2024 Balzian vice presidential election
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| Turnout | 61.4% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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A map showing the results of the 2024 Balzian Vice Presidential Election by region. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 2024 Balzian vice presidential election was held on Friday, November 1, 2024, marking the first election in the history of the Republic of Balzi. The election aimed to establish a formal government following the plebiscite and ratification of the 2024 Constitution, which ushered in the Third Republican Era. Considered the largest documented democratic election in the Southeast Asian micronational community, the election was also regarded as the first major election conducted within a Philippine micronational community. The election saw 35 registered voters, live debates, partial tallies, and adherence to legal procedures, establishing a strong foundation for democratic practices. The election was organized under Executive Order 22, issued on October 14, 2024, which outlined the establishment of the election and campaign periods. The 2024 Constitution, formally adopted on October 16, 2024, provided the legal framework for the election. The Supreme Court of Balzi oversaw the filing of candidacies, debates, and other election-related activities, ensuring a transparent process. The election focused on key governmental positions, particularly the Vice Presidency and Senate seats.
The vice presidential race featured four primary candidates. Jade Tolibas, Governor of Whistland, represented the Liberal Party and was supported by the Victa administration. Felix Isaac Tomado, Governor of Klenburg and Chief of the National Guards of Balzi, ran as the Nationalist Party candidate, backed by conservative factions. Abu Al Hassan, Governor of Shukralma and a member of the Abbas Party, became the first prominent Muslim candidate in Balzian history and the first Arab-Iraqi to run for one of the highest positions in the Republic. Joel De Vega Lirazan, representing the Lirazanism Progressive Party, initially ran for vice president but withdrew on October 27, 2024, in favor of Tomado.
Tolibas won the vice presidential seat with 17 votes, marking the highest number of votes ever cast for a candidate in a Balzian vice presidential election. The Liberal Party also secured control of the Senate, winning six out of ten seats. Tolibas’s victory was attributed to strong support in key Liberal-majority regions, including Ruzka, Mainland Balzi, and Whistland, where he outperformed Tomado in later tally rounds.
The senatorial race was equally competitive, with Jovhan Lebhie Manabo leading consistently across four partial tallies. Manabo ultimately received the highest vote count among senatorial candidates, with 24 votes.
The 2024 election featured the largest pool of candidates in modern Balzian political history. Tolibas won the Liberal Party’s vice-presidential nomination with support from the Coalition of the People (COALLE), an alliance between the Liberal, People’s, and Social-Democrat Parties. Tomado received the Nationalist Party’s nomination, with an endorsement from Lirazan, who later withdrew from the race. Al Hassan secured the Abbas Party’s nomination.
A significant event during the campaign was a cyberattack on the Nationalist Party’s convention, allegedly conducted by members of the Liberal Party. President Victa condemned the attack, distancing the Liberal Party from the incident and reaffirming the party’s commitment to ethical election practices.
Key issues during the election included the newly ratified 2024 Balzian Constitution, expansion policies for Balzi, LGBTQ+ rights, and Balzian citizenship. These topics were central to candidates’ platforms and influenced voter support in different regions. Early voting in the populous Region of Ruzka, which held physical polls, contributed to the final result.
On Election Day, Tolibas ultimately defeated Tomado, receiving 17 votes to Tomado’s 12. Tomado led in the first and second partial tallies but was surpassed by Tolibas in the third and fourth rounds. Tolibas’s success in Liberal-majority regions, particularly in Ruzka, Mainland Balzi, and Whistland, was key to his victory.
Following the election, Tomado and Nationalist Party members conceded the race in an orderly manner, offering congratulations to Tolibas and expressing their intention to attend his inauguration in support of the democratic process.