//------------------------------//
// Primary Rout 
// Story: Election in Ponyville 3:  Destiny at Stake 
// by StormLuna 
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Many hours had passed and it was nearly nine in Ponyville, almost two hours after the polls had closed.  Because of the huge growth over the past four years, counting all the ballots took far longer than it used to.  While it was somewhat annoying to some locals and some up in Canterlot, namely Princess Celesta, who were waiting for the results the anchors with ENC were much less irritated than they were four years ago.  They knew that Ponyville's results would take a lot longer to come back than it used to and in the case of Sunny Flames, it didn't bother her one bit.  

When the results were just about ready to be reported, a notification was sent to ENC and the post-results coverage in Omareha were cut away from and went straight to Hard News.  "Good evening Equestria, we hope you are enjoying all the election night coverage.  The votes in Ponyville have been counted so now we send you out to Sunny Flames who is reporting."  

Once the cameras were rolling, Hard News addressed her, "Sunny, from what we have heard, there were huge numbers of creatures going to the polls in Ponyville today?  How do you think that affected the election?"

Sunny replied, "There were many creatures out voting and from what I have learned, there are over a thousand registered voters in Ponyville, more than three times as many from four years ago and given the makeup of the community, I do think it has likely aided Amethyst Star significantly."

"Why is it that you think it would help Amethyst so much?"  Hard News asked. 

Sunny replied, "Because it is Amethyst's policies that enabled them to move here, it is her policies that allowed their businesses to come here and her desire to continue to push the community forward will only make things better."

It was finally 9:20 when Hard News finally got the notification that the results were ready.  He then read off the results, "In the Ponyville primary election, Amethyst Star received 1,013 votes, Colgate received 9 votes, Rarity received 5 votes and Trixie Lulamoon received 2 votes.  Amethyst Star has easily won the Ponyville primary election." 

Outside of the Sky Needle, the massive crowd went wild.  Fireworks were being shot off and the crowd was so loud that the chants of "Amethyst, Amethyst, Amethyst!" were easily heard all the way across town.  After reading the results Hard News continued, "And this shatters the old record for margin of victory, Amethyst Star received well over 98% of the vote." 

Sunny chimed in, "I had a feeling that Amethyst would win big but even I never anticipated a rout this big." 

Hard News then read an interesting fact, "Now in the past we would have announced who Amethyst would face off against in the general but under Equestrian election laws, no candidate that finishes with less than one percent of the vote can advance to the general so as of right now, Amethyst Star is the only pony in the November election." 

Sunny was ecstatic upon hearing this, the very fact that Amethyst could very well be guaranteed victory.  She commented, "That means that Amethyst is likely already the winner." 

Hard News replied, "That is likely....."  He then got a notification that Princess Celestia was on the phone to discuss the situation on the network.  He continued, "Right now we have Princess Celestia on the phone to discuss this situation in Ponyville with the country." 

He then began the conversation with the princess. 



"Princess Celestia, it is very nice to have you with us tonight." 

"It is a pleasure to speak to you." 

"I am taking it that your address involves the results in Ponyville?"

"That is correct."  *pauses for a minute* "Now as everypony knows, Amethyst Star finished with well over 98% of the vote and none of the other candidates even got 1% of the vote.  Current election laws in Equestria are that no candidate that finishes with less than one percent of the vote can advance to the general.  Because of that, Amethyst Star is the only pony on the ballot for the November election." 

"Does that mean that Amethyst automatically wins and will get her third term?"

"Not necessarily.  Election laws state that I must allow at least one candidate, one that was not in the primary who meets requirements, to file to run for mayor before August 1.  If nocreature files by the end of July, Amethyst Star will be declared the winner by default.  So if anycreature who meets the requirements to run for mayor of Ponyville wishes to file, do so before the deadline." 

"Princess Celestia, how many candidates will be allowed to file without there having to be another primary?"

"This has never happened before and there is nothing in the current election laws that places a limit on the number of candidates so there is a chance there could be a fair amount of candidates running in the general." 

"Alright Princess Celestia, thank you for clarifying not just us, but the whole country on the situation in Ponyville." 

"The pleasure was all mine." 



After the call with Celestia ended, coverage in Ponyville continued and a huge roar from the crowd was heard.  Hard News heard this and asked, "Sunny, I am assuming that things at Amethyst's watch party are going quite well?"

Sunny replied, "Yes, things are going very well.  During Celestia's address, everycreature began chanting 'three-peat, three-peat, three-peat' even though there is a chance that someone else or multiple others may travel to Canterlot and file." 

Hard News commented, "I am assuming her supporters are thinking that given Amethyst's margin of victory here makes her invincible." 

Sunny broke int a smile, "Yes, I am thinking that is the case." 

Hard News then got a notification that results were ready to report elsewhere.  "Well that is all the time we have for coverage in Ponyville as results are now in in Las Pegasus." 

Once the cameras went black in Ponyville, Sunny wanted so badly to go and congratulate Amethyst over what was a historic victory and what could even be a victory.  When she saw how embedded in the crowd Amethyst was, she decided against it.  She said to herself, "I can congratulate her this summer when I interview her in her home.  She'll be less distracted."