Election in Ponyville

by StormLuna

Primary Day

Primary Day

Two weeks had passed since the debate and election day had arrived. Just like with the debate, given that this was the first primary election in Ponyville in years, Sunny Flames and the ENC news crew showed up to provide coverage. As the television crew was setting things up ponies began to show up. Despite it being a rainy and cold morning, many ponies showed up early to vote.

Once the ENC crew got everything sat up and turned the equipment on and began their broadcast. Sunny began, "Good Morning Equestria. I would like to welcome you to our coverage of the primary elections across the country. While much larger communities are holding their primaries today, we are in Ponyville to provide coverage because this is the first primary they have had to hold in nearly three decades."

The main anchor back in Manehattan, Hard News asked, "Sunny, with the way the weather there is, how do you think voter turn out will be?"

Sunny replied, "From what I have seen, there are long lines here and I have a strong feeling that all the ballots may be cast well before the polls close."

Sunny saw Amethyst Star coming out of the polling station and ordered the camera crew to follow her over to interview the candidate. Sunny approached her and asked, "Amethyst, given how well you did in the debate, how do you think you will do today?"

Amethyst replied, "Well I'm not going to go making any predictions on live TV. I don't want to jinx anything."

Sunny asked, "What I noticed at the debate two weeks ago is that most of the unicorns here have thrown their support behind you. Do you think most if not all of them are going to vote for you?"

Amethyst replied, "I know this is probably going to kill your ratings but like I just said, I'm not going to make any predictions. We'll just see how things turn out."

Sunny said, "Well I was going to ask you about how you think your opponents will do but I have a feeling you won't mention anything about that either."

Amethyst replied, "Nope."

The shot shifted back to the anchor in Manehattan and he asked, "So have any of the other candidates came out to cast their vote yet or just Amethyst Star?"

Sunny looked behind her and saw the mayor leaving the polling place. She headed over to the mayor and asked, "Good morning Madame Mayor. How do you think things are going to turn out?"

Mayor Mare replied, "Well, I'm going to be honest. I think that Amethyst and I will win today and when the time comes for the general election, anything goes."

Sunny asked, "I take it you are writing Pinkie and Rainbow off already?"

The mayor replied, "Of course. Neither one of them are serious candidates and I don't think they could handle the responsibilities involved in being mayor."

Sunny asked, "What about Amethyst Star?"

The mayor replied, "Well I think she will advance to face off against me in the general but given her responses in the debate, I don't see her beating me. The unicorn vote alone won't win it for her."

Sunny said, "Thanks for your input miss mayor."

Again the broadcast shifted back to Manehattan where Hard News asked, "Have the other candidates shown up to vote yet?"

Sunny replied, "No they haven't. We'll be sure to let you know when they do so we can interview them."

The cameras were shut off in Ponyville while they were waiting for Pinkie and Rainbow to show up and vote. While this was going on Sunny decided to do some off camera exit polling. She saw a yellow pegasus with a pink mane, Fluttershy, coming out of the polling station. She stopped her and asked, "Ma'am so who did you vote for today?"

Fluttershy asked in return, "Uhm, you promise you won't tell anypony?"

Sunny replied, "Nope. Your answer will be used for general data purposes only."

Fluttershy said, "Well, I voted for Pinkie Pie because she is one of my friends."

Sunny asked, "That's it? Is that the only reason?"

Fluttershy replied, "Uhm, no. Rainbow Dash is a good friend of mine too but I just think Pinkie would do a better job."

Sunny said, "Alright, you have a good day."

She continued to wait around until she saw a wealthy earth pony, Filthy Rich, leaving the polling station and approached him. She asked, "Sir, may I have a moment of your time?"

Filthy replied, "Yeah but make it quick. The commodities market closes in an hour and I have some trades I need to execute."

Sunny asked, "So who did you vote for and why?"

Filthy replied, "I voted for Amethyst Star because she's the only one who actually gave us an idea on what she would do and I will admit, lower taxes and the ultimate end of the municipal property tax is what has really drawn me to her."

Sunny asked, "So I take it you are one of those ponies who vote based on substance rather than what type of pony the candidate is?"

Filthy replied, "Yes. I wouldn't trust Pinkie or Rainbow to run a lemonade stand and Mayor Mare continues to drive this town deeper and deeper into debt. We need change and Amethyst is the only one who can right this ship."

Sunny said, "Thank you for your input sir. You have a good day."

She continued to wait around the polling station until late in the day when two ponies who were arguing showed up. Sunny nodded to the camera crew to inform the network that the other two candidates had arrived. The broadcast in Ponyville resumed. "We resume our coverage here in Ponyville as the other two candidates are currently casting their ballots."

