CPL.nm leadership election, 2015

The Communist Party of Lovia (neo-marxist) leadership election, 2015 is an upcoming election held on July 1st, 2015, to elect a new leader and the first ever deputy leader of the party. The election was announced by Party leadership after the leftist prime minister Anna Maria Whithdonck-Malsky resigned and the CPL.nm MOTCs stepped down from their cabinet positions. Incumbent leader Jon Johnson welcomed the election and announced that he would stand again, though for the position of deputy leader. The rules were established by the party executive committee, to establish standards for the election and alert all members that an election would be held.

Background
After two years out of congress, CPL.nm won four seats in congress in the 2015 elections and three of the MOTCs were given positions in a government consisting entirely of leftists. After less than a month, however, moderate members of the government rebelled on a taxation proposal, allowing the opposition proposal to pass instead, and the prime minister Whithdonck-Malsky announced she would resign as a result. In solidarity with the left-wing PM and in order not to participate in the conservative-led government that would result, all communist ministers also resigned from their posts. The party leadership declared it was time to turn over a new page in the party's history, and elect new leaders to lead a strong opposition to the government. Jon Johnson declared he would resign as leader as soon as the election was complete, though he stated he intended to run for the deputy position so his political experience would continue to be of use.

The use of the term 'leadership election' by the press and informally by members caused some controversy, as technically the party is collectively led by the executive committee. The party issued a statement informing members that while the official roles were 'chair' and 'deputy chair', use of the word 'leader' in campaigning and elsewhere was acceptable.

Rules
The rules for the election state that any member of the CPL.nm, Lovian Unionist Syndicate, Vox Populi, the Oceana Marxistiski-Leninistiski Parti o'Eesheckt, Harmony, Sovereign Democratic Union, Miners Union of Lovia, Union of Lovian Educators, MORENO, Animal Rights Party and the Cornish Progressive Party can vote in the election. The ballots could be picked up at a local CPL.nm party headquarters, showing an ID, and having their assigned ballot given to them. Another option was having the ballot mailed to the intended voter and returning it by June 28th. A final option was coming to the Malipa Civic Auditorium on June 30th or July 1st, the day of the election, and casting a vote. All votes would have to be marked with Name and an ID number to make sure each vote was counted and no election fraud could be committed. In addition the Party announced that the date for candidacies would be from May 30th to June 5th and that campaigning would occur in the intervening time between the last day of candidacies and the actual election. All members must be CPL.nm members and been in the party for at least five months. The method of counting votes would be single-transferable vote until a candidate won 50% of the vote.

Three debates will be held throughout the campaigning season from June 6th to July 1st. The first debate will be held June 10th at 8PM in the Malipa Civic Auditorium in the Blue Room and June 14th at 9:30 AM in the same place. Both events will include leadership and deputy leadership debates. For the first fifty-five minutes the leadership candidates will discuss the future of the party, the current government, the economy, among other issues. For the last thirty-five minutes the deputy leadership candidates will debate each other as well. The last debate will be held in Sofasi Library in the auditorium on June 24th at 7PM. Both the leadership candidates and the deputy leadership candidates will be given an hour to debate each other.

According to an official CPL.nm tally, between all the interest groups, unions, and Parties, 32,285 members could vote in the upcoming election. This was due to the upsurge of membership after the 2015 elections, in which CPL.nm members accounted for 9,897 of the members.

Candidates
Here is a list of announced candidates:

Leadership Election

 * May 30th, 2015 - Miroslav Znalic was the first to announce his candidacy for CPL.nm leadership. Announced two hours after the declaration, Znalic called for the Party to embrace "radical emancipatory politics" and start by actually taking Communist positions. In his "three points" he calls for the abolition of the Monarchy, nationalization of public transportation, and a raise of the minimum wage.
 * May 31st, 2015 - Darius Nabolo announced on the second day of the contest stating that he would support the stronger connection between unions and the CPL.nm and that the party should focus on democratic socialism to improve the conditions we have now. He states that his life work towards supporting communities will help him lead the CPL.nm.
 * May 31st, 2015 - Caroline Tywomeski was the third to announce. She identifies as a Trotskyist and agreed with Znalic to a great extent, but criticized his attempt to work with the capitalist society and declared to seek revolutionary change, destruction of the previous capitalist regime, and spread of the revolution overseas, while maintaining a strong democratic state.
 * June 1st, 2015 - Patrick Auerbach was the fourth to announce, via an article in TNCT. He described himself as a social democrat and stated he wished CPL.nm to return to government, and to negotiate an election pact or full merger with United Left. He referred to his long political experience, being first elected as governor of Sylvania in 2000.
 * June 2nd, 2015 - Victoria Chan announced in St. Stephens to a crowd of 80 people in a Church that she would be running for the leadership position. She stated her dedication to the proletariat, running in the 2014 State Seven Council elections, and work in the Ministry of Labour has shown her skill set. She identified as a democratic communist and would work towards radical, gradual change in Lovia.

