News: Praetor Election and other Landsraad news

SHIREKEEP, IMPERIAL COUNTY - The Landsraad is going to elect another distinguished citizen to its chair within the next few days. The Praetor elections are being conducted by outgoing Praetor Kai Jackson, Duke of Yardistan. After a few days of nomination several candidates were named: Vilhelm Benkern, Dirigent of Musica, Simon ben Erasmus, Count of North Absentia, Spraki Krumsson Lla'i, recently undeceased, and Malarbor, Evil Tree-God of Color -- though not without controversy.

The Election Candidates: Malarbor, Krumsson, ben Erasmus, Benkern

 The Praetor is a significant political position in the Imperial Republic. It is at the present time the only office democratically elected by the general population, and its responsibilities are to oversee discussions in the Landsraad, rule on points of order, conduct votes, record divisions and make any applicable changes to living legal documents such as the Imperial Code of Law. The Praetor is also given the power to accept or deny amendments to the Charter, along with the Arbiter.

Benkern declined his nomination and Malarbor was jettisoned early from the race during debate, being described by Benkern as impractical due to his godliness. Krumsson agreed, stating that "the respect he enjoys can unduly influence members in a direction against their own conscience." However, some controversy raged over the non-inclusion of ben Erasmus on the ballot sheet: after he was discovered missing, Benkern said "he has as much of a right to be on the ballot as Spraki". Krumsson resolved the situation by asking the Praetor-incumbent to stop the vote to determine if ben Erasmus in fact wished to be included. After responding neutrally, the Praetor re-opened the vote including Krumsson, ben Erasmus and Malarbor. The result of the election is expected in the next few days.

Other recent happenings in the Landsraad include the passage of an amendment to section five of its procedures, concerning voting. The goal of one of its champions, the Kaiseress Mira Raynora Minor, is "to ensure that every part of the bill or resolution being voted upon has been publicly available for twenty-four hours." On the Landsraad floor currently are a vote on Shireroth's entry to the intermicronational music competition, Microvision, and a debate on a resolution concerning Shireroth's stance on the crisis in Antica following that state's dissolution.