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Full Version: Kusari Parliamentary Elections - Summer 824A.S.
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The Republic of Kusari announces that a new electoral process for the members of its constituent Parliament has begun. From this day [the twenty fourth (24th) day of July of the year 824A.S.) until the Thirtieth (30th) day of this same month, all registered Kusari citizens of legal age are free to cast their vote on this election, and contribute to achieve the well being and fair guidance that the Republic needs.

Each player is allowed to use 4 characters of his pool of registered characters. If evidence of a player is using multiple accounts for voting, all affected votes will be considered void, and harsh penalties may apply.
Each voter (// read character) is allowed ONE vote on a single party. The list of characters can be found here: The Kusari Citizen Registry
We now present the eligible parties for voting :



Kusari Sunrise Party
Political Alignment : National Conservatives (-0.3)

Main Issues : Military, Economic Regulation, Foreign Affairs
Description : here



Democratic Party of Kusari
Political Alignment : Reformist (0.7)

Main Issues : Abolish the Imperial Role, Civil Rights and Justice, Economic Liberalism
Description : here



People's Party of Kusari
Political Alignment : Communist (1.0)

Main Issues : Welfare, Anti-Corporate, State Economy
More Info: here



Kyushu Union Party
Political Alignment : Monarchic Conservatives (-0.7)


Main Issues : Imperial Institutions, Government reform, Security
Manifesto: here



Honshū Unity Party - 平和
Political Alignment : Monarchic Progressives (-0.1)


Main Issues : Gender Equality, Constitutional Reformation, Economic and Military Growth
Manifesto: here


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The voting will end on the 30th of July inclusive.
(//When Casting your vote, please state your character name and the party that it is voting. Also, try to provide some context to his action and do a little rp of the voting, instead of just telegraphing the voting intention.)
Matsue Base, Hiroshima system

What would be another day of routine at the Naval Forces training and coordination center in the remote system was anything but, with the commotion in the eastern halls being the topic of the day. The electoral booths ~had been set up there, and while campaigning had been mild this time, the Government had been extensively promoting the voting action among the Naval Forces institution, to reinforce the Republican spirit among the soldier corps. Katsuo Shimoe, one of the top commanders present at the station that day, could not help but to observe the young cadets going back and forth with amusement.

His career had started a year or so after the Revolution, and both his upbringing and views acquired at the Naval Forces had been one of dedication the Republican ideal. He noted with the concern that the old conservative Kusari Reformation Party had decided to not run this time. Was it that the developments in Kyushu made them decide that the political alternative was no longer necessary?

At the voting office, he presented his credentials, and was led to the voting terminal by the staff. Examining the options presented, he picked the Democratic Party of Kusari and finalized his vote.

As he left the voting section, an intercom chimed for his name. Work did not stopped for him, as he returned to the office for another meeting.




Elsewhere, in the Shikoku system, it was high noon as a group of interest arrived at the Hosokawa ward Civic Hall, in the Ishizuki Plateau. From a set of vehicles, a mob of gyousha, or market merchants began gathering around the entrance of the Hall, as if they were controlling the access to it. While no one was being prevented from entering or exiting the area, the usual show of numbers made the weary avoid the area, and the gossipers utter conspiracies of a gang raid.

The last one to leave the vehicles was an old man, evidently the most revered and elderly of the conspicuous group. Some townspeople would recognize him and greet him in good voice, which he responded with a smile and a nod of acknowledgment. The old man, known as The Fisherman, made his way to the Civic hall. He sometimes would look to his side, as if in need to engage in a conversation with someone who was not there. He drew a sigh, and wondered how was his protege doing in his assignment in a distant planet.

The Fisherman was led to the voting section, a deep bow performed by the civil staff on his arrival. His position as an influential businessman in Junyo, as well as his known connections to the Hogosha, made him a figure to be treated with caution.