Pinkie came bouncing out of the polling station right up to Sunny. Sunny asked, "Pinkie, so how do you think you'll do in today's election?"

Pinkie replied, "Well duh! I'm gonna win and when I do, I'm gonna throw a party with ice cream, cake, cider and lots of fun music. Would you want to come?"

Sunny knew that this would never come to pass but she said yes to placate her. Quickly Rainbow came flying out of the polling station and knocked Pinkie over. Rainbow got in the camera and said, "Hey Equestria, you're looking at Ponyville's next mayor!"

Pinkie got up, shoved her to the side and screamed, "No Rainbow, I'm gonna be Ponyville's next mayor!"

The two continued to shout at one another and all Sunny could do was roll her eyes while back in Manehattan Hard News and the other anchors could only laugh. Sunny finally had enough. She said, "Ladies, stop it! All of Equestria is watching this and I'm sure Ponyville doesn't want the country to see you two acting like this."

The two quickly apologized to the camera. Sunny asked, "Since you two are together, how do you think you did today?"

Pinkie replied, "I think Rainbow and I won! No way the boring old mayor or than meany-mean hooves Amethyst won!"

Rainbow added, "Yeah, why would somepony pick two boring candidates when you have candidates who want to make Ponyville more exciting."

Sunny replied, "Alright ladies. Good luck to you."

The cameras in Ponyville went black and the crews were moving their equipment to the town square where the results would be revealed in a couple of hours. Two of the candidates would move on and ready themselves for the general election while the other two would return to their normal lives.

The Results

Three hours had passed and the ballots had been counted and the results were ready to be revealed. In Manehattan Hard News began the broadcast, "Good evening Equestria. Many primary elections have been held across Equestria to determine who will run for mayor but one in particular that we have been focusing on today is the election in the small community of Ponyville. Ponies may wonder why we focused on such a small town but this is the first time in nearly 30 years they have held a primary and one of the candidates holds more conservative views, which is rather unorthodox here in Equestria." The camera in Ponyville came on and Hard News continued, "And now we take you to Ponyville where Sunny Flames is reporting."

Sunny began, "As Hard News said and like we have reported earlier, this has been a historical day in Ponyville. For the first time in 28 years Ponyville has held a primary and a candidate with rather unorthodox views is running." She looked back towards the stage and saw Princess Twilight heading up to the podium. She motioned for the crew to head to the makeshift stage that had been set up. She continued, "And any moment, the results of this election will be revealed."

The cameras began to focus in on Twilight as she stood at the podium. She began, "Thank you for coming out tonight everypony! I'm sure you are all as excited as I am to find out what the results were."

She opened a sealed envelope and levitated the results onto the podium. She continued, "Alright everypony, we have the results. Rainbow Dash received one vote, Pinkie Pie received 2 votes, Amethyst Star received 42 votes and Mayor Mare received 58 votes so in the general election it will be Amethyst Star going up against Mayor Mare.

Almost all of the unicorns began to cheer loudly and most of the earth ponies began to cheer loudly while most of the pegasi had a rather indifferent reaction. When Amethyst and Mayor Mare saw the reaction of the pegasi, they knew that they were the ones they would need to sway in their direction.

Two ponies however were very upset, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie. Rainbow yelled, "One vote? I only got one vote? I demand a recount!"

Pinkie added, "Yeah, we want a recount! There's no way that only me and one other pony would want more parties."

Twilight sighed, "Trust me girls, Amethyst and Mayor Mare won."

Rainbow and Pinkie just sighed in disgust while Amethyst headed to her cheering supporters and Mayor Mare headed to her adoring supporters. The camera switched back to Sunny. She said, "It looks like it will be Amethyst and Mayor Mare in the Ponyville primary election come November."

In Manehattan Hard News asked, "So just from what we know right now, who do you think has the advantage, Amethyst or the incumbent mayor?"

Sunny replied, "I'm not sure. While the incumbent mayor did receive quite a few more votes I couldn't help but notice the reaction of the pegasi. I know both candidates will be trying to convince them that they are the one to support. The unicorns are firmly behind Amethyst Star and a majority of the earth ponies support Mayor Mare. This should be an exciting campaign."

The cameras went black in Ponyville as the broadcast ended. Before the network moved on to other news Hard News finished, "While the campaign for mayor there will be interesting, I can't help but wonder who Pinkie and Rainbow Dash will support come November." He broke into a laugh, "Knowing those two, they will likely write themselves in!" He then concluded, "And that is it for tonight, coming on next is Overnight News. Goodnight everypony."

Comments

[OmniFox]

It begins!!!