Write-In Vote

Helium Pond · November 7, 2000, 18:50

So, on the eve of the elections here in the States, an odd omen ocurred in one of my MP games. I got elected Governor without even being on the ballot! It was very odd. I was pacted with Deirdre and Zak, I am playing as Miriam, and Lal(my human opponent) called the vote. The last time I talked to Yang he was seething at me, and his bioscan was red. When the screen came up, Zak, Dee, and Yang (!) all voted for ME! Santiago and Morgan abstained, and Lal voted for himself. But the bottom of the screen (where it shows the current total votes for each candidate) read thusly: "Yang: 0 Lal: 32."

I wasn't even a candidate! When I went to vote for myself, my only choices were Yang and Lal. I voted for Yang, and won the election with the support of the three other factions. Very very odd. The only thing I can think of is this: this was the very same turn that I completed the Empath Guild in. Why that would make me eligible for the other three factions to vote for me, but not allow me to vote for myself, I can't say. The special movie happened after the vote, so it might have had nothing to do with it.

I wonder if this augurs a freak upset in the US elections?

Misotu · November 7, 2000, 19:03

Oh yes, this happens quite often in MP. I once called an election, voted for myself, passed the game to my pact brother and ... hey presto. I was no longer a candidate. When I checked the pop levels afterwards, I had been second (just) when I called the council. The turn afterwards, another faction's base had grown and he had 1 more pop than I did ... so he replaced me as a candidate.

I lost

Misotu · November 7, 2000, 22:06

Postscript: I don't know what would constitute an upset in the US elections ... Ross Perot elected maybe ?

Right now, it looks like Gore. But we'll see.

Black Sunrise · November 7, 2000, 22:49

I've had a couple games where we had three candidates, that's the weirdest I'vve gotten.

Misotu · November 7, 2000, 22:50

PPS 195 plays 182 ... go Gore!

Helium Pond · November 7, 2000, 23:39

Whoops... slippery old Florida...

Black Sunrise · November 8, 2000, 09:47

Whoa! Somebody bribed the Morganic Floridians to switch votes!

mark13 · November 8, 2000, 11:25

How many energy credits do you reckon that was worth?

VoodooChild · November 8, 2000, 11:44

Black Sunrise:

Three factions elections occure when the second highest vote getter is shared by two factions.

mark13 · November 8, 2000, 11:58

I've had seven factions on the ballot before - someone stupidly called an election on the first turn (MP), and everyone except Lal, of course, only had one vote.

edit: Mis, don't count your chickens....

[This message has been edited by mark13 (edited November 08, 2000).]

Black Sunrise · November 8, 2000, 19:13

Note to self. Next time playing MP Lal tourney, immediately found second city, call for election.
Yay, president!

WhiteElephants · November 8, 2000, 20:16

Depending on what rules you play most dictate that you need all the factions com frequencies before you call and election. In multiplayer I would consider it a cheat if someone, Lal, called the election on the first turn. As you can't call an election in the regular single player game until you have all the comm frequencies.

Yet another bug in an nearly endless horde of bugs like a locust swarm or something...

Misotu · November 8, 2000, 21:09

Bugger Florida

WE, in the tourny games I've played it's not possible to call the election until you have comm fqs for all factions. I've played some ACOL MP scenarios where this isn't true, but these are artificial situations.

It's the case that in tourny games you're able to call people up from turn 1. On the tourny map, that's legal and on random maps it isn't (IIRC). Anyway, in either situation, you can't call an election.