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// Primary Election Day 
// Story: Election in Ponyville 3:  Destiny at Stake 
// by StormLuna 
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A month had passed and unlike it had been in past election cycles, some of the candidates had actually ran attack ads against one another.  While Trixie and Rarity had kept things quiet, Colgate had ran very nasty attack ads against Amethyst and her stance against being a creditor city while Amethyst ran ads criticizing Colgate and labeling her a loose cannon and a racist who would destroy the town.  

When election day arrived, Sunny Flames and the ENC crew were out getting set up to cover the event.  Sunny was in a state of shock when she how many creatures were out to vote.  It appeared as though there were hundreds of creatures out waiting to vote.  She couldn't help but wonder if there weren't perhaps over a thousand registered voters given how much Ponyville had grown in the past four years. 

Once the crew was ready, she got a beep in her ear piece and went live, "Good morning Equestria, this is Sunny Flames and today I am covering the election in Ponyville.  This is the third straight election where it is unorthodox here.  This time, in what was once an earth pony community, there are four unicorns running." 

Hard News, the head anchor back in Manehattan asked, "Have there been any ponies complaining about it?  I ask this because just eight years ago the thoughts of one unicorn running was absurd."

Sunny replied, "Well Ponyville's demographics have changed significantly since then.  From what I understand, over sixty-five percent of the population here are unicorns now."  She then saw one of the candidates leaving the polling place, Amethyst.  She approached her and asked, "Amethyst, can I talk to you for a minute?"

Amethyst replied, "I have a feeling I know what this is about and like always, I'm not going to go making any predictions!"  

Right behind Amethyst though was Sea Swirl and she gave her two cents, "Oh don't be so modest Amethyst!  You know you're going to kick their flanks all the way to Saddle Arabia!  You know you've got this in the bag!"

Amethyst gasped, "Sweetie, not on live TV!" 

Sunny couldn't help but chuckle, "Yeah Amethyst, don't be so modest."  She remembered hearing about Amethyst being married to a pony named Sea Swirl and given her cutie mark, she figured that had to be her.  She continued, "Just listen to your wife and bask in the spotlight!" 

Amethyst replied, "No can do Ms. Flames.  I have always thought it is bad karma and I always will."  She looked back towards Sea Swirl and continued, "Well honey, think we should get to work?"

Sea Swirl replied, "Yeah we better." 

After they headed off to work Hard News commented, "It isn't often you see a candidate and her spouse actually use terms like that on live TV." 

Sunny replied, "You don't but I think it will make her look more like a pony anypony can relate with.  I think this will help her significantly." 

Sunny then saw another candidate leaving the polling station, a blue unicorn.  She approached her and asked, "Dr. Colgate, how do you think you're going to do today?"

Colgate was in a less than pleasant mood because not only was she already late getting her practice open but she knew that the famous news personality favored Amethyst.  She decided to humor her though, "Sure but make it quick.  I'm late for work." 

Sunny asked, "So how do you think you did today?"

Colgate replied, "I'm not going to guarantee a victory but I will guarantee that I finished in the top two and will advance to the general."

Sunny brought something up that she might hurt her, "Well you know you did anger a lot of ponies over your racist remark involving the earth ponies.  Don't you think that will not only hurt you here but also hurt your practice?"

Colgate snapped, "I'll be fine and if you'll excuse me, I have to get to work." 

Back in Manehattan Hard News sighed, "Wow, it sounds like she probably knows that she sank her chances of even advancing." 

"Most likely." replied Sunny.  She then began to look around and did not see any of the other candidates but did see one pony who was absent during the last cycle and approached her.  "Princess Twilight," she asked "may I have a moment of your time please?"

Twilight, like some of her friends was not a fan of Sunny Flames or ENC in general but she decided to humor her.  "Yeah sure." 

Sunny asked, "Princess Twilight, who do you think won today and who do you think advanced?"

Twilight replied, "Well I'm pretty certain that Amethyst will gather the most votes but as far as who will finish second, I'm not sure.  I am really hoping that it will be Rarity but given her traditionalist views and then Trixie's immaturity, I think that Colgate will finish second despite her being openly racist." 

Sunny then decided to get Twilight's opinions on other things, "So Princess, what is your opinion on how things have changed over the years?  What are your thoughts on how Amethyst has ran Ponyville?"

