Fall Sweeps!?

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Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be the Mayor of a City?
What about the Commissioner of Police?
What if the ones you thought you could trust, are more dangerous than they seem?
What if the ones in charge, turn out to be the bad guys after all?

That's right, it's election time in Port Charles and with positions all over the city now up for
grabs, things are about to get serious! Every legal resident of the town is eligible to run for an
elected office and in doing so, who knows what kind of trouble will be stirred up!

When it comes to campaigning, what politician doesn't resort to any means necessary to get what they want?
Bribery, threats and promises they may never intend to keep. Not to mention what happens behind the scenes...

With politics already being a shady business, can you imagine the chaos of open elections in Port Charles?
A place where the crime level is way above normal. Where betrayal and revenge are every day routine.
A reign of the power hungry, of the dangerous or downright evil? And what of the egotistical and the unstable?
The flirts, the reckless, the greedy. And of course don't forget the good, the bad and the ugly.

The price of power doesn't come cheap but for those who do get elected, it could become your greatest dream.
You may very well hold the power of Port Charles in the palm of your hand, but don't forget that in this town,
keep your friends close and your enemies closer because nothing is ever as it seems.




To Be Continued...

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So, as you all might have noticed we're doing an election year sweeps this fall on bleeding love! How it will play out is this: Starting September 17th until a November 1st deadline, all of the legal aged residents in Port Charles are eligible to run for one of the offices listed below. These are just the basic offices we could think of off the top of our heads, so if anyone would like to see another position thrown in there, by all means send us a PM! Now, during this time frame characters will have to not only raise money for their campaign, but they will have to try and gain as many support followers as possible. Why all this work, you might ask? Because the salaries and powerful advantages of being at the top of the government in Port Charles is as good as it gets, just ask Garrett Floyd.

Raising Money. Obviously that can be done by posting, gaming, advertising and working, all of which is earned out of character. Money can also be earned for your campaigns through in character means as well. This includes bribing the towns residents, blackmail and making politicians promises to get them to donate to your cause. It can be anything from an anonymous donation to a role-played car-wash or fundraising event. Be creative- the sky is the limit and as always, the more drama, the better it usually is.

Gain Support. In doing this, it is encouraged that every resident looking to run for an office host some sort of event. Whether it is a casual rally where you gather as many people to speak on your behalf as possible, yourself included, or something as formal as a ball- show the towns residents that you are as dedicated to the town as they want you to be. Other events may include dinner parties, cocktail parties, casino night, masked events, Halloween (coming soon!) and other fun festivities. The more creative the more likely you will be to raise that much needed cash to finance your campaign. It's also a prime time to get the townsfolk a little drunk and... well, I am sure you can figure it out. For all help needed questions, send us a PM.

Advertising. Yes, those elaborate bulletin boards way up in the sky, those yard signs that give your dog something to pee on and even those annoying paper fliers that seem to be everywhere, including telephone polls, stuffed beneath your windshield wipers and even used as absorbent for all the bloodshed this town seems to receive. Ahem... anyway. Advertising plays a key role in any campaign. It allows your voters to become familiar with the person you want them to vote for. Bulletins and fliers can be as plain or as elaborate as you want them to be, but regardless of the design, they never come cheap. All members are welcome to design their own advertisements and create their own campaign logo's, or they may hire a third party to do so for them.

All constituents have until November 1st to submit their name to election officials so that their names can appear on the ballot. All fees and other charges for campaigning will be listed in the next post, so if you really want the benefits of what running for office can give you, don't hesitate to get started as soon as possible. Finally, keep in mind that not only is this Port Charles, but it is also Bleeding Love as well, which means around every corner is something waiting to happen. There are always advantages to helping add fuel to the fire, but even without contributing, the powers that be always have something up their sleeve. And with this towns residents being shady enough on their own, it is always best to keep your friends close and your enemies closer because in this election, nothing is as it seems.

Salary: $5,000 • Veto Power • Executive Decisions • Council Chairman

The Mayor of Port Charles is no easy task, but boy can the benefits be worth it. Not only is the pay pretty good for running an entire city (on top of your current job,) but talk about the advantages. For those who are power hungry and egocentric, this is the ideal job for you. Imagine having the entire town in the palm of your hand? The power to change laws, confiscate property and for the bad of the bad, make the lives of the towns residents a living hell? Depending on the team you're batting for, this is a dream job or a nightmare waiting to happen, but know this: being Mayor in Port Charles- it's a job worth killing for.

Salary: $3,000 • Voting Rights • Proposes New Laws & Actions

The four members that make up the city council within Port Charles (not including the Mayor) have some of the most important jobs within the city. They may be subject to as much legwork as the Mayor, investigating that which needs to be changed, but one of the most important aspects of their jobs are to vote upon everything that comes to pass through the Mayor's office. Any laws/actions that are tabled require a vote. The four council members hear the case and in turn cast their vote. In the event of a tie, the Mayor of Port Charles will contribute to the final say. In the event of a passing vote, the Mayor still withholds veto powers. This means that while the new law or action will still be put into effect, he has the ability to strike or change parts of it if it will otherwise benefit the city.

Salary: $4,000 • Head of the PCPD • Delegates Responsibility

The Commissioner of Police in Port Charles is said to have one of the busiest jobs in the city, what with the continuing elevation of crime within the area; therefore, it is also one of the most important jobs, as he or she who is elected to uphold this responsibility is in charge of the entire police force. The Commissioner holds the right to hire, fire and promote officers, delegate assignments, office responsibilities and punishments. He can also be the bane of existence for any and all bad guys in town, provided corruption hasn't occurred, that is. The Commissioner is also the representative for the force in the event of media coverage and other political tasks.Originally, the role of Commissioner did not extend to field work; however, since the influx of crime that has changed and all too often, we'll see the Commissioner himself, or herself, taking down the bad guys, which means that it is a requirement for anyone running for the position to have Law Enforcement experience.