He carefully took his time to observe the voting options. The list was simpler and clearer this time, which was a boon for his aging eyes. Some names he recognized, others he did not. Proof that the Republic was still changing, still evolving. If that was a sign of opportunity, or instability, he would not say to others.
Not really comfortable with many of the political goals most parties presented, he decided to cast his vote on the Kusari Sunrise Party. At least some more investment in maintaining Kusari safe wouldn't do no harm to his interests.

With his business done he returned to his group. Outside, the gyousha were distributing leaflets and online invitations for the upcoming Regional Goods Fair that was to take place in Tosa Village, on the following weekend.




Later, on the same day, on the busy economy districts of Planet Honshu.

Shimoe Mizuki had just finished her work at Shin Sanki Electronics, a Kishiro subsidiary, and decided to visit the local shoping district for some grocery for her dinner.

Picking up her neural pad and updating her personal terminal, she received a flurry of unread personal and institutional messages, which she planned to browse through during her evening, before settling down for a homemade meal and a movie. One of the messages caught her attention, one reminding her about the election period.

"Ah, it's today? Uwah, didn't really remember that." - she uttered to herself, while picking up a package of thin slices of Rheinland meat at a end-of-the-day 70% discount price. - "Didn't hear much about this year campaign, other than that local movement..."

Finishing her shopping with a New Tokyo 5 Star Sake, considered the best sake in all of Kusari five years in a row, she set course to the local city hall, where she intended to vote.

Reviewing her voting options before arriving on a public shuttle, she made her decision. After presenting her id and being directed to the nearest terminal, she selected the Honshū Unity Party as her choice.

On her way out, she bumped into a tall man in a suit who was coming in, and the sake bottle would have collapsed on the floor if it wasn't for the man quick reflexes.
Mizuki took a bit of time to recover her balance, but was soon apologizing and thanking the man.

The man however, was absently staring at the bottle in his hand-

"This is some fine sake... hm? Ah, sorry, this is yours. Be careful on your way, miss." - Hebishima said, hand back the sake to Mizuki. She looked curiously at the man, oddly familiar, yet a stranger to her eyes, before proceeding home.

Hebishima approached the terminal, and presented his ID, revealing the voting bulletin on the monitor. The selection wasn't as extensive as previous elections, but he finally found something to put his support in, electing theDemocratic Party of Kusari as his choice.




It has been a busy day in the City of Awaji-shima on Planet Honshū, especially now with the ongoing votes but one woman didn't care at all about all the stress around the elections, she had chosen who to vote for long ago already. Now it was time to get to the local polling station!

A beautifully dressed woman was leaving a mansion unfar the small city's centre, it was the Bessō Miyasu. Most people knew who that young woman was, Sanae Miyasu, current head of her family and a few curious looks followed her once people noticed she was heading to vote herself. It took Sanae around twenty minutes to finally arrive at the polling station, just to find a rather large amount of people still waiting there. A little surprised she looked for a free seat to wait, a couple of minutes later she finally found one and soon lost herself for almost two hours in conversations of all kinds; Political ones concerning the parties up to be voted on, the current situation in Awaji-shima, a few even knew about Sanae's ongoing marriage preparations and asked her more about this. Then suddenly a young woman approached Sanae, not many recognized her, those who did called her "Mika" but Sanae knew her real name; Mi Minami. After a short quick conversation between them, Sanae noticed that it was her turn to vote 'already'. She ended the conversation with Mi and headed for the voting booth. It didn't take her even ten seconds before she left it again, the Honshū Unity Party marked. Shortly after finalizing her vote one saw Sanae leaving the building with Mi, both of them lost in conversations about adornments.









