2006 Gjorkan presidential election

2006 Gjorkan Presidential Election

June 30, 2006
Turnout	51.2% ( 14.6pp)
Nominee Joseph Marnell Ronn Berot Joe Wallace Party Gjorka United Pro-Gjorkan Initiative Forward Gjorka Running mate Kurt Josias Brian Schulaga Ben Libermet Popular vote 11,933,342 9,857,978 8,333,883 Percentage 36.9% 30.5% 25.8%
President before election Joe Wallace Forward Gjorka Elected President Joseph Marnell Gjorka United

The 2006 Gjorkan Presidental Election was an election held in Gjorka to determine the next president of Gjorka. Joseph Marnell easily defeated incumbent Joe Wallace by nearly 15 percentage points. Wallace's loss is primarily attributed to the Laura Samille Scandal which occurred a few months before the election in which it was revealed President Wallace had been having an affair with Samille since she was 16.

Electoral System

The constitution of Gjorka states that the president of Gjorka is to be elected to a five-year term in a popular vote election. Which ever electoral candidate garners the most votes in the election shall be the next president. By law, the election is to be held every five years on June 30 to give due process for a transition of power between administrations. Additionally, presidents are allowed a maximum of two five-year terms; as such, incumbent president Joe Wallace was eligible to run for re-election.

Primaries

Forward Gjorka

Primaries

The primary election for Forward Gjorka was largely uneventful with incumbent president Joe Wallace facing token opposition. No debates were held and Wallace was renominated by the party with 94.1% of the vote. His next closest competitor was former National Assembly member Mick Keogh who received 2.2% of the vote.

Candidate

Forward Gjorka nominees
Joe Wallace	Ben Libermet
for President	for Vice President
5th President of Gjorka (2001–2006)	5th Vice President of Gjorka (2001–2006)
Campaign

Gjorka United

Primaries

The primaries for Gjorka United saw a large field of candidates from a diverse range of positions. The failure of centrist candidate Holly Forde in 2001, and the increasing rightward shift of the party since the collapse of One Nation and the formation of the Pro-Gjorkan Initiative led many in the party to desire a more traditionally conservative candidate to rally the base of the party. Three main candidates emerged: two moderate candidates of Liam Mahoney and Nora Quinn, both assembly members from Gjorka City, and the more right-wing Joseph Marnell, former Supreme Marshal of the Army from Rusynia.

Mahoney and Quinn were criticized in the media for their indistinguishable campaigns as both candidates were moderates from Gjorka City, with the Gjorka Times referring to them as "husband and wife". By contrast Marnell was significantly more bold in his campaign, becoming famous for his fiery rants. During the first primary debate, Marnell attacked both Mahoney and Quinn in long rants that often ended in him shouting. His fiery campaign style was further emphasized in the second debate, when Marnell slammed his first on his podium, causing it fall over and become broken, delaying the debate for several minutes.

Into the final week of the primary, polling showed all three candidates to be neck and beck with Mahoney and Quinn polling at 32% and 31% respectively, and Marnell further back at 29%. However, come primary night Marnell significant out performed polls winning the nomination with 33% of the vote. Marnell's nomination was considered controversial as 61% of the party had voted for the moderate candidates of Mahoney or Quinn.

Candidate

Gjorka United nominees
Joseph Marnell	Kurt Josias
for President	for Vice President
Supreme Marshal of the Army (1994–1997)	Assembly Member from Elkton (1991–2006)
Campaign

Results

Candidate		Running mate	Party	Votes	%
	Joseph Marnell	Kurt Josias	Gjorka United	11,933,342	36.91
	Ronn Berot	Brian Schulaga	Pro-Gjorkan Initiative	9,857,978	30.49
	Joe Wallace	Ben Libermet	Forward Gjorka	8,333,883	25.78
	Other	Other	Other	2,202,358	6.81
Total				32,327,561	100.00
Valid votes				32,327,561	99.69
Invalid/blank votes				100,000	0.31
Total votes				32,427,561	100.00
Registered voters/turnout				62,241,000	52.10

Vote share Joseph Marnell   36.9% Joe Wallace   30.5% Ronn Berot   25.8% Other   6.8%