1st President of Klaasiya elections

1st President of Klaasiya elections, 1694

Klaasiya

Candidate Geroika Sunoak Umen Saryaan Herrey Daalrin Party FJBP N&H Democratic Party + WPU Popular vote --- --- --- Percentage 40.1% 31.2% 18.9%   File:Viktor Falkner.jpg Candidate Viktor Falkner Party TSP Popular vote 3,762,367 Percentage 8.0%      Geroika Sunoak      Herrey Daalrin      Umen Saryaan      Viktor Falkner

President before election position established Elected President Geroika Sunoak

The first elections for President of Klaasiya were held on 2 Tasnember 1694 AN for a Presidential term of up to 12 years. The election was held close to an year and a half following elections for the National Assembly, in which the Free Juice and Bagels Party won.

Geroika Sunoak, the leader and Presidential candidate of the FJBP, received most votes and was elected President in this election cycle.

Campaign

Free Juice and Bagels Party: Geroika Sunoak

The Free Juice and Bagels Party adapted 3-point manifesto from the 1693 election.

The Free Juice and Bagels Party had won the legislative election a little over a year earlier, campaigning on a platform to restore democratic governance in Klaasiya. The party's famous 3-point manifesto consisted of the following key pledges:

1. Build back Klaasiyan democracy

2. Restore checks and balances

3. Guarantee the Senate's independence

By the time of the Presidential election, the FJBP had organised a successful inaugural session of the Assembly, electing its first Chair. In spite of internal debate within the party following its strong performance in the legislative election, the FJBP kept its promise to guarantee the Senate's independence, allocating one seat for itself as the largest party, and one each for the second and third largest formations in the Assembly.

Geroika Sunoak's campaign focused heavily on reinforcing those same arguments, insisting that if elected she would "be a President that seeks common ground".

During a televised town hall event on 13 Cowtide, Geroika Sunoak was asked how she would fill the 3 Senate seats that the winning candidate would need to do as President. Despite her campaign's firm pledge to independence, Ms Sunoak stated "the decision regarding potential Senate appointments has not been made yet". This marked the lowest point in the FJBP campaign, which suffered a drop of 7 percentage points in the polls released several days later. 8 days later, on 21 Cowtide, Geroika Sunoak announced that if elected President, she'd appoint one FJBP Senator, one Senator from the party obtaining the second highest result in the election, and one independent. At the time, it was largely expected that the Democratic Party, with which the FJBP entered a coalition for control of the National Assembly, would earn the second place.

Democratic Party: Herrey Daalrin

Former Northern Klaasiya Governor Herrey Daalrin had been elected Senator at the inaugural session of the Assembly, creating speculation that she would not contest the presidential election. In early 1694, however, she announced her candidacy amid speculation that the FJBP and the Democratic party, which were in coalition in the Assembly, would put up a joint Presidential ticket. Instead, Daalrin declared she's "the pro-government, but also pro checks and balances candidate", portraying herself as an experienced leader who had governened Klaasiya's largest and most populous state.

Later that year, Workers' Parties United leader Nezava Ospen declined to run herself, instead endorsing the candidacy of Daalrin. The two of them had worked together as leaders of their respective states, and had "reached the conclusion that a single progressive candidate has the strongest chance of winning".

Nationalist & Humanist Party: Umen Saryaan

The N&H controversial poster portraying Umen Saryaan and Democratic candidate Herrey Daalrin

Following its catastrophic performance in 1693, the Nationalist & Humanist Party's leader, Umen Saryaan, announced his campaign in mid-1694. Declaring that "given the other two large parties formed a coalition for control of the National Assembly, a Nationalist & Humanist President is the only feasible way to ensure proper checks and balance in a re-booted Klaasiyan democracy". Umen Saryaan had the distinct advantage of enjoying considerable areas of support in developed areas in the north of Klaasiya where the centre-right and conservative movement traditionally lacked behind. Saryaan had been the only centre-right Governor that the former state of Northern Klaasiya, traditionally progressive and urbanised, elected into office.

Following Geroika Sunoak's pledge to appoint one Senator for each of the two largest parties following the election, Umen Saryaan committed himself to the same policy, should he be elected. This marked a turning point in the N&H presidential campaign, solidifying raise from third to second place in the polls. On 10 Butterary, his campaign released a controversial poster portratying himself and Herrey Daalrin, both former Governors of Northern Klaasiya, stating "choose better". Mr Saryaan had defeated incumbent governor Herrey Daalrin in the gubernatorial election 16 years earlier. Umen Saryaan himself never referred to this piece of campaign material publicly.

Opinion polling and results

Date	Pollster	Sample size	WPU	DP	FJBP	N&H	TSP	Others	Lead
3-4 Natopuary	National Association of Pollsters	1,094	N/A	25.0%	44.20%	19.8%	8.0%	3.0%	19.2%
7-8 Natopuary	National Association of Pollsters	1,094	N/A	28.10%	42.10%	20.10%	7.0%	2.7%	14.0%
11-14 Natopuary	FJBP Pollsters	556	N/A	23.40%	46.80%	24.10%	5,1%	5.70%	22.7%
12-14 Natopuary	The New Reporter Poll	1,040	N/A	26.20%	44.10%	23.50%	3.20%	3.00%	17.9%
20-22 Natopuary	National Association of Pollsters	988	N/A	23.20%	40.70%	27.00%	5.00%	4.10%	13.7%
3-4 Cowtide	The New Reporter Poll	1,040	N/A	25.10%	41.40%	21.00%	7.10%	5.40%	16.3%
10-12 Cowtide	National Association of Pollsters	998	N/A	19.80%	39.70%	24.60%	9.70%	6.20%	15.1%
17-19 Cowtide	The New Reporter Poll	1,040	N/A	24.1%	32.9%	25.9%	3.5%	5.4%	7.0%
1-2 Bulltober	National Association of Pollsters	1,040	N/A	17.50%	36.70%	29.20%	11.20%	5.40%	7.5%
9-10 Bulltober	National Association of Pollsters	1,094	N/A	20.10%	35.20%	30.90%	9.80%	4.00%	4.3%
17-18 Bulltober	The New Reporter Poll	1,040	N/A	17.40%	38.40%	31.00%	13.20%	6,1%	7.4%
2-3 Butterary	The New Report Poll	1,094	N/A	19.80%	34.90%	27.70%	10.30%	7.30%	7.2%
8-9 Butterary	National Association of Pollsters	998	N/A	22.30%	39.60%	23.40%	8.60%	6.10%	16.2%
10-12 Konil	National Association of Pollsters	1,040	N/A	18.10%	35.20%	31.40%	9.60%	5.70%	3.8%
12 Tasnember EXIT POLL	National Association of Pollsters	1,094	N/A	20.40%	37.90%	31.90%	6.60%	3.20%	6.0%
12 Tasnember EXIT POLL	The New Reporter Poll	1,040	N/A	21.90%	39.20%	30.10%	6.60%	2.20%	9.1%
Result			N/A	18.90%	40.10%	31.20%	8.00%	1.80%	8.9%