Twilight wasn't sure how to answer the question given that she was a princess.  She did know that Princess Celestia adored Amethyst because of her debt eradication and fiscal responsibility.  She replied, "Well she has done a lot of good things when it comes to the economy but I do kind of miss the tradition."  She then turned towards the castle and continued, "I would say more but I really need to get going." 

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

Back in Manehattan Hard News commented, "I know we're supposed to be fair and balanced but I have a feeling that Twilight probably doesn't like it."

"That or she feels that it would be a conflict of interest to state her true opinion."  She then saw Rarity leaving the polling place and added, "Ok, another candidate has left the polling station."  She approached Rarity and asked, "Rarity, can we have a moment of your time?"

Rarity replied, "Certainly darling." 

Sunny asked, "I do have a question, who do you think will advance to the general election?"

Rarity wasn't even sure how to answer this.  She knew that Amethyst had victory in the bag and that Trixie was a lost cause.  She had a feeling that Colgate might advance but her racism would hurt her.  After a good fifteen seconds of silence she replied, "Well I think I will advance because Trixie lacks the seriousness to be mayor and Colgate's openly racist nature will hurt her to the point that she may only get one vote."  She looked off in the distance and continued, "I would talk more but I need to get to work." 

"Alright Rarity, you have a good day."  Sunny replied. 

Hard News commented, "She may be right because not many creatures are going to vote for an openly racist candidate, not the earth ponies, not the pegasi, not the other creatures and I doubt even other unicorns would support an openly racist candidate." 

Sunny replied, "Likely not."  She then looked around and didn't see Trixie but did see a pony who had a lot of influence in the community, Filthy Rich, the president of The Ponyville Department of Tourism and Economic Development.  She asked, "Sir, may I have a moment of your time?"

Filthy was glad that she approached him because he figured that he could boast about Amethyst some and make her look good across Equestria.  He replied, "Certainly." 

Sunny asked, "So who do you think will advance today?"

Filthy began, "Well I along with the rest of us at The Ponyville Department of Tourism and Economic Development believe that Amethyst will win and win big.  She has done so much for this community, ponies are doing so much better, our tourism is through the roof and with festivals being privately funded, she even pumps some of her own money in for desserts.  She is a true gem, I'll say that much." 

Sunny was thrilled to see somepony showering Amethyst with that much praise.  She asked, "Alright, but who do you think will finish and advance?"

Filthy laughed, "You know what, it doesn't even matter.  Amethyst is going to win big and whoever it is, she will crush them in the general election.  She is the only one worthy of votes and just about everycreature knows it.  I see a rout today and an even bigger rout in November." 

"Thank you for your input sir."  replied Sunny. 

Once Filthy headed off the other way, Hard News commented, "I have never seen a pony shower a candidate with so much praise before in my life.  Her policies must have likely helped him out, a lot." 

Sunny replied, "Well he is Filthy Rich, the head of The Ponyville Department of Tourism and Economic Development and from what I've heard, she pretty much has them in her saddle bags."  She then saw the last candidate leaving the polling place.  She approached her and asked, "Trixie, can I have a moment of your time?"

Trixie was ecstatic that she was going to get interviewed and viewed it as her time to shine, "Of course you can!  What do you want to ask The Great and Powerful Trixie?"

Sunny replied, "Trixie, who do you think won and who do you think will advance?"

Trixie enthusiastically replied, "Well naturally The Great and Powerful Trixie will advance, she'll probably get all the votes!  The Great and Powerful Trixie doesn't care who else advances because they can't beat Trixie. Trixie will humiliate them come November." 

Trixie then threw down some smoke balls and continued, "What else do you want to ask The Great and Powerful Trixie?"

Sunny couldn't help but laugh, "Oh I think that will be enough." 

Trixie boasted, "Well then, be sure to interview Trixie tonight when she wins big!" 

Trixie took off in the other direction and back in Manehattan, Hard News couldn't help but laugh, "I know this probably won't look good for the network but she is so full of herself that she doesn't have a chance!" 

Sunny agreed, "She doesn't.  I don't know why she even ran." 

The time had come for the network to switch to coverage in other communities, "Well we shall return to Ponyville tonight when the results are in.  Up next, the market report and then coverage in Las Pegasus."

After the cameras went black, Sunny and her crew headed to the Sky Needle for some lunch and to watch election coverage in other communities.  As Sunny watched, she noticed that the elections in other cities were going to be much closer.  While normally she would prefer to cover close elections she thought to herself, "I'm so glad they sent me here again!  I can't wait to congratulate Amethyst!"