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The 2nd Annual Wiltshirian Presidential Election will be held on 25 June 3021 to elect the second President of Wiltshire, to serve the term of 2 July 3021 until 13 February 3022. Incumbent President Gaius Selan announced on 15 November 3020 that he would not seek a second term in office as President, leaving open the possibility of a contested election. Many considered the election to be a closed case for President Selan. This election is expected to have a turnout of over one-million voters.
President Selan's trademark policy during his time in office has been the growth of the Wiltshirian military, notably the Wiltshire Navy and the development of the Cassin Young-class aircraft carrier. Selan would likely seek a second term if he felt this military expansion was at risk, given that he has said he would only appoint a Prime Minister who supported such actions.
President Selan has appointed three Prime Ministers (Audrick Hill, Mark Edwin, and Sonya Inyo). In July, Sebastian Bashira became the first candidate in the race. However, following Bashira's election to the Wiltshire National Assembly in October 3020, he has dropped out of the race. In addition, Paul Norment was a candidate briefly, dropping out in November 3020. Two former Prime Ministers (Frank Eddington and Rita Smith (Smith being a candidate in the last presidential election)) have announced their candidates, as well as Kurt Antonov, the popular Mayor of Minevgrad.
Following President Selan's announcement that he would not seek a second term, the Liberal Conservative Party started to consider candidates to be their nominee.
On 7 January 3021, the National Assembly voted to delay the election due to the outbreak of the IDO-NCR war. Due to the continuation of the war, the election was delayed from its original February date further beyond the second date in April until a date in June.
Procedure
The only formal rules for the running of a presidential election comes from the Second Elections Act, 3020 which laid out the following criteria;
"On the first Friday of every February, the citizens shall poll to elect a President of the Republic. The following Sunday shall commence the President-elect's term in office."
"The poll in the election of the President shall be conducted by the Elections Authority and shall franchise electors aged 18 and older not otherwise prohibited from voting by incarceration."
The Elections Authority released the guidelines for the election as follows:
"Candidates for the position of President of the Wiltshire Republic require nomination from three-thousand signatories on a nomination petition in order to access the national ballot in the poll..."
"... much like in the 3020 poll, this will be conducted via a multi-preference ranked choice ballot, with the candidate requiring a majority of votes cast in order to be elected. The Wiltshire National Assembly is then expected to certify the results of the poll within three working days of the election."
Declared candidates
| Candidate | Office(s) held | Home City | Political Party | Declared |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sonya Inyo | Prime Minister of Wiltshire (September 3020 until present) | Juneville | Liberal Conservative | 10 December 3020 |
| Kurt Antonov | Mayor of Minevgrad (3018 until present) | Minevgrad | Independent | 7 November 3020 |
Suspended candidates
The following candidates announced their runs but have since suspended their campaigns.
| Candidate | Office(s) held | Home City | Political Party | Announced | Suspended |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sebastian Bashira | Leader of the Democratic Party (July 3020 until August 3020)
Leader of the Liberal Party of Wiltshire (since August 3020) Member of the Wiltshire National Assembly (since October 3020) |
Juneville | Democratic (initially)
Liberal |
14 July 3020 | 1 November 3020 |
| Paul Norment | Member of the Wiltshire National Assembly (February 3020 until October 3020) | Arches | Socialist | 4 August 3020 | 7 November 3020 (endorsed Kurt Antonov) |
| Rita Smith | Prime Minister of Wiltshire (3019)
Leader of the Labour Party (3019) Minister for Education (3020) Foreign Minister (3020) |
Juneville | Labour | 14 August 3020 | 8 December 3020 |
| Frank Eddington | Prime Minister of Wiltshire (3016 until 3010)
Leader of the Socialist Party (3015 until 3019) |
Arches | Socialist/Labour | 26 July 3020 | 8 December 3020 (endorsed Kurt Antonov) |
| Moon-See Park | Leader of the National Assembly (3020 until present)
Member of the Wiltshire National Assembly for Shipley (3018 until 3019; 3020 until present) |
Newton | Liberal Conservative | 1 December 3020 | 9 December 3020 (endorsed Sonya Inyo) |
| M Fitzgerald | Member of the Wiltshire National Assembly for Richland (3020 until present) | Washington | Liberal Conservative | 30 November 3020 | 9 December 3020 (endorsed Sonya Inyo) |