Salary: $4,000 • Head of Departments & Staff • Delegates Responsibility

The Chief of Staff for General Hospital is a position quite similar to that of the Commissioner of Police, though in two very different fields. The Chief of Staff oversees all doctors, nurses, interns, orderlies and other staff members working within the hospital. It is their responsibility to delegate cases, surgeries and tasks (if needed,) make decisions that may otherwise pose a conflict of interest of difficulty for another doctor and provide a safe and orderly working environment.He or she is also in charge of hiring, firing and promoting within the hospital staff. Also like the Commissioner, the Chief of Staff is first and foremost, a doctor and it is his or her responsibility to take the care of every patient as their highest concern. The Chief of Staff directly answers to the CEO and Board Members of General Hospital and is in charge of enacting any and all changes that come through the hospital. In the event of press or media coverage, all queries are to go through the Chief of Staff before being routed to the Heads of Special Departments, if needed.

Salary: $4,000 • Head Prosecution • In Charge of All Criminal Proceedings

The District Attorney of Port Charles is the head prosecutor in charge of all criminal cases against the city. Like other heads of specific institutions within Port Charles, a candidate for District Attorney must reside within the city limits and must also have been a practicing attorney for no less than five years. The DA works closely with law enforcement officials and his or her own staff to gather additional evidence, background information and analyzes facts to then present the case to a judge. District Attorneys are in direct charge of their staff and are responsible for hiring and firing other city-paid prosecutors, interns and clerks within the DA's office. The only exception to the hiring and firing process is the Assistant District Attorney. The DA also heads up any and all press related activity, though may hand down such a task to the ADA as well.

Salary: $3,000 • Second Prosecution • In Charge of Gathering All Data

Like the DA, the Assistant District Attorney is either an elected official or hired directly through the office of the Mayor. The ADA works closely with the DA, but their primary job is to gather evidence, background information and other data on all cases that pass through the DA's office. The ADA is in charge of organizing the case evidence and presenting it to the DA for prosecution as well as whatever may be needed on behalf of the DA. In the case of larger trials or an excess of court proceedings, the district attorney will also act as official prosecution for the DA's office. In the event that the DA resigns or is unable to fulfill his or her duties, the ADA is then promoted.

Passed Measure: $2,000 Bonus

This basically means that any law changes or additions that affect the entire city of Port Charles are eligible to vote. All residents are eligible to put forth their proposals to election officials (plus applicable fee) before the deadline and the proposed law/action will be added to the ballot for voting. All questions regarding proposed measures should be directed to election officials.

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The Staff reserve the right to add to this guide as needed,
so check back often for more details!

Entry Fees

Ballot Fee: $30,000
Yes, this may seem steep, but no campaign is ever cheap. Of course, just like gas prices, exigent circumstances may always arise that cause ballot prices to go up as well, so those who are eager to get themselves in the running should do so swiftly before they too, are caught up in the inflation.

Proposed Measures Fee: $1,000
It seems steep, but for those of you whose suggestion get votes in, you're actually winning twice! Not only do you earn a $2,000 bonus for your suggestions win, but you also have the added benefit of your law being applied to the city, which could mean big things for you! Use the purchases board to submit your proposed measures/rules for the election!

Campaign Fees

Fundraising:
Raising money is an integral part of any campaign. Without financial and voter support for prospective candidates, very few even make it through the process. The below list include permit prices as well as a few types of fundraising events. Every candidate running for office must participate in at least one event. Additional events given by candidates will provide them with a waived fee and an additional $1,000 credited to their account. Staff help is permitted for events if needed. All publicly made donations must go through the purchases board. For any privately made donations, members can PM the staff account for the transaction.

• Permits: $1,000
  • Rallies
  • Casual Parties
  • Cocktail Parties
  • Dinner Parties
  • Formals
  • Publicity Events
  • Balls
  • Themed Events
  • Service Events
    • Car washes
    • Volunteering
    • And for the desperate... kiss the...
    
    

Advertising:
This is what is going to make the residents of Port Charles aware of just who is running for office and what they can do for you! Different forms of advertisements here will mean different things to residents, but remember that it is up to you to convince your fellow neighbors to support you! (By whatever means necessary, in addition to the below prices. They can support multiple candidates if the price is right for them.) The only acceptable forms of advertising may be made through this guide. If you would like something other than listed above, feel free to request it here. All advertisement orders may be placed using the purchases board, with the details as follows:

• Signature Size (500x300) - Equivalent to 'Vote For' badges worn on clothing: $500 each
• Board Banner (500x500) - Equivalent to Yard Signs: $500 each
• Custom Thread Announcement - Equivalent to Flyers posted around town: $500
• Standard Posts - Equivalent to Word of Mouth: $200 each

Reminders:

• Keep in mind that the election is a story-line that adds to sweeps itself. The events contributed by campaigns, as well as staff created events will also pop up prior to election day!
• Remember that this is Port Charles after all and shady people abound! Not all the benefits of being elected to office are listed above, but we promise it'll be a lot of fun in the long run, so do what you can to get involved! If you play a bad guy, even better for you!
• Feel free to throw your own drama in there! There is nothing better than shots flying, secret trysts, affairs and more! Drama, danger and secrets are what Port Charles is about- where is the fun in playing it safe?