Meanwhile at the Golden Dragon Casino, Deck 4-B. Mariko Mori just returned to her small room there, sighing she sat down on the bed. It has been a busy but an extremely profitable day. She never had been a lot into gambling but this day she won almost two million credits! Remembering the face of the one old gambling veteran who she made lose half a million at once made her smile weakly to herself, she then grabbed her comm device, checked her neuralnet adress and afterwards the news for Kusari, then it hit her like an Akegata crashing into a glass house. "The elections, oh damn!" She literally jumped on, accidently dropped the device, sighing she quickly picked it up before she rushed out of her room.
Luckily enough the Hogosha Association managed to convince certain people to allow a small voting office get established on the Renzu Liner. It didn't even take Mariko ten minutes to get there, as a member of the Association she didn't have to wait at all and immediatly went to read through the parties available for voting. She really needed a long time to think but in the end her experience as former LPI Chief of how abusable Liberty's corruption was made her already disagree with the Democratic Party. Even though she knew that a more open economy would benefit her own business, she really didn't like the idea of a Kusari where every business partner could turn unreliable through a way too huge presence of corruption. Then she read through the People's party's program and shook her head, Communism, a system that failed too often already to deserve a chance, not to mention how much it goes against everything she did.
Which was next on the list? Kyushu Union Party? She sighed and read it through, "Peace with the Dragons?" She whispered, that alone made this party a no-go. Now the next one; The Honshū Unity Party. Mariko had to read through it twice and made huge eyes then, for her taste those seemed a bit too well informed. No way she would let anyone willingly into the goverment who knew about corruption in the goverment and corporation wars being a daily matter already, especially since she was part of the acting force who influences even the current goverment! But she had to vote for something, right? She went over the list again and noticed she missed out a party. The Sunrise. She remembered those from the past before she even joined the Naval Forces. This ones aren't all bad, she marked Kusari Sunrise Party, gave the sheet of paper to the assistant and left for her room again. Feeling oddly unsatisfied with the elections this year.




Suzuko Fujimura was sat on the plascrete wall bordering a bed of yellow tulips, outside the voting station in central Arakawa District. Staring at the pile of party-propaganda leaflets in her lap, she decided that reading at least a bit of them is probably a good idea before casting her ballot.

The first leaflet in her little pile was for the Kusari Sunrise Party,

"Hmm, 'an increase in military and police spending', suppose that can't hurt... 'Re-instatement of capital punishment', huh? Errrrrrm, NOPE!"

The sound of crumpling paper was swiftly followed by the crime of littering a public space.

Suzuko picked up the next leaflet,

"The Democratic Party of Kusari? 'Wresting control away from the Government which has monopolized power over this sector', ok, sounds cool so far, 'both women and men participate as equals', huh, makes a change. 'Offering a helping hand to the needy', aww, I kind of like these guys, 'use the fruits of economic growth for the happiness of the people', yeah... Errrm, yup, MAYBE!"

The DPK leaflet was gently placed on the wall to Suzuko's left, and recieved a little pat as she moved onto the next leaflet in her pile... The People's Party of Kusari,

"Oh, 'All social classes have the best medical attention', yeah, that's nice, but they do sound... and look... a bit communist, hmm, bit dodgy. 'Corporate interests do not supplant... corporate bureaucrat who is only interested in lining his or her own pockets... economic reform to a state-planned economy', hmm, gonna have to be the 'probably not' pile for you guys..."

Suzuko popped the People's Party leaflet on the wall to her right. Next up, the Kyushu Union Party,

"Oh, system nationalists I guess? 'Imperial traditions... new liberal movements... fuse both into a hybridical form of the government', oh, sounds pretty reasonable I guess. 'Every system would receive their own dose of autonomy', huh, there it is. Hmmm, well they sound pretty reasonable, buuuuut... Kyushu Party? Nope."

The Kyushu Union Party leaflet joined the People's Party on the wall to Suzuko's right. All that was left was the Honshū Unity Party,

"Another bunch of system nationalists, huh? 'Perfect gender equality', oh, good start though. 'Find a solution for the ongoing internal fightings', yeah, pretty good idea! 'Mass import of goods from Gallia'? Huh, suppose they have SOME cool stuff, dunno about that. 'Build up Kusari's military ...able to defend our home from possible new threats of all kinds', can't argue with that! Oh, don't see anything about Honshu or autonomy in here. What's up with that? Well, suppose they could be a MAYBE!"

The Honshū Unity Party leaflet was slapped down on top of the DPK leaflet to Suzuko's left...


"Sooooo, better make my mind up..."

