Ár Ré leadership election, 4518

Ár Ré - Party of Kirlawa held a leadership election from July 4518 to December 4518 to replace Shannon O'Brian. Macculkin Connaughey, a backbencher recently elected in the July 4518 elections, won against veteran Bernard Jackyl in an extremely close race. A total of 99,966 votes were cast, and a margin of 56 votes, or 0.04% of the total votes cast, separated the two candidates.

Analysts attribute Connaughey's win to a disillusionment with the party's top brass, particularly with its understaffed Cabinet and its failure to enact new policy. Although a majority of the party's establishment, such as party stalwarts and Cabinet members, sided with Jackyl in the election, the party membership and incoming parliamentarians overwhelmingly backed Connaughey.

Background
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Procedure
Up to six candidates can participate in the leadership election. Candidates need not be holding public office, but have to be a member of Ár Ré for at least three years, and must receive at least one "endorsement". The nature of this endorsement was enlarged since the last election to include not only sitting Ár Ré members of the General Assembly, Regional Assemblies, the incumbent Leader and a former President of Kirlawa from Ár Ré, but also to former Cabinet members of Ár Ré. If more than six candidates apply, the six candidates with the most endorsements will be selected to participate in the election. If only one candidate is nominated, the election will be re-run.

The last constitutional review was held in 4475. No changes were made.

Timeline

 * Remainder of July: Candidates are able to submit their nomination papers.
 * Remainder of July - November 21 Campaigning.
 * August 1 - November 31: Postal ballots are sent to all eligible voters, and can be returned during that period.
 * December 1 - December 10: No further postal ballots are sent out, but ballots may continue to be submitted until December 10.
 * December 10 - December 22: Postal ballots are tabulated and the new leader of Ár Ré is announced on December 23.
 * December 23: Leader-elect formally sworn in at a special party conference.