EquilismBoard

May 2021 Election Summary
Robespierre elected Delegate in closely-contested election; Other officers elected with large majority

By Gorundu

On May 12, The North Pacific's May General Elections wrapped up, with the region having witnessed one of the closest Delegate contests in history. Robespierre (Francois Isidore) was elected Delegate in a nail-biter race against Nimarya, while Cretox state was overwhelmingly re-elected Vice Delegate and East isles was elected Speaker by large margins.

Robespierre was the first person to announce their candidacy for Delegate, soon after candidacy declarations opened on May 1. This was followed by the incumbent Delegate McMasterdonia announcing their intentions not to run for re-election, and Nimarya accepting a nomination made by McMasterdonia.

Robespierre was serving as Speaker at the time of the election, having been elected to that role in January. He previously had served as Minister of Home Affairs and Minister of Defense, and was elected Vice Delegate in January 2020, though he resigned just over halfway into the term, without having reached the required second-most WA endorsements in the region.

Robespierre's campaign, titled "Robespierre for Rejuvenation: A Delegacy", was posted early, citing a desire to have a government that "gets people inspired again" and the many promises made in the January election that did not come to fruition as their reasons to run for Delegate.

Key planks of the campaign included weekly press briefings, boosting applications for the Executive Staff through targeted recruitment efforts by the Ministry of Home Affairs, a focus on developing authors for the new Polaris news program in the Ministry of Communications, and a full audit into the Ministry of Cards, which has fallen into inactivity. On the Foreign Affairs front, the campaign included promises to update the existing World Factbook project, expand the content variety of the Ministry of Radio, and foster talent in the Ministry of World Assembly Affairs by providing more support for prospective authors.

Nimarya last served as Minister of Defense under outgoing Delegate McMasterdonia, having made the move after two terms as Minister of Home Affairs. Her campaign focused on the need to revitalize struggling ministries by providing better training and resources for staff and thus cultivate new talent.

Nimarya's specific campaign goals included a revitalization of the mentorship program within the Ministry of Home Affairs; a return to basics for the Ministry of Cards by restarting its original programs and increasing card farming; increasing resources for writers and encouraging creative writing to add variety in the Ministry of Communications; promoting and increasing visibility for broadcasts by the Ministry of Radio; publishing comprehensive manuals for the North Pacific Army; providing guides and training, including history lessons, for Ministry of World Assembly Affairs staff; and creating more opportunities for Ministry of Foreign Affairs staff to observe and participate in foreign affairs discussions.

Both campaigns shared several similar elements, such as a focus on casual games for the Ministry of Culture and plans for more engagement with WALL, albeit in different ways. Robespierre proposed an initiative for WALL staffers to discuss one passed resolution per week, while Nimarya proposed an IFV (Information For Voters) writing process that could take into account input from WALL.

As voting began, it soon became clear that the election would be close, as the two candidates traded leads throughout the voting period, never leading by more than a few votes at any given time. Outgoing Delegate McMasterdonia, for his part, endorsed Nimarya. However, in the final few days of voting, Robespierre began gradually pulling ahead, ultimately winning with 59 votes to Nimarya's 53, while joke candidate 2 and 2 is Fish received 3 votes.

The contest for the other two positions at stake in this election were not nearly as close, with Cretox State easily winning re-election as Vice Delegate, 86-28, against ROM, a General in the North Pacific Army and former Minister of Defensce. Cretox promised to continue the projects started in their first term such as Vice Delegate Mentoring and the Security Council Handbook, as well as to explore new ideas such as the Vice Delegate's Staff and improvements to World Assembly Development Program (WADP) infrastructure and community engagement.

East Isles, who was a Deputy Speaker in the previous term, won election as Speaker, promising to continue the Speaker's Office's efficient Speaker checks and monthly audits. They won with 67 votes against 29 votes for The Democratic Kingdom Of Skaraborg, a prominent player on the RMB, who ran a joke campaign.

