2023 Prime Minister election
The 2023 Prime Minister election was a popular election to select Westarctica's Prime Minister. The election occurred from 3 - 5 February of 2023 and was overseen by the outgoing Prime Minister, the Duke of the Bear Peninsula, who had decided not to seek reelection and was thus considered an impartial party.
History of the Election
Because the incumbent Prime Minister had chosen not to seek reelection, he volunteered to coordinate the election activities. From the lessons learned during the 2019 Prime Minister election, it was decided that all candidates and their running mates would be required to submit a more extensive information packet explaining their background, qualifications, and purposed platform with voters. These additional requirements likely reduced the pool of potential candidates.
These elements included:
- Application/criminal history disclosure form (form will be made available in advance of the window)
- Written biography of history and achievements (500 word max)
- Outline of proposed goals and initiatives (500 word max)
- Letter to the voters (600 word max)
Every candidate was also required to pick a running mate for Deputy Prime Minister. That person was required to provide:
- Application/criminal history disclosure form
- Written biography of history and achievements (500 word max)
The candidacy window opened on 1 October 2022 and only one person chose to run for office: the Duke of Steventon and his running mate, the Duke of Faulkender.
The Election Process
Because the single candidate was running unopposed, the election was viewed more as a "confirmation vote" held by the citizenry rather than a proper electoral contest.
The election was held during the 2023 voting weekend from February 3 - 5 2023.
Results
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Results of the Election
A total of 81 votes were cast for the Duke of Steventon with 0 voting against him. This was a sharp contrast from the hotly contested 2019 Prime Minister elections, which garnered 306 votes and was decided by a margin of only five votes.
The new Prime Minister was announced on 20 February 2023.