It’s been a slow start to the autumn governorship elections. With a third of the nomination period now over, only seven potential candidates have so far come forward and there is not yet a town where the electorate will be given a choice.

Three of the incumbent governors are seeking re-election: Hoffs in Skara Brae, Morgan Ironfist in New Magincia, and Samantha in Yew. In addition, the two losing candidates from the Minoc and Vesper June elections, Possum and Victim respectively, have also thrown their hat into the ring again. A fourth current governor, Sam of Moonglow, has declared himself for re-election in the past few hours and he could be facing a contest from political newcomer York, but the challenger’s candidacy has yet to be endorsed. The losing Moonglow candidate from the first election, Jack Nickelson, has also indicated that he will be running.

However, the biggest shock has come in Britain, scene of the fiercest election battle in June. Back then, three candidates (Ducky Momo, God and Sprago) garnered a total of sixty-one votes during the course of the campaign. But nobody has yet declared their intention of running in the nation’s capital this term and present governor Sprago’s office is not answering pigeons about whether he will be seeking re-election himself.

Meanwhile, down in the south, there is growing resentment at the continuing political vacuum. Neither Jhelom nor Trinsic had a legitimate governor in the last term, and there is no sign of anyone stepping forward this time around.

“Nobody cares,” complained Bronson, the longest-tenured tinker in Jhelom. “All them politicos and posh la-di-das are only interested in what goes on up north. As long as they can sit around hobnobbing with one another in their fancy keeps and castles, they could care less about the rest of us.”

“It’s true”, agreed a Trinsic merchant, who wished to remain anonymous, “I hear ol’ Blackie spends more time on his junkets to Luna and Zento than he does in the south of his own lands.”

“The rich get richer and the poor get poorer”, lamented Cador the fish monger, “there’s nobody to help fill our treasury or campaign to improve our town. I had three boxes of cod go rotten after me wagon broke a wheel in a huge pothole. But who can I complain to about the roads? Who’s listening?”

Of course, there’s still plenty of time for fresh candidates to come forward. But the clock is ticking, and for the sake of national unity, the King’s Council, and especially “ol’ Blackie”, better hope that they do.

Are YOU a citizen of Jhelom or Trinsic? Then send me a pigeon with your thoughts.

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