31st Congressional Elections Article!!!

Day 930, 10:16 • Published in USA USA • by APF Communications
In this article
How To: Run for Congress under the APF
How To: Get an APF Endorsement as a member of another Top 5 Party
How To: Keep our Country safe from PTOs during Congressional Elections
How To: Work for the Elections Staff
Our Elections Staff this month:
Elections Director: Dan Heylin
Campaign Strategist: 😕exLuthor1

For these upcoming congressional elections I (Dan Heylin) have been appointed as the new elections director. I have a very clear vision for these elections. I want things done before the deadline is even mentioned, I want to leave time to adapt to error, and I want to utilize time.

Regional Directors:
Marxus
Evry
Sunnygyrl315
Aersidius
Assistant Regional Directors:
K-Ratz
Chadwick0585
Jacksondr5
Ian Holm

Becoming an APF Congressional Candidate
The APF is always looking for active, intelligent eCitizens who want to become involved in their government. Are you one of those people? If so, read on.
Be warned, though: going from an average citizen to an elected representative is not an easy road. You will have to meet several requirements and work your way through our approval process. You have to be enthusiastic, committed, and willing to put in effort. If you can't put in effort in order to be elected, then we (the Elections staff) have no reason to believe you will put in effort once in Congress. So, work with us and do what we ask of you, and we will help you as much as we can with your goal of getting elected.
There are two different processes we have in place for approving our candidates. Be sure you know which one you will have to follow.

Freshmen Candidates
This next section will describe our approval process for candidates who have never been elected to Congress before.
1. Fill out this form. It will let us know you are interested, so we can contact you for the next steps of the process.
2. You will get a PM from our Elections staff after we have received your form. This PM will be to set up an interview so we can get to know you as a candidate better, and also to make sure that you are serious about this, not just running to win a medal.
3. Once you pass the interview stage, you will have to take a basic class designed to inform you about Congress. There are three mandatory sessions, and a final exam. Once you pass this exam, you are approved to run! Be sure that after this step, you declare in-game.
4. But the road doesn't end there. Part of the campaigning process is writing a platform article. Our Elections staff will be happy to help you with this, but your article must be approved by us before it can be published in-game.
5. The last step in the campaigning process is finding voters, mainly by mass-messaging the state you are running in. Again, if you're not sure what to do, the Elections staff will be happy to help.

Incumbents and Former Congressmen
This section is for people who are currently serving in Congress, or have served before.
1. Fill out this form.
2. Answer any questions that our Elections staff might ask you.
3. Declare in-game
4. Find voters and (preferred but not required) write a platform.
Getting an APF Endorsement
NOTE: If you are an APF candidate, you automatically have our endorsement.
Getting an APF Endorsement is relatively simple. Fill out the form, and wait for us to contact you. The number of endorsements depends on the number of candidates we are running, as well as the quality of the candidates applying for our endorsement.

Being a Blocker or Mobile Voter
What is a Blocker?
A blocker is a person who runs for Congress without intending to win. Blockers are assigned certain states and parties, and are required to remain in the country from when they declare in-game until after the elections are over. Blockers also are asked to change their avatar to one asking people not to vote for them because, once again, blockers are not supposed to win.
The reason blockers are necessary is to prevent any hostile candidates from getting onto the ballot and attempting to politically take-over (PTO) the country. If you are looking for a way to help the country, and be noticed by the party, being a blocker is a very easy way to do so. Interested? Fill out this form.
What are Mobile Voters?
The fortress strategy has done an excellent job protecting the US from attack. However, it also makes congressional elections heavily disproportional. A congressman (or woman) from a fortress has the same power as one elected from a wasteland region, despite the fortess having 20+ times more population. By signing up here as a mobile voter, you help ensure that quality candidates are elected across the nation; not just in the fortresses. By doing this, you also ensure that your vote actually matters, and, as a mobile voter, you are helping your party (and in cases of potential PTOs, your country) succeed.

6th Party Candidates
If you are in a 6th party and would like to run for congress all you have to do is fill out this form.The APF would gladly run you if you follow the rules and guidelines and match up to our expectations.

Joining the Elections Staff
The Elections staff needs people! There is work that needs to be done, interviewing candidates and reviewing platforms, that is more than the Elections Directors can handle on their own. Are you an older player looking for something to do? A newer player looking for a job within the party? PM Dan Heylin or LexLuthor1, or go to our IRC channel or forums and tell us you're interested.
If you have any questions about any of this, feel free to PM APF Elections Director Dan Heylin or LexLuthor1
Signed,
APF Elections Director:
Dan Heylin