Hexipel presidential election

The People's Republic of Hexipel held its first **presidential election** on Days 191 and 192. New Santiago Mayor CLWrites1 was elected to serve as the second president of Hexipel, defeating Governor BraxtonOwl of the Moistlands by a weighted vote of 53% to 47%.

The election was made necessary by the impeachment and removal of President ratat0ing nine days earlier, a consequence of his involvement in the Hexipel–UKF espionage scandal.

## Background

*See also: Impeachment of ratat0ing, Hexipel–UKF espionage scandal*
On Day 180, UKF Chancellor TheRecycler accused Hexipel President ratat0ing of espionage against the UKF. She alleged that crista7777, a UKF national, had been supplying ratat0ing with classified intelligence since Day 98. Although the involved parties refused to comment on the matter, the accusations were perceived as credible after TheRecycler provided digital evidence.

In Hexipel, support for President ratat0ing collapsed immediately. In her capacity as a member of the People's Assembly and at the encouragement of TheRecycler, New Santiago Mayor CLWrites1 proposed ratat0ing's impeachment and removal on Day 181. The president was removed from office on Day 183. The final weighted vote of the People's Assembly was 10 in favor and 4 against. Only a single member, crustyceans, voted against ratat0ing's impeachment.

According to the Consitution of Hexipel, a presidential election must be held when the office becomes vacant.

## Campaign

Due to her prominent role in the impeachment and her position as mayor of Hexipel's largest city, CLWrites1 was seen as an early frontrunner in the presidential election. Shortly after the impeachment, the *New Santiago Times* reported that she had "positioned herself comfortably to launch a presidential campaign."

BraxtonOwl, Governor of the Moistlands province, mounted an unexpected campaign to rival CLWrites1. While CLWrites1 ran as a mild-mannered moderate to contrast the chaos of the previous administration, BraxtonOwl branded himself as a a bombastic radical who vehemently supported niche minority rights and opposed most of Hexipel's mainstream policies. In a poll released on Day 188, BraxtonOwl had the support of 48% of voters; 44% supported CLWrites1, and 8% were undecided. These figures were considered a "surprise" and called into question CLWrites1's frontrunner status.

At the presidential debate held on Day 189, BraxtonOwl arrived 45 minutes late. His debate performance was criticized, as he made several inflammatory or misinformed comments and notably had no knowledge of the Coastal Alliance. The next day, the *New Santiago Times* published an opinion piece that admonished BraxtonOwl's candidacy and endorsed CLWrites1.

## Results

   The voting window opened on Day 191 at 6:00 p.m. and closed 24 hours later. On Day 192, Mayor CLWrites1 was declared the winner and immediately ascended to the presidency. She narrowly defeated BraxtonOwl with 18 weighted votes to his 16. She also won the raw vote in a landslide, receiving 8 votes to BraxtonOwl's 4.

BraxtonOwl benefitted condsiderably from Hexipel's weighted vote system; his votes all came from denizens (each of whom had 4 votes), quadrupling his final share of the vote. CLWrites1 was able to narrowly surpass BraxtonOwl's weighted tally by winning the support of all transients and merchants. Apart from herself, only a single denizen voted for CLWrites1.

Based on the results, it can be extrapolated that BraxtonOwl won the support of the most active and established residents of Hexipel, while CLWrites1 appealed to the residents with less-secure housing arrangments in the country and typically less political influence. Notably, UKF Chancellor TheRecycler was eligible to vote in this election as a merchant.

### Results by caste

 Raw
 CLWrites1 | 2
 BraxtonOwl | 4