After the conclusion of the election, Robespierre announced their Executive Council as follows:

Minister of Cards: 9003
Minister of Communications: Fregerson (PotatoFarmers)
Minister of Culture: Prydania
Minister of Defense: Westinor
Minister of Foreign Affairs: St George (Madjack)
Minister of Home Affairs: New celoveniortan
Minister of Radio: The cascadian bioregion
Minister of World Assembly Affairs: Cretox state

Advisors to the Delegate: Pallaith, El Fiji Grande

Interview with Robespierre

By New Celoveniortan

New Celoveniortan: Hello, Robespierre. How are you today?
Robespierre: Hey there! I'm doing decently. Bit of a rainy day, but otherwise okay. I like the rain! How about you?
New Celoveniortan: I am doing very well, thank you very much.
Robespierre: Of course
New Celoveniortan: I have some questions for you today, would you mind giving me some of your time?
Robespierre: Not at all. Ask away!
New Celoveniortan: Thank you. First things first. I perceive you as a very enthusiastic person and friendly, but I'm curious: how would you describe yourself?
Robespierre: Hmmm, that's a very good question. I'm glad that you lead off with it. I think that some would find me to be a bit more serious than most. In-character, that's true, but what I don't think many people realize is that I also have a more relaxed, casual side to me as well. If you hang out in VCs often in the Agora or if you speak with me in DMs, you're likely to find that I'm not near as stiff as some believe. I like my sports, I like my computer hardware nerd talk, and I like politics too. I do try to be friendly though, so I'm glad that you perceive me as such. That must mean that I'm doing a good job with how I present myself, I suppose. I'd describe myself as someone who's extremely active in-character, very particular about things out-of-character, and as someone who's all-around ambitious. That probably sums me up to those who are unfamiliar. But I'm always up for a chat so, if you're reading this, come talk to me and find out what I'm like for yourself :P
New Celoveniortan: I'm sure people will see you as very friendly! You said you are all-around ambitious, is it one of the reasons why you decided to run for Delegate? If so, are there any others?
Robespierre: Well, whenever you're considering running for such a high public office as this, there's bound to be a multitude of things that factor into your decision to do so
I think that my ambition did play a part in that, naturally, but I wouldn't have ran if I didn't think that I'd be able to make things better for everyone regardless of where they choose to spend their time in our community. That's really what my Delegacy campaign was all about: trying new things with the added bonus of a fresh perspective, bringing new energy to our executive government, and doing so with a calculated approach that combines well thought out plans and viewpoints with a strong desire to succeed. I also think that we've been too reliant on past Delegates during previous administrations. Namely McM, but also others.
I want to show people that it's okay for the new generation of North Pacificans - the new blood, as I call it - to take the reins so that some of the more experienced regional stalwarts can take a break and pursue other interests. That was definitely a motivating factor for me when it came to my decision to seek the Delegacy, but it surely helped to see the engagement that my campaign was getting and to get a feel for just how many people believe in me and my vision. But yes. To answer your question, I'd say that this is not a job for the unambitious. You almost have to be a self-critic, be a self-motivator, and have clearly set goals to effectively run an administration because, at the end of the day, the buck stops with you when you're the Delegate.
New Celoveniortan: I see that is a very interesting point of viewing the Office. Talking about your campaign, how confident were you while running for the position?
Robespierre: I was very confident, actually. I knew going into it that I'd have to work for it if I wanted to have a chance at winning and I'm very familiar with the election cycle grind, if you will. I'd planned on running regardless of who my opponents were and I'd spent a considerable amount of time formulating my ideas and things of that nature before I'd even launched my campaign thread and put my thoughts out there. If you're running a serious campaign then that's what you have to do. You have to come prepared, bring your A-game, and be willing to put yourself and your ideas out there in front of others who will likely critique you on them. I will say, however, that I didn't plan on the election being as hard fought as it was and I don't think that many others did either. It's a very gratifying win for me, having the margin of victory that I did. I'm a fan of close elections in general, especially the more exciting and high profile ones. Suffice to say, this one was a fun one for me.
New Celoveniortan: I see. Indeed it was a very close one. According to the Greitbart May 2021 General Election Coverage, there was a time that your rival had a majority of 53% over you. During this time, was your strong confidence ever eroded? Also, the Election Commission posted the results where we can see that only 6 votes were the difference between victory and defeat. You said it was a very gratifying win for you, but how else did you feel?