Suzuko picked up the DPK and Honshu Unity leaflets, and with her eyes closed manically shuffled them. Taking one in each hand, she screwed up the one in her right hand, sending it to join the Sunrise party leaflet in the flower bed behind her... When she opened her eyes, the Democratic Party of Kusari leaflet was staring back at her.

"Huh, okay then, whatever..."

Suzuko skipped across the road to the voting station, and cheerily thrust her ID card towards the official at the door,

"Kon'nichiwa, I'm here to do my vote!"

The official scanned Suzuko's ID, and directed her to a voting booth along the wall at the far end of the large room inside. Hastily scampering over to the booth, in anticipation of the more frivolous things she could get back to after voting, Suzuko popped into the booth and quickly cast her ballot for:



The Democratic Party of Kusari
Many were those among the old nobility who did not see favorably the democratic process recently imposed by this new government. This caste numerous privileges were maintained despite the recently founded republic best efforts to remove this remembrance of the old regime.

These families always were key players in power games occurring in House Kusari, thanks to their ancestral ties with Imperial family as well as their financial and political influence.

Therefore, seeing that pathetic attempt of the Republicans to challenge this rightful preeminence was widely seen as amusing, even if quite concerning. Among all, give a decision power to the uneducated, honor-less masses; individuals who simply did not have the intellect nor the moral rectitude to take enlightened decisions... That was ridiculous. There definitely was a rational explaining the fact they were part of the laborious lower classes, after all.

The general consensus was elections should be ignored entirely. The little people could keep their illusions if they so wished. The members of the Imperial district would keep maintaining their rightful supremacy with their own means.

In that regard, House Sanada was no exception. Sanada Chozaburo did not deign participate to this election, nor did most of the members of the clan. That very day, Sanada Fuyuko was attending to a charity meeting aimed at gathering funds for the refugees who succeeded leaving Kyushu system and the troubles occurring planet-side.



Another difficult day for the brave Sub-Lieutenant Gamo Ujisato. Years of commitment, day after day of doing his very best, but no promotion. Not a single one. He was never raised or trained to assume these responsibilities. He was supposed to become a monk; live a contemplative life, study the maze of fate and the subtleties of philosophy. But his elder brother went missing and he had to endorse that role in his place.

He knew he was performing poorly at it and that his father was seeing him as a disgrace and a shame for the House. All he could do was doing his best and hope fate would release him from this uniform that he never seemed to fit in.
One day, maybe he would have time to contemplate the blossom of cherry trees and meditate on the impermanence of all that is; maybe even write a poem or even a guide for enlightenment.
But not today nor any time soon.

The noble family he was part of looked down on those elections the Republic was organizing, but Ujisato liked the idea everyone could have a say in House Kusari political orientation. And it was an occasion to leave military facilities, even for a short time, and have a stroll on New Tokyo. Enjoy the landscape, observe the people and be amazed by this unlimited diversity of human nature... Ujisato was considering to vote for Democratic Party of Kusari. Good thing father would never find out. Or would he?



Kobayakawa Yuji was a firm supporter of Kusari Sunrise Party. After all, when he was looking back at that past of him, being a low thug working for an "association" providing "protection" services, among others things. His job was to observe, watch and sometimes trail someone until he was arrested. Nothing too bad, fortunately. Nothing that awful to have on one's conscience. Could have been worse. Crime syndicates were not numerous in Kusari, and were maintaining an always low profile, but their actions could be extremely barbaric when they deemed it necessary.
The Naval Forces saved him for this life in the streets, full of crime and easy money. The Naval Forces taught him discipline and made him the respected man he was today.

Yuji didn't trust Gauls one bit. Kusari needed to rebuild its military power quickly in order to maintain its supremacy, and Sunrise Party was lobbying for exactly that.



Sakamoto Ryoma did not believe it was the role of the Warriors caste to dictate House Kusari politics. They were serving the people of Kusari, ensuring their safety no matter the cost. The military was to be subordinated to the civilian instances and to follow a strict code preventing them from interfering in civilian matters more than absolutely necessary. Consequently, Ryoma did not plan to vote.