Deputy Leadership Election

 * May 30th, 2015 - Jon Johnson was the first to announce his candidacy for the deputy leadership role. The incumbent leader stated it was time for a new leader, and that he wished to use his experience to assist that person in their role. In defence of his candidacy, he pointed out that he had been able to revive the Party and hoped to lead the Party towards greater successes in the future. Johnson announced he would push for a unity of leftist parties and that if elected would deliver a CPL.nm with "seats in the double digits" in the next election.
 * May 31st, 2015 - Steven Robinson announced in the Speakers' Corner to a crowd of 134 people that he would be running for the deputy leadership position. He joked about running again for a deputy position after losing the Labour Party deputy leadership election, 2013. He stated that he had helped the party revive alongside Johnson, gain Union support, and would push for more bargaining rights in congress.
 * May 31st, 2015 - Burt Schwartz spoke in a Youtube video stating that he would be joining the race for deputy leader. He spoke about CPL.nm seizing the opportunity to create radical change in Lovia concerning healthcare, politics, and industry in general. Rare for an announcement speech, he attacked Robinson who announced earlier that day stating he was running for personal attention and fame.
 * June 1st, 2015 - Isabella Munson spoke to a Newhaven crowd that she would join the race, and pushed for a moderate transition to communism. She agreed with Schwartz and Johnson to a great extent, but wanted to focus more on the party's principles of democratic communism.

Candidacies and opening stages
The election was announced early in the morning by long time Party member and founder Yuri Medvedev. He stated that the recent successes of the Party have led to an increase in Party membership and a revival of leftism in Lovia. He cited that Anna Maria Whithdonck-Malsky being unable to hold a government together and Jon Johnson along with other CPL.nm members leaving their cabinet positions would create a time of "radical discussion" for the Party and Lovia. He also announced that he would be overseeing the election for the leadership and the new deputy leader positions.

On May 30th, two candidates already announced their want to enter the election. Member of Congress, Party theorist, and Professor, Miroslav Znalic announced his bid for the leadership role in a Youtube video and tweet. In the video he announced if elected he would make the Party republican, calling for the abolition of the Monarchy, nationalize the transportation industry, and a consistent increase in the minimum wage. He labelled this his "three point" plan for the CPL.nm and Lovia. Hours later incumbent leader Jon Johnson announced he would be running, but for the deputy leader position. He promised better leftist unity and returning the CPL.nm to national prominence. A day later, three more candidates announced their bid for the leadership positions. Former student of Znalic, education advocate, and former MOTC Darius Nabolo announced he would be running in a Facebook post, and later a Youtube video. He discussed his life, his community organizing, and dedication to improving education conditions in Lovia. During the afternoon, former MOTC and former Labour Party deputy leadership election, 2013 candidate Steven Robinson announced to a crowd of 134 people in the Speakers' Corner that he would be pursing a run at the deputy position. He joked about having lost a deputy contest already in his life saying: "I won't make that mistake again." In addition he stressed the importance of Unions and that the CPL.nm should have affiliated unions throughout Lovia. Hours later it was confirmed that former MOTC and professor Burt Schwartz would be running for the deputy position as well. He stressed the need for radical change in Lovia and even jabbed at his competitor Steven Robinson quoting Thomas Inouye during the 2013 Labor leadership contest saying "Be wary of Robinson he's doing this for personal fame."

On June 1st former Sylvanian governor Patrick Auerbach announced that he would be running for the leadership position as well. He stated in a The Noble City Times article that his electoral successes, dedicated to various left-wing parties, and his vision for the CPL.nm would make him a great leader. In addition he called for a merger with the United Left and making the CPL.nm less radical. Even though Schwartz was running in the deputy race, he attacked Auerbach as a "bourgeois capitalistic social democrat." In an interview given on In Session he stated that "moderates such as Auerbach are stopping the potential of the left-wing. When voting for Auerbach you are already giving in before you've had a chance." Also on that day, Isabella Munson announced her candidacy for the deputy leadership role. She announced in a speech at Congress Field to an estimated crowd of about 200 people that she would use her long career in politics, commitment to democratic socialism, and cooperation with other radical leftists to help the CPL.nm win more seats in Congress.

Opinion polling and endorsements
Here is a list of opinion polls composed throughout the campaigning period. Candidates are listed alphabetically and both contests are listed below.

Subset polling
Here is a list of polls completed which specifically polled a certain group such as voters from Kings, women voters, LGBT+ voters, and so on.