Robespierre: I felt a sense of pride, mostly. It's nice because you never declare your candidacy with the intention of losing (and if you do, well... then you shouldn't be running in my opinion in my opinion). My confidence was never really eroded per se, but there were times where I felt either super upbeat and optimistic about things or really pessimistic and kind of beat down on myself a bit. I think it's mostly just being bipolar. That's the best thing that I can compare it to, really. When you're ahead in the vote count, you feel as if everything is going your way and you're ready to take that next step in your campaign en route to victory. When you're down in the count, it can sometimes be discouraging. But that's the nature of the beast, so to speak, and I realized that early on when I ran against Artemis/Oracle for the Vice Delegacy in early-2020. Vote counts change on a dime. They fluctuate. Stay confident, stay within yourself, and you'll be fine. My rule of thumb has always been this: If your ideas are good and your approach is worthwhile, then people will see that irrespective of who you're running up against. If you're confident in what you're putting out there then that's a solid ground for you to stand on all throughout the voting period.
New Celoveniortan: Those are very nice words, I think anyone would appreciate them. And yes, a coin has two sides. Which gets me to ask you: If you had lost to Nimarya, how would you have felt and what would you have done?
Robespierre: Another good question. For one reason or another, I don't think that I'd have gone back to the Speaker's Office had I lost. It wouldn't have made sense given the timing - for me to go from being the Speaker to being a Deputy Speaker again - so no matter how pleased I was to see East Isles elected, I doubt that I'd have returned to the legislative branch following my hypothetical loss. On the other hand, I don't honestly think that I'd have been offered a cabinet-level position and I had no illusions of being approached for one either. It's more likely that I would have continued on with my work in the Executive Staff, possibly been a Deputy Minister in a few Ministries again, and would have continued to endotart in the meantime. As for how I would have felt... disappointed would've been the best way to put it, I'd say. As I'm sure most anyone would be.
New Celoveniortan: Interesting. Snap back to reality, how does it feel to be in the Delegacy?
Robespierre: You'd be surprised to find out that this isn't a question I've been asked all that much, save for a couple people here and there who've been curious. The learning curve hasn't been too steep, which has been good. I didn't expect it to be but there's always that settling in process whenever one administration changes to another. It's definitely a bit of an adjustment just in terms of the dynamic that the Delegacy brings. People will message you and ask for your sign-off on things, people will ask for permissions, get your thoughts, seek you out, and so on. And again, that all comes with the territory. I think the moment will hit me more once I've taken the in-game seat of WA Delegate, but it's definitely been an exciting time for me and I've been enjoying it so far. Seeing your nation atop the region's page is an honor that not many have been able to receive, in the grand scheme of things. I'm very proud to be recognized as the leader of this community for the time being.
New Celoveniortan: Wonderful! You said you are still learning. About how much time do you need to invest in the position?
Robespierre: That's actually something that I'm still determining at this stage. A few players in our TNP RP community who participate in the Eras map are saying that I should join since I'm often interested by their roleplays. My response was that once I determined what the time commitment of being Delegate looks like, I'd then decide if I could reasonably commit time to RPing too. I haven't yet reached that number or range, but I'd say that the position requires as much or as little time as is needed to be the kind of Delegate that you want to be.
Since I want to be more hands-on, that'll likely require a more substantial time commitment and there's nothing wrong with that. I'd imagine it's different for everyone though
New Celoveniortan: Enlightening, thank you. Moving to your Cabinet, why did you choose your current Ministers, and what do you see in them?
Robespierre: Ah yes! Now this is a better version of the "Who would you want in your cabinet?" question that gets asked to every Delegate candidate under the sun :) It's worth noting that when forming my cabinet I did have to make some compromises here and there due to scheduling difficulties given that some of my first choices weren't available. Even so, I'm very satisfied with the team that I ended up with and it may end up working out better than my original plans, so I'm thankful for that.
In no particular order: In Radio, I saw Casc as someone who was a great facilitator of activity. His presence in the Ministry was very on-brand with the new blood presentation of my administration, so he was a natural fit since I'd already witnessed him being a manager of sorts and making sure that NBS content was being uploaded on the regular. In Culture, I'd originally had MadJack/St George penciled in for the position. That was soon changed for the aforementioned scheduling reasons, but I maintain the opinion that he was undoubtedly one of the more productive Ministers from last term and is indisputably a great mind for Culture. I ended up moving MJ over to Foreign Affairs, where I place my full faith in him and know he'll serve us well there. So I ended up seeking out Prydania - a former Delegate and someone who had lead the Ministry of Culture for over a year previously. In my mind, Pry and MJ are some of the best that our region has to offer. So it was a no-brainer for me to have both of them on