Not that he would have had time to dedicate to this anyway. A little tour on New Tokyo was simply out of question while Battleship Nagumo was on the verge of destruction in Kyushu system. His men were counting on him to lead them across this tempest. His duty was to ensure as many as possible would survive this difficult situation they were in.

Communications with the Admirals circle was difficult because of the nebula hiding them from Imperial raiders. It was already difficult to find time to make a lightning visit on Battleship Sado to try resolving a concerning matter involving Admiral Ishikawa. The trip back was difficult and as soon as Ryoma returned to Nagumo, critical issues to solve took all his time.

He trusted the people of Kusari would take the right decision for the future of their House.
It was another day of endless patrols for Hikaru Igarashi. His eyes tear from merciless light of Hokkaido star. His skin sunburned by radiation of Kyofu belt. Leaving cockpit of his Wyrm, Igarashi vaguely remembers that today is the election day. He never thought his voice really matters. But discipline he inherited from his father, which he would never admit even to himself, pushes him towards voting terminal. Even though his only desire at the moment is to get some sleep.

The voting room on Otaru station is small, but surprisingly elegantly decorated. Igarashi looks at letters on the screen for a few seconds before they combine into words for him. He raises his hand and gently touches sensitive glaring plastic. One line instantly flashes bright: Honshū Unity Party. Now his duty is over. Igarashi turns around and heads to his little sleeping compartment on the living deck.


Kiyoko Hayashimura paid little attention to the whole democratic procedure of votes casting. Service and dedication to her duties were the only matters she concerned herself with in regards of the Republic; leaving elections and votes to those the civilians and those who cared among the Naval Forces ranks. Despite her lack of concern for the Parliament structure, she was firmly against anything that related to the Empire or anything conservative.

It was the evening of the 6th day of the elections, she had just finished a meeting with her top lieutenants in the 66th on Matsue Base in Hiroshima. She walks out with the rest of the officers as the scheduled meeting ends, shutting the room's door behind. She was immediately reminded of the elections by one of the attendants, shrugging slightly; apparently, it was not the first time she was reminded of it. She gestured with her hand towards him, telling him to move along. She looked at the announcements panel on the wall next to her as it shows the digital election poster and details of the various running Parliament parties, the posters shifting from party to party as she examines each of them.

She shrugs as she turns around and walks away, soon reaching the voting office. She indicates her ID as she enters, the responsible officers confirming her credentials before they show her the way to the terminal. She examined the options once again, finally landing her choice on the Kusari Sunrise Party. She held the belief that a strong nation is represented by its strong military which was what the party aimed for, holding thoughts and plans for the future of Kusari. She exited the office as she finished the process, exhaling loudly before going back to her work.

Ishikawa Hideaki managed to reach the voting office in his New Tokyo district just in time, on the last day before the end of the election. He had been somewhat preoccupied with personal matters, even taking a leave from his duties on the Sado. If he was honest to himself, he didn't really seem to care much about the current election, not even having bothered to watch any discussions or read the information put forward by the different parties. In the end, he voted just like last time, hoping that the democrats of the Democratic Party of Kusari would stay alive in Kusari for a bit longer, even as they were assaulted from both the inside and the outside.
With a shrug, he noticed that the booth had accepted his vote and then left as quickly as he had arrived.





Kawamura Amaya had voted on the very first day, liking to get such obligations out of the way as fast as possible. She was accompanying her father to the voting office, a seasoned veteran of the Naval Forces, that was now enjoying his retirement and trying to somehow steer his daughter into giving up her life of excesses.
With a bright smile she put her vote forward for the Kusari Sunrise Party, happy to have gotten that out of the way. After all, whatever she had planned for the rest of this day would be a lot more exciting than voting for some old men in suits.

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The voting period has ended, and the poll has been closed.


With a participation of 25% (13 out of 53 voters), the Summer elections have given the following results:

Kusari Sunrise Party - 5 votes
Democratic Party of Kusari - 5 votes
People's Party of Kusari - 0 votes
Kyushu Union Party - 0 votes
Honshū Unity Party - 平和 - 3 votes

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