Bianjie

[journey]

5685 local elections are being held across Bianjie, follow Daex's live coverage of the vote
5 October 5685 (backdated)

20:03: Good evening, and welcome to the 5685 local elections, one that could be consequential for the current government and the opposition, if the nationwide polling is to be proven correct today. Coming into this very important midterm election, the incumbent Democratic People's Party is facing a challenge in many of its northern mayoralities from both the Socialist People's Party, as well as the newly surging Progressive Communists. With the left-wing opposition polling at around 54%, can the democrats really hold on to those? At the same time, however, as PCP surged to 15% in the most recent opinion polls, how much will SPP bleed from that? All of that and more, later today.

Thank you for following Daily Express' live coverage of the 5685 local elections, and have a good evening.

20:45: It is important to note that there are no exitpolls for the provincial and county elections, so the only information we can rely on so far to draw any predictions is the previous pre-election polling, 5683 general and 5680 local races' results. However, as the night goes on, we will see many small places count fast enough to provide us with the first numbers to analyse.

21:12: First results in almost, if not all, elections come from the northern counties, as those are usually small population locations. And today will not be an exception, as the State Election Administration has released the first batch of votes from across the nation, but most importantly, Karuniba County in the Irudai Province. Unsurprisingly, DPP begins with a serious lead there, running away from the closest competition, SPP, by 19%

However, these first results from Karuniba, and not just them, but across the nation, begin to confirm that there will be a PCP surge. Now, a new question is posed: how much? How much for a jump it will be for the communists. That's for us to find out later today.

           
Visualisation of the first results in Karuniba

21:37: A batch of results is beginning to come from the southern provinces, and SPP also unexpectedly wins within those ballots, with not as impressive a PCP surge as in Karuniba or other northern counties; however, it is very much present and visible. According to the election watchdog, Sain Kongkeri, if the current trends continue and take place equally in the urban counties, where PCP usually has more presence, the Progressive Communist Party could be expected to win around 10-13% of the vote today. A net gain of 5-8%, if confirmed. Great night for the communists if this holds.

22:09: Irudai Province becomes the first province to finish counting today, so we finally have the full results on the SEA election website. Of all the 5 mayorships across the six counties of provinces that the DPP controlled before the election, the DPP held all but one, which was gained by the communists. While the only SPP county, and the province's most consequential one, Dergasari, was also flipped to PCP, which is actually no surprise, considering communists controlled this one before the 5680 election. Still, PCP can celebrate as they win their first two counties of this night, and likely not the last one. +9% gain in Irudai Province.

           
Final results in the Irudai Province

22:52: First results from the major cities in Bei and Khani Provinces are being counted now, as seen on the SEA website. And, to put it closely, Niyalma, which was already controlled by the PCP prior to this election, might see its first electoral landslide in modern history. According to the current count in the second-largest city, PCP is first with over 48% of the vote. In the previous election, the latter received 41% after all the votes were counted, while 48% is just the suburbs, which usually lean DPP in the national and local elections. I believe it is very clear that we can project the victory of Makata Girgi in Niyalma. Communist landslide is incoming in the counter proper.

23:10: Gemun results could become shocking for the Socialists, as the nation's capital could very possibly flip to the ally, and yet competitor party, Progressive Communists. With about 26% counted, both parties are going neck-in-neck, with each one having 36% as of right now. In the previous election, SPP comfortably won with 47% of the votes, while PCP trailed behind with 20%.

23:51: And while the SEA is counting ballots in major cities, we can certainly say that PCP will flip 4 more counties in the Bei Province to their side. Out of a total of 12 counties in the province, the PCP will now control 5 of those, including the nation's second-largest city-county, Niyalma, where we can possibly expect a 55% finish for them.

00:23: We are still around 2% from done counting in Niyalma, but one can say that this is how the results are and will look like in the end. +18% net gain for the Progressive Communists, a complete victory, and so far the largest landslide in the country as of right now. DPP are back to third place, while new parties are unable to get any kind of major support. Makata Girgi will not lead the one-party government in Niyalma, PCP's first.

           

00:39: Understandably, many will ask why so much of the coverage is talking about the PCP, what's the news besides them? Well, the answer is simple: not much. Both SPP and DPP are largely holding to the seats and mayoralities they already held in the previous election. The biggest story besides the PCP surge is mostly the death of Horizon in many councils nationwide, either a wipeout or a large decrease in seats. BSP and TPP are also unable to achieve any significant results, with minimal to no representation and most county-level councils and provincial assemblies. There is no major news besides that, unfortunately.

00:47: Leader of the Socialist People's Party, Heshen Asuke, is speaking now. He thanked the voters for the trust they put in the SPP again, as they are projected to come first overall in this election, winning between 25 to 32 mayoralities out of 60 total. He congratulated all the re-elected and elected for the first time members of county councils and provincial assemblies, adding that the socialists will be open to work with everyone on all levels of the local government, but pointed out that the governments must serve the people first. At the same time, he congratulated PCP on its victories across the nation, saying that a stronger PCP means a stronger opposition and a stronger working class in Bianjie, finishing the speech by wishing their elected representatives good luck.

01:01: It is quite surreal to say, but Daily Express calls the Gemun race for the...Progressive Communist Party. Even though we are still 11% away from the result, it is getting clearer that indeed, PCP has flipped the capital of our nation, also, for the first time in their history. 36% vs 34%, surreal. Giocan Mohuri will become the next mayor of Gemun, in our opinion. Mayor-elect Mohuri and PCP's national secretary, Tana Duyar, will jointly speak in a couple of minutes from now.

01:07: Giocan Mohuri, the incoming mayor of Gemun and the national secretary of the Progressive Communist Party, Tana Duyar, are speaking at the PCP's headquarters in Gemun. Both seem very happy and ecstatic to say the least. Duyar begins by pointing out the "crazy" result her party achieved, but pointed out that it is a result of the "tireless hours of work" by the canvassers, candidates and simple supporters. She says that the people recognise the work PCP has done locally and nationally, as the opposition and the government, and people consider PCP to be the "real alternative" and "force for good" against the "anti-people neoliberal government". She said that PCP is now a serious force, that everyone must take them seriously and count with. She thanked the voters for the trust and promised not to disappoint.

Next was Mohuri, who began by expressing his shock at these results, and yet utmost gratitude for the victory in the nation's capital city. He said that PCP was always a prominent force in Gemun, and yet this victory is a new beginning and a new high. "Gemun is now in people's hands, in the hands of the simple Gemunite worker, mother, teacher, train driver, student, in your hands, and I will lead accordingly to your needs and wishes", said Mohuri. He added that the SPP candidate had called him and congratulated him on this upsetting victory. Mohuri said that he will work with all parties in the Metropolitan Assembly. And finished his speech by saying that the work is only beginning, election was just the first step.

01:23: Final map of preliminary results of all the county races across the country, for the first time in their history, the Progressive Communist Party has mayors outside of the North, and immediately grabs not one, not two, but 9 mayorships across the country, coming third overall with 16% of the vote. Truly terrific night for the communists, and the opposition as a whole. The consequences of this result will be studied and discussed for a while, but for now, that is it from us, from this election night. Thank you so much for following our live coverage, and good night to you.