board when I had the chance to, which is why I gave them the Culture and FA portfolios respectively. For Home Affairs, you [New Celo] were someone who I'd seen working diligently as a Deputy Minister last term and I saw the potential for you to grow into the role of the Minister of Home Affairs. The idea of going from a regular staffer, to a Deputy Minister, to the Minister is a perfect exemplification of how hard work does go a long way and gets noticed in this region. I wanted to show people that I was willing to develop new talent in the executive in the same way that I've done in other areas. For the next generation of TNPers to step up, we need that to be happening as often as possible so it was a great fit. In Communications, I felt that Freg deserved a full term to expand on their ideas and explore what was possible for their Ministry. They were sort of thrown into things last term and I think that May have affected them in the short-term. I wanted to see what Comms had there by re-appointing him and give him a chance to run the Ministry like he wants to run it with my guidance and direction in mind. For Defense, Westinor was my first choice. It was simple. They were doing great work coming up through the ranks and had already shown themselves to be an excellent tactful mind. Who wouldn't want that? So I made the offer and it's paid off so far. And finally, we round out the cabinet with Cards and WA Affairs: Due to legal restrictions, I couldn't appoint Boston Castle as my Minister of World Assembly Affairs. Indeed, he was whom I had penciled in for the position and I don't mind making that known. But what I did do is make the move to appoint Cretox as a Minister, which may seem unconventional given how he's also our Vice Delegate. Cretox did well as WAA's Minister prior to becoming Vice Delegate and he was a standout during the term he served too. I'm quite satisfied with the choice I made, and Cretox has been very willing to take on the added responsibilities without any noticeable drawbacks, so that's been nice. And for Cards, I wanted someone who could help develop and nurture our infrastructure. 9003 is already recognized as a leader in the wider Cards community of NationStates and our region is already one of the leading regions in that aspect of things as well. He helps create the necessary infrastructure with his scripting ability.. As a result, I was happy to give him another shot as a Minister because I believe he is much better suited to the Ministry of Cards than he is to Defense.
Sorry for the long answers, but I hope that helps paint the picture a bit better
New Celoveniortan: No worries, but I'd like to ask about your choice for Lead Gameside Advocate as well.
Robespierre: Sure!
Rocketdog was a pleasant surprise in the role last term and I personally think that he did well in moderating the RMB and providing service during a crucial part of the day in which not many in the West are online. I liked what he brought to the table and wanted to see it continue, so I offered a re-appointment and he took me up on that.
New Celoveniortan: Do you think there might be any complications with your government in the future?
Robespierre: None that I can foresee, no. If there are then they of course will be dealt with.
New Celoveniortan: I see some of that confidence there. Government aside, are you planning something major for TNP, like an event or something?
Robespierre: You know, it's easy to make grand promises and commit to doing events or hosting fun festivals with friends from all around the NationStates world, but it's another thing entirely to have those events be something worthwhile and amount to a successful happening. I'm of the opinion that we should be hosting events because we want to host them, not because we need to check off a box or fulfill a campaign promise. When we do festivals for the sake of checking off that box, they're less meaningful - the way I see it. Events can be good but it's better when they're of importance or are unique. We have to make them something special or interactive if we're going to do them. You can't always run something for the sake of running something, so any events I have planned will either be for regional celebration days or will incorporate some level of interactivity in them.
New Celoveniortan: I look forward to Democracy Day on July 7th in that case.
Is there anything else you would like to add before the conclusion of the interview?
Robespierre: Hmm? Well, if there was one message that I'd give to everyone reading, it'd be this: I may be the Delegate now but I'm still a North Pacifican just the same as everyone else. Much like the way I served the region while in the Speakership, public accountability and service are important to me. So don't be afraid to reach out and talk to me, even just casually. I'm here for you guys and I'm here for this community. So never get caught up in thinking that I'm too important to worry about the "little people" or that I don't have the time for certain things, because this is your guy's region much in the same way that it's mine and that's the truth of the matter.
New Celoveniortan: Okay, okay. Last, but not least: What is your favorite thing, what do you enjoy the most in the world?
Robespierre: This is a tough one. You really aren't taking it easy on me for the final question, are you? :P I'd say... I enjoy laughing. I've always liked humour, comedy, and anything that gets people to laugh, joke around, and have fun. If you're living life and things aren't going your way, then at the very least, you can always find something to laugh about, even if it's at your own expense. Hopefully, that doesn't sound too corny, but yeah. Laughter is very enjoyable to me as I always like getting a good joke in or two and being entertained.
New Celoveniortan: Thank you for your time, Robespierre. I'm sure everyone will enjoy this read. Until next time!
Robespierre: Yes! Glad to do this!