Election 2005: SDP Holds On

All three main parties were claiming election success this morning, as the final results from yesterday's polls were declared.

Preliminary reports indicate that incumbent mayor Watson Broad and his Social Democratic Party have prevailed, but with a much reduced majority. The Democratic Socialist Party, led by Lumbus Simms, won seats from the Social Democrats in Carea and High Palms, reducing the ruling party's advantage over the opposition to just one seat.

From his constituency in Licoco Town North, Mr Broad hailed the result as an historic victory. "The people have given us their seal of approval. They have passed their verdict on the last four years and they have found us not guilty. This is a resounding endorsement."

Questioned about the extent of the resonance, he explained, "Well, yes, it's not quite as resounding as last time, we would have liked a bit more resonance, but we have to take on board this message from the people. They thought we should only have a small majority this time, so they only gave us a small majority this time.

"But they like us, there's no doubt about that. It's just that they like us even more with a smaller majority. And we like them even more when we've got a smaller majority, too. We like eachother very much at the moment."

Mr Simms, at home in his constituency of Massive Central, was also in bullish mood. "This election has been a great success," he announced to a cheering crowd of wellwishers. "The voters have voted with their votes. They have voted for the Social Democrats, but they have also voted for us!"

He claimed that the result put his party in a very strong position. "It shows the mounting dissatisfaction with the Social Democrats. People recognise that the Democratic Socialists are now the party on the move. A mood for change is in the air. The road to the next election starts here."

It was a particularly long night in Teo Plaga. "Oh yes, very long," said Fred Snooze, who retained his seat for the DSP after a fierce challenge from Richard Regicide-Polyester of the Independent Licoco Party. "Going on twelve hours. It was very dark."

Mr Regicide-Polyester remained upbeat, despite failing to win at the ILP's #1 target seat. "That's true, we didn't win," he admitted, "but we doubled our share of the vote. It shows how disenchantment with the mainstream politicians has grown. At least if you vote for me you get what I say you get. Me."

The only party that did not appear happy with the election result was the Teo Plaga Beach Party. Party leader Duke Smith told Licoco Island News that failure to field any candidates had cost them valuable votes: "Yeh man, you see, like, we were going to, but man, we didn't. We were just too cool, man. We had a good time last night, though, yeh, you should've been here."

Public reaction to the result varied across the island. "It's terrible. An appalling catastrophe," said Massive Central resident John. "I feel like we've been sentenced to another four years in a Nazi death camp."

"No, no, I think on the whole it's not a bad thing," said Jackie, of Silvertown. "I voted for them, so it's all right." Asked why she had voted for the SDP, she said, "Well, they're okay, really. I mean the other parties, they're okay too, but the Social Democrats, I guess they're just okay. I always voted Social Democrat. They're okay."

Licoco Island News: before, during, and even afterwards.