Vote in my Campaign's Election

[dfinlay]

I am running a campaign (Afterimage) that is set in a small town currently having an election for mayor. I thought it would be a fun thing to have you guys vote in the election. The PCs will each get a vote as well (those that are legally entitled to a vote - one is playing a woman) and we'll see who wins.

The setting: Harmony was a small town in the Dakota Territories (in what would become South Dakota, USA). It was supported by a gold mine and also a large number of surrounding farms. Then, on January 1, 1895, when the town was throwing a new years celebration, it was suddenly transported to another world.

On arriving, everyone had access to magic, but the area around was mostly an arid dustbowl, strange monsters roam the wilds and the town is now cut off from the farms and trade that supported it. It's been just over a month and the town hasn't found any other sapient life, though they have found some old ruins. Most people's biggest priority is getting enough food before the town starves, which isn't looking good.

In the middle of this, the old mine foreman convinced the mayor to call an election. The candidates that are running are:

Edgar Moore: The incumbent. He's been mayor for nearly a decade now, and is one-year into what was supposed to be a four-year term. He's a jovial, friendly man who's great at making friends with everyone. He's generally accepted as having been a reasonable mayor, but tends to lead by being friends with everyone and leaving people alone to do their thing, which might not be what the town needs. He's mostly running on a platform of stability - try to keep people from panicking by keeping as much of their old routine as he can (while still getting people doing the new jobs that need doing).

Wesley Smith: The old mine boss. He's a tough, no-nonsense type. He claims that he can make hard decisions fast, unlike Edgar, and knows how to keep people working hard in dangerous environments. He has spent the last couple weeks causing trouble trying to get the mayor out of office, however, when many feel him and his people should have been working the farms. It's also a fairly open secret that he's always engaged in a little bit of graft and corruption; taking bribes for better work details and possibly slipping a little bit of money out of the mine's coffers he wasn't supposed to.

Karl Elias: A fairly soft-spoken elderly man, now retired. He was an well-respected officer in the Civil War and is seen as a bit of a war hero by some, but in recent times he's mostly stuck to himself. He's known for not saying a ton, but considering his words carefully. His platform is that Harmony is effectively at war with its new environment and needs martial discipline. He wants to establish a clear chain-of-command and try to transition the town's structure to something resembling an army base.

Feel free to ask questions of me or of the candidates and I'll try to answer them within a day or two. The poll will close Wed, April 11.

[Icelander]

Nothing in the first post indicates that Smith and Elias cannot accomplish their desired goals as part of a cabinet led by Moore, a man actually experienced and effective at coalition building and diplomacy, which is what is probably needed to get the most out of everyone.

If Smith has a genuine vision for building infrastructure to replace what the town used to get by trading and/or he seems to be the best man to implement someone else's vision, make him Secretary of the Interior (Treasury, Commerce, etc.). Give him what you can afford, not everything he asks for, and use Moore's time-honed talents at political horsetrading to keep him, Elias and whoever is made Secretary of Acriculture working together as smoothly as possible.

Make Elias Secretary of War. Institute a militia system and possibly, if necessary, allow him a few full-time trainers.

[Phantasm]

My votes go as follows:

Smith as mayor, Moore as local judge, and Elias as sheriff. Those are the three posts historically found in frontier towns like the one described. No need for fancy "Secretary of War/Commerce/Agriculture" titles in a frontier town.

Usually, when a town was starting out, the saloon owner ended up as judge and mayor by default, because his place was the largest gathering spot, unless the local preacher had a separate church building. Did Moore start as the saloon owner?

[Icelander]

Originally Posted by Phantasm

My votes go as follows:

Smith as mayor, Moore as local judge, and Elias as sheriff. Those are the three posts historically found in frontier towns like the one described. No need for fancy "Secretary of War/Commerce/Agriculture" titles in a frontier town.

A normal frontier town in the late 19th USA didn't have much need for a powerful executive, because they generally didn't concern themselves with national infrastructure or public defence. The federal government did that, with forts, roads and cavalry.

These aren't just frontier townspeople any more. For all they know, they are the only people in the world and the new Founding Fathers of this reality's United States (or any other polity they choose to make). Their concerns are fundamentally different to those of a frontier town where they can call inothers for help or leave if they choose.

[jason taylor]

Edgar Moore: President/Mayor. We should really have a light touch at the helm to start with. It is to bad we don't have someone more sophisticated sounding to conduct foreign policy. The other two have a mean streak and that will be needed at times but some a soft touch will be needed at top.

Wesley Smith: Secretary of the Interior. Despite his reputation for sleaze a bit of management experience is useful.

Karl Elias, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. Or whatever the town wants to call it. This is a bit dangerous and has threats of Bonapartism, but if he is an honest man we can use him to help the town hold it's own.

Note that the town is now a city state at this time and will be acting in a sovereign manner. It cannot any longer think of governing itself like a normal small town.

[adm]

I agree with Icelander and Jason Taylor, they cover the salient points.

[JoelSammallahti]

I'd like to know the candidates' Appearance, Charisma, Status and Reputation modifiers in order to make an informed decision. (That is, a Reaction Roll). :)

[Daigoro]

Wouldn't the miners make a significant voting bloc?

[Tomsdad]

Originally Posted by Daigoro

Wouldn't the miners make a significant voting bloc?

They could well be, either way they will have to be considered both as voters and as a section within society who's original role is gone (but not necessarily with skill sets that aren't of use, see above)

One assumes all the miners were at the new year's celebration, and there wasn't teams on site when it all happened.

[Celjabba]

Hard to choose, but I voted for Elias.

Smith as described seem dangerous.
Moore would be a logical choice for a coalition leader, but Elias has a point : Monster around, No food supply and no support = need for an (hopefully temporary) general conscription. The delays and compromises inherent in a coalition approach may prove deadly.
Of course, hopefully it will be a Cincinnatus, not a Maximinus.

The "access to magic" bit may change everything, of course ... any more details on that point ?

Edit : forgot to add that this seem like an awesome campaign !