Election Candidates Announced
Earlier this evening, Chancellor, HSH Lord Jonathan, announced the official candidates for the Diasporic List election. The candidates are as follows: – Lord Andrew Creed, Baron of Corinium Terentium– Lord Karl Friedrich, Duke of Bohemia– Lord Mick Griffin, Baron of Glainamar– H.E. The Right Hon. Sir Hugh McFarlane, KCA– H.E. Prof. Sir Sanjib Bhattacharya, KOB, KCA– Mr. Ortiz Augusto Javier Non-residential subjects will be contacted before the date of the election with further information on the candidates and instructions for how to vote. The election has been scheduled for 9 December 2024. The Times followed up with the Chancellor to inquire on candidates for the local Town elections. While no official list has been released yet, the Chancellor provided us with the following information:
Interview with the Attorney General

On 15 November 2024, it was announced to the public by His Imperial Majesty, Aggelos I, that the vacant Attorney General position had been filled by H.E. The Rt. Hon. Sir Hugh McFarlane, KCA. Since 2016, McFarlane has served as Governing Commissioner of the Austenasian Crown Dependency, New South Scotland. It was only 4 days earlier that McFarlane was granted full Austenasian non-residential citizenship. The Times sat down with the new Attorney General to gauge his opinions on the goings-on and of future things to come. The interview with McFarlane went as follows: Q: “First off, the Times would like to congratulate you on your recent naturalization as non-residential citizen of Austenasia! After 8 years as Governing Commissioner of New South Scotland, what made you finally decide to become a fully naturalized citizen and get more involved in the government of Austenasia?” A: “Thank you for the question and your warm congratulations. I always somewhat assumed I held Austenasia citizenship and was simply focused on serving New South Scotland. It was only when I checked whether I could vote in the recent election that it was confirmed I did not hold citizenship. Q: “Your appointment to Attorney General comes as a pleasant surprise to most. What are your expectations for your tenure in office?” A: “That’s very kind. Prime Minister Creed has been clear that significant legislative and constitutional reforms are on the horizon. One of my roles as Attorney-General is to provide the Government with legal counsel. While I am yet to discuss the precise scope of these proposals with Cabinet, I plan to ensure they uphold and enhance democracy and the rule of law within Austenasia. Q: “A concern for some within the Empire could be the lack of activity from its elected and appointed officials. Can Austenasia count on you to remain an active member of government who is reachable at appropriate times during any given day?” A: “I can of course pledge to be as active as any official in the Empire should be. What’s more, I am confident that the Government’s term will see increased activity more broadly.” Q: “Is there any aspect of the government that you believe is not up to snuff and needs some revitalization?” A: “We’ll see what the judicial arrangement review digs up in terms of long term issues, but the Government itself has my confidence at this time.” We would like to thank the Attorney General for giving us his time on the matter and we would like to wish him and the rest of Cabinet all the best going forward. Elections announced Earlier today, His Imperial Majesty announced via Discord of the upcoming elections for the Diasporic List and the Towns of Caldari, Chalcedon, and Nahona. The elections are scheduled for 9 December 2024. Sir Hugh McFarlane has informed the Times that he will be standing for election in the Diasporic List.
Results announced for Division elections
Results have been announced for yesterday’s election, the first for the new Divisions recently established for non-residential subjects. Three of the four Divisions had only a single candidate stand. Turnout in these Divisions was, as expected, accordingly quite low, although voters did have the option to vote for an abstention, which – should the majority of votes be cast for it – cause that specific election to be re-run with new candidates. However, the three Divisions with a single candidate all saw said candidate win comfortably. Lord Andrew Creed has been elected for the Britain and Ireland Division, Professor Sir Sanjib Bhattacharya for the Asia Division, and Sir Isaiah Burdette for the New World Division. Lord Creed received 100% of the vote, and both Professor Bhattacharya and Sir Isaiah received 80%. Many eyes were on the election for the Europe and Africa Division, which had three candidates standing; a record for a local election. With a turnout of 68.75% (11 out of 16 eligible voters), Dr Kalin Yanev narrowly won with 5 votes, with his opponents Nitan Kumar and Clemens Schumann receiving 4 and 2 respectively. The four newly elected Representatives take office today. Although, constitutionally speaking, new elections do not now have to take place for up to five years, the Prime Minister Lord William has stated he would prefer elections to take place much more frequently in Divisions so as to encourage political engagement and ensure democratic mandates.
Candidates announced for non-residential elections
Nominations have closed and candidates have been announced for the elections taking place on July 31st. The upcoming elections are a historic first, being for the Divisions established at the start of the month to represent non-residential subjects in Parliament. Any non-residential subject – that is, an Austenasian not living within an Austenasian land claim – will be entitled to vote for a Representative, depending on the region of the world in which they live. Of the four Divisions into which the Empire’s non-residential subjects were placed, three returned only a single candidate for Representative. Professor Sir Sanjib Bhattacharya is standing for Asia, Lord Andrew Creed is standing for Britain and Ireland, and Sir Isaiah Burdette is standing for the New World. The non-residentials of these Divisions will therefore have the option to either vote for the sole candidate or to abstain. Should the majority of votes be abstentions, the election will be re-run for that Division, with those eligible to do so invited again to stand. Professor Bhattacharya has served in various diplomatic capacities for the Empire since 2015, and has had an award-winning career in translation and education. Lord Creed is the incumbent Home Secretary, and took part in the Cabinet discussions for the naturalisation and representation initiative that has culminated in these elections. Sir Isaiah is one of the newly-naturalised Austenasians whose entry into the Empire made these elections so necessary, and has held various roles within the Grand Unified Micronational. The Europe and Africa Division, on the other hand, has had three different candidates stand. Perhaps the most well-known of these three candidates is H.E. Nitan Kumar, Austenasia’s ceremonial Ambassador to Ukraine, whose safety has been of concern due to living in the beleaguered city of Kharkiv, in which he has organised humanitarian relief. The other two candidates for the non-residential subjects of Europe and Africa are Mr Clemens Schumann and Dr Kalin Yanev, both of whom joined Austenasia in May. Mr Schumann is running on a liberal left-wing platform, and Dr Yanev has expressed interest in developing Austenasian culture, having been conducting research on the organisation of societies and cultures for over 15 years. Votes will be counted and the duly elected Representatives announced and take office on Tuesday 1st August, replacing four Acting Representatives appointed by Parliament upon the creation of the Divisions.
