Election Announcements

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VGS R18 Election Announcements

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2016 Presidential Election Mini-Game Rules

 

Welcome to the 2016 Presidential election mini-game! This will be a simple system with one turn where you may spend Action Points (AP) to perform different actions leading up to January 1st, 2016. Think of this as groundwork for beginning the true campaign and leading up to the first three primaries/caucuses. There will be one turn in this mini-game and the full calendar is posted above on the forum header. You will post a thread in this forum to submit your turns; all turn submissions will remain private. 

 

REMINDER: 2016 is 2016. 2016 is a different world from 2024. The AB will judge rounds accordingly. The AB will also be assuming BOTH parties are starting with Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada.

 

Action Points

Every contender will have 30 action points to begin each turn. Any unspent action points do not roll over to the next turn. You may spend action points in any of the following areas below to complete your turn. 

 

Fundraising

Fundraising is one of the key barometers for candidates strength and how well they'll likely do in the election. This is because money is required for key campaign infrastructure (staff, offices, travel, etc.) along with advertisements. There are three options for spending AP on fundraising. You may only pick one each round.

 

Example Submission 

Galas (4 AP)

Target: Defense Industry

Focus: I support committing further funding for the F-35 Lightning II, doubling production. And we will expand our defense support of our allies in Ukraine, Israel, and across Europe.

 

Light Fundraising (4 AP)

Light fundraising includes emails, putting together a donor list for the future, and soliciting donations other ways through your campaign website. This is the bare minimum for raising funds prior to a campaign launch. For emails, you'll want to target more generally (e.g., grassroots donors, progressive democrats, MAGA Republicans, etc.)

 

Galas, High End Events (8 AP)

Galas and high end events, along with regular emailing/website solicitations, will be held. For this option, you're going to want to target more specifically than you would for emails. (e.g., telecommunications, oil industry, unions, etc.) 

 

Maximum Fundraising (16 AP)

This is the maximum amount of fundraising you can do in a turn. This means all hands on deck with emailing, galas, soliciting donations through your website, and making phone calls for large donations. You can choose how you wish to target here for max impact from your chosen donor base. 

 

Courting Endorsements and Mega Donors

Endorsements play an important role in every primary. There is a reason Democratic candidates meet with The New York Times every four years or Republican candidates seek out endorsements from some of the largest donors in their circles. With that said, every endorsement request will cost (4 AP) and must include 1-2 sentences on why you think that person/organization/newspaper should support your campaign for President. Keep in mind, however, you may attempt to court an endorsement from anyone.

 

News Media

The media plays a big role in visibility for candidates, improving name recognition, and making headlines. There are three options for attempting to gain more recognition for your campaign, explaining your policy ideas, and hitting home your talking points. This is similar to the known Spin Zone, tailored for the campaign system.

 

Standard Cable Hit (2 AP) 

This is a standard short interview on one of the major paid-television networks (CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, etc.) where you'll use the time to talk about the key themes you intend to hit on your campaign. You're limited to 2-3 talking points here. This will cost x AP.

 

Spreading the Message (4 AP)

This is similar to the standard cable hit, except that you'll also have allies/staffers going across to other networks spreading your talking points/themes as well.

 

Full Court Press (12 AP)

Your team will put forward a full court press to spread your talking points/themes. They'll book you on popular podcasts, cable news, late night talk shows, or wherever else you might wish to go. This is the max you can spend in order to increase your name recognition and get your talking points out in the world.

 

On the Attack

Do you see another candidate as a threat and want to knock them down a peg? See a vulnerability in their record, their policy positions? Then let the media know, plant the story, and go on the attack. You can leak a story in the media or have surrogates of your own go on the attack against the candidate in the press. This will cost (8 AP).

 

Example Submission

On the Attack (x AP)

Senator Jacob Olliver (R-CA) vetoed legislation that would have expanded gun rights during her time as Governor. Caroline Jefferson clearly doesn't care about voters second amendment rights. 

 

Barnstorming

Do you want to barnstorm a certain early primary state to spread your key themes, tailor them to the state you're visiting, while shaking hands and kissing babies? Here's your chance. You can visit any of the primary states you wish (see the calendar, here) and use any of your themes/talking points you wish. This will cost (2 AP) for every location you visit. 

 

Example Submission

Locations

IA: Des Moines (2AP), Iowa City (2AP), Ames (2AP)

NH: Concord (2AP)

Targets: Young Voters, Rural Voters 

 

- Jacob Olliver is the best candidate in this race because he has promised, on day one, to push Congress to forgive $40,000 in student loans, lifting the financial burden on millions of American's.

- Jacob Olliver cares about rural infrastructure and will invest $100 billion into healthcare, education, and road infrastructure for rural areas across Iowa in desperate need of it. 

 

Example Turn

Below is an example of what a turn submission might look like. Keep in mind, this is just an example, and likely shouldn't be used for any true submission.
  

Quote

 

Jacob Olliver (R-CA), Round 1 Presidential Election Mini-Game

 

FUNDRAISING

 

Maximum Fundraising (16 AP)

Target: Defense Industry

Focus: I support committing further funding for the F-35 Lightning II, doubling production. And we will expand our defense support of our allies in Ukraine, Israel, and across Europe.

 

COURTING ENDORSEMENTS

Gov. Kim Reynolds of Iowa (4AP) - Terry Branstad has been a staunch advocate of pro-life policies and so has Jacob Olliver. During his time in Congress, he has advocated for a ban at 15 weeks, voted against extreme left policies, and worked to protect the sanctity of life.

Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa (4AP) - Chuck Grassley has been a staunch advocate of pro-life policies and so has Jacob Olliver. During his time in Congress, he has advocated for a ban at 15 weeks, voted against extreme left policies, and worked to protect the sanctity of life.

 

BARNSTORMING

Locations

IA: Des Moines (2AP), Iowa City (2AP), Ames (2AP)

Tagets: Young Voters, Rural Voters 

 

- Jacob Olliver is the best candidate in this race because he has promised, on day one, to push Congress to make affordable college a reality for all, lifting the financial burden on millions of Americans.

- Jacob Olliver cares about rural infrastructure and will invest $100 billion into healthcare, education, and road infrastructure for rural areas across Iowa in desperate need of it. 

 

TOTAL AP SPENT: 30

 

 

 Results

How you spend your time in this mini-game, ultimately, will help determine your standing in pre-polls prior to the initial three primaries/caucuses, along with how the media views you. If you spent all your time barnstorming in Iowa, you may have an advantage there, but your opponent may have spent a lot more time fundraising giving them an upperhand for their warchest, and vice versa.