once the Administrative session started, Andrew Mearl was reelected as the Speaker of the Administration for a third term there and Ryan Bleitze was elected as the new Deputy Speaker as Jackson Mearl did not seek to become Deputy Speaker again. For the first time in Triumvirate history the sitting Major Executive would have to deal with having neither the Speaker or Deputy Speaker as a member of their own party. Perhaps because of this, this session of the Administration would prove especially difficult for Major Executive Maine to deal with as they proved obstructionist and they utilized obscure parliamentary rules to block many parts of his agenda.