New Town claimed in Colorado
A new Austenasian Town has been founded after a family of three in Colorado claimed their home for the Empire. The Colquhoun family contacted Emperor Jonathan I with a request to join Austenasia, and after supplying the necessary information their house was formally annexed earlier today as the Town of Chandler. The now Lord Michael Colquhoun has been appointed Baron of Chandler, as well as its Acting Representative. A local election for Chandler – as well as for the similarly young town of Valens – is expected to be held early next year to secure a democratic mandate for parliamentary representation. With Parliament being in recess for the festive period, the annexation was enacted through an Imperial Decree, which will be put before the House of Representatives to be formally ratified after the holiday season. This marks the first time that Austenasia has had eleven towns. The Empire previously held a record number of ten towns from January 2015 to September 2016, a number briefly reached again in February 2020, and again since May this year.
Incumbents re-elected in local elections for Kingeston and North Nahona
Local elections took place in Kingeston and North Nahona on Monday 13th July, with the Acting Representatives of said Towns elected to the positions proper. In Kingeston, which was transitioned into a Town from a Crown Dependency in May, Lord Austin Jaax was elected Representative with a 100% turnout. In North Nahona, which was founded in June, The Hon. Payton Moore was elected Representative with a 50% turnout. Both had been appointed Acting Representative of their respective Town upon its foundation by order of Parliament. Both ran unopposed, and both gained 100% of the vote, with no voters choosing to abstain.
Local elections see new Mayor for New Richmond
Tuesday 21st May saw local elections take place in New Richmond, Theodosiopolis, and Dragovina. These were the first elections to take place in Theodosiopolis and Dragovina since their foundation in March and April respectively. Both saw their Acting Representatives elected as Representatives proper. New Richmond saw its Representative, the Prime Minister Lord Admiral Kennedy, re-elected for the sixth time in a row. As New Richmond is a City, its subjects were also voting for a Mayor. The previous Mayor of New Richmond, Captain William Kennedy, had resigned on 24 April, with his nephew Alex Francis being appointed Acting Mayor by the city council. Tuesday’s election saw Mr Francis elected as Mayor of New Richmond with 100% of the vote with a 75% turnout of twelve people. Mr Francis is a member of the Imperial Party, which currently holds a plurality of seats in Parliament.
Local elections in Ionisia and Jovanovo
Local elections in Ionisia and Jovanovo have concluded, with the Acting Representatives of the two towns being elected as Representatives proper. Ionisia and Jovanovo joined the Empire last month, with Prince Aggelos and Iron Lord Dankovsky being appointed their respective Acting Representatives. Both Acting Representatives stood as the only candidates in yesterday’s elections, meaning that there was an Abstain option which, if it gained the majority of votes, would have rendered the election inconclusive. However, both candidates were elected in their towns with unanimous support, as well as a 100% turnout from all eligible voters (2 in Ionisia and 9 in Jovanovo).
Emperor Father Terry and Countess Victoria elected Mayors
Apologies for the delayed publication of this news due to technical difficulties. Local elections on Thursday 9th February in Wrythe and New Richmond saw HIH Emperor Father Terry and Victoria Hathaway, Countess of Sidney elected as the respective Mayor for each city. The local elections also saw – as expected – the incumbents Emperor Jonathan I and Lord Admiral Joseph Kennedy re-elected as Representatives of Wrythe and of New Richmond respectively. An Act of Parliament passed last month created city status to be granted to various prominent towns. The Emperor called local elections in the two towns granted city status in order for them to elect a mayor. Mayors have the power to chair their city council, veto changes to the city arms, and unilaterally implement bye-laws in relation to local governance. Since his abdication as Emperor in February 2010 up until now, the now Emperor Father Terry has not been involved in politics, but enlisted in the Austenasian Army in August 2011 and served as a consul in 2013. Victoria Hathaway, Countess of Sidney is a resident of a new area of New Richmond annexed to the city in December 2016, and was appointed one of this year’s two consuls on New Year’s Day.
Mayoral elections called for the Empire’s cities
HIM Emperor Jonathan I has called for local elections to take place in the Empire’s two cities on 9 February. Wrythe and New Richmond became Austenasia’s first two towns to be granted city status earlier this month, on 8 January and 9 January respectively. The local elections will see the electorates of both cities elect a Mayor, who will hold responsibilities in local government. The position of Representative will also be up for election, but it is expected that the incumbents – Jonathan I in Wrythe and Lord Admiral Joseph Kennedy in New Richmond – will be re-elected. As the positions of Representative and of Mayor are incompatible, it remains to be seen who will run for election as Mayor in the two cities. Alongside calling the elections, the Emperor also granted a mural crown to the arms of both cities in recognition of their new status.