As you've probably read in the lead article this week, we've got a a digital photography contest in Whyville! Adobe, the nifty company that makes Photoshop and all kinds of other great photo editing software, is sponsoring the contest. Take a photo of your pet and send it in -- to find out more, read City Hall's article.
And as I'm sure everybody knows, the Senate Race has begun! You're welcome to start posting your platforms now -- but please make sure you read last week's editorial I wrote, and as many old articles about platforms and the senate race as you can. Think about it this way: The more you learn from the past, the better your chances of winning in the future!!! :-)
Here's how it goes: First, plan out your platform -- that is, work out your explanation of what you hope to accomplish if you're voted Senator. Think about what's important to you and your fellow citizens. Is there anything that *should* be important, but people don't talk about? What do you wish real-life senators did for people? What do you think they do that is good?
Wrap that all up into something you can post in the City Hall petitions. Remember, petitions that just say "Please vote for me! I think I'd make a good Senator 'cause I'm nice!" aren't real likely to be taken seriously. Have a few good ideas in there, too. :)
A few more things to keep in mind when writing your platforms -- and when reading other people's platforms!
- Remember the Whyville Way. Be polite, be creative, ask questions of yourself and your fellow candidates. Be tough, be fair, be friendly.
- Spelling and grammar helps -- sometimes it shows you at least put enough effort into your platform that you respect the folks reading it. But if somebody has bad grammar, that doesn't mean their ideas are necessarily bad!! Give ideas a critical eye, but give people the benefit of the doubt.
- Make your ideas realistic. People like to wish upon a star, but they also like to believe the changes you propose can actually happen.
- Getting together your own campaign or cheering squad is great stuff. Just encourage your fans to support you without getting mean toward your competition. Nastiness is not the Whyville Way!
- Above all, think deep and have fun! :-)
Platforms can be posted no earlier than Sunday, March 21. (There was a mistake in the original editorial. This date is now correct.) In three weeks, we'll see who the top 3 platforms are -- the ones that have won the most votes and made it all the way to the Polls section. They will be posted in the Times' April 10th and April 17th issues.
In the week of April 19, the official Senate Race Debate will be held (probably in the middle of the week) at the Greek Theatre. The top three candidates will get together and answer questions from City Workers and citizens, for about an hour. Afterward, City Workers will hold a few informal polls, then give the stage up to the candidates who can stay to talk to the citizens. The election begins as soon as the debate is over!
The results of the voting will come out at the end of the month, on April 30th. The Senator-to-be will arrange a time with City Hall for the following week, when the official Inauguration will take place. That's when they will take their oath of office, joining OrEoBaBy as Whyville Senator!!!
Senators get together every few weeks to discuss issues of the time with City Hall & other City Workers, as well as Whyville citizens. When we have more Senators, they will vote on resolutions and plans of action that City Workers will try to make happen. Senators will also work with citizens to improve Whyville in the best ways they know how!
In other news, the much longed-for Newbie Center is almost here, too! The entire Whyville team has been hard at work all month -- my mole in City Hall whispers to me that by next week we may be lucky enough to have that special place where dedicated Whyvillians can welcome our new citizens. Awww yeah. :-)
With the new Ion Games, citizens can earn as many as 115 clams a day! Because of this (and because City Hall's been overwhelmed by the number of Y-mail Helper applications!), the salary requirement for Y-mail helpers has been increased to 75 clams a day. It's tough, but for dedicated Whyvillians, it's do-able!
Times Editor
p.s. Psst... don't tell anybody (well, okay, tell everybody), but the City Workers are going to be getting together in real life later this month to throw themselves a little real-life birthday party. Maybe they'll come into Whyville and share the fun!?!
