Georgeland Presidential election, 2008

The Georgeland Presidential election of 2008 will be the first in Georgeland since 1954. All Presidents from 1958 to 2004 have been appointed by Parliament. In 2004, constitutional reforms brought the directly-elected Presidency back.

Timing
The election may not occur in 2008 at all. When the Constitution of Georgeland was altered in 2004 it grandfathered incumbent President Charlotte Lang, declaring there would be an election at the end of her term. If Lang resigns, retires or dies prior to her term ending (in 2008), there is some confusion as to whether her successor would be elected. It could be argued that though Lang would no longer be President, her term nevertheless does not end until June 1, 2008 (the date specified) and that somebody could be appointed as President to complete Lang's term rather than have to face an election. The issue has not yet been put to the Supreme Court. President Lang has given no indication she does not intend to serve a full term.

Assuming President Lang remains in office until the conclusion of her term, the Presidential election will take place on May 2, 2008, with the winner to be sworn in on June 1.

Conservative
The Conservative Party of Georgeland announced on March 25, 2007, that their candidate would be chosen in a national closed primary in which all registered members of the Conservative Party, of which there are almost 250,000, would be eligible to vote. The winner will be declared on February 4, 2008.

Liberal Democratic
The Liberal Democratic Party will choose its candidate at a national convention to be held on January 28, 2008. All 656 local branches of the LDP will each elect two delegates to the convention. The convention delegates will then select a candidate.

Georgeland Alliance
The Georgeland Alliance candidate will be selected by party members in a postal vote.

Greens
The Green Party of Georgeland announced on April 1, 2007, that it would choose its candidate in January 2008 by a vote of all party members.

Registered Candidates
No candidate has yet formally registered for the election.

Declared Candidates

 * Tim Gainsler. On the July 12 edition of Cryer Tonite, Gainsler declared his intention to run for the Presidency under the banner of The Official Silly Party of Georgeland, which he co-leads. He had not yet decided under what name he would run, but said he was considering running under the name Tintin Gainsler.
 * Michael Fisch announced January 9, 2007 he would spend the year seeking the Conservative nomination.

Potential Candidates
The 2008 election will be the first at which political parties will be allowed to field candidates for the Presidency. As such, speculation is rife about who each party will choose. Prime Minister Campbell Rhodes and his predecessor, Michael Elderton, have both suggested a U.S.-style primary election for the choice of candidates.

Liberal Democratic Party of the United Islands
Potential
 * Campbell Rhodes. Retiring at the end of July 2005, speculation is rife Rhodes may attempt a Presidential run in 2008. As a former Prime Minister, and a popular one at that, Rhodes would probably have little difficulty achieving the nomination of his party and could very easily win the election. It should be noted that Rhodes was opposed to an elected Presidency. Rhodes, at 45, would be Georgeland's youngest President if he were to be elected. Rhodes has consistently avoided answering any questions on his political future, refusing to rule out a presidential bid.
 * Andrea Perkins. The former Deputy PM and leadership rival to Zoe Parker has said she is "interested" in exploring the idea of a Presidential run. Perkins, in October 2006, told a small group of her supporters that if she were to run it would be on a national consensus platform with an emphasis on increasing dialogue and co-operation between all major political parties. In April 2007, Perkins announced the formation of a committee to investigate her options regarding a run, and launched a website entitled "The Perkins Project", requesting supporters to register to aid a potential Perkins campaign.

Conservative Party of Georgeland

 * Patrick Gunning. The Governor of Scoita is nominally Independent but has strong Tory views and is an inactive party member. Popular in Scoita, Gunning's candidacy would be popular in his own state. Gunning has suffered from a number of health problems, many of them serious, that would likely rule him out as a candidate.
 * Kyle Jonas, former Chief Minister of Bradmarch. In June 2005, when asked by an interviewer if he planned a return to politics, Jonas replied "I rule nothing out. Maybe I'll run for President - who knows?"

Georgeland Alliance

 * Michael Elderton was a strong advocate for an elected Presidency. Some consider him a potential candidate, though he has denied any interest.
 * Lois Daniels. The Mayor of Santa Christina raised some eyebrows in May 2006 when she called for a 'standard bearer' to challenge the two major parties, pointing to the Presidential election as one such opportunity. She raised further eyebrows when in July 2006, she told Alliance supporters to 'carry the flag' all the way to Martin Hall.

Others/Independents

 * Martin Harrod. The left-wing actor who ran for Governor of West Mainland in 2004 has ties to the Green Party of Georgeland. In an interview on February 17, 2005, Harrod said "The Presidency would give me a chance to get my views heard."
 * Emma Hewitt. The Governor of Capitalia is said to be "very interested" in running for the Presidency. A Hewitt campaign may be hampered by her relative inexperience.

Declined to run
On May 2, 2007, one year before the election will be held, President Lang declared in a public statement that she would not be a candidate and would instead retire from the Presidency upon the completion of her term. The former commander of Georgeland forces in Norman, now a Senator for the Georgeland Alliance, had been touted as a candidate due to his military experience and leadership. On September 17, 2006, Bedford declared he had "absolutely no interest" in running for the Presidency, and encouraged party leader Michael Elderton to run, saying his ideal job would be "Prime Minister of an Alliance government with President Elderton in Martin Hall." The former Chief Minister of Delmago Island had been reported to be considering a run as an independent. On September 4, 2006, Hislop declared she would not return to politics.
 * Charlotte Lang, incumbent President.
 * John Bedford
 * Maryanne Hislop

Implications
The election of a President in Georgeland will alter to some degree at least the nature of Georgeland politics. Critics of a directly-elected Presidency claim the President will claim a mandate and thus try to influence government, creating conflict with Prime Minister and Cabinet. Supporters of an elected Presidency argue that the President would be aware of the conventions of Westminster government, and point out that an elected, but ceremonial, Presidency exists and works in many countries, notably Ireland. They also argue that rarely, if ever, do elected State Governors intervene in the day-to-day business of government.