The Commonwealth of Susquehanna (1983: Doomsday) has a much more diverse political landscape than the previous Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, or the United States of America.
The smaller size of the parties caused minor parties in the region to have a more significant impact on the elections, leading to a higher possibility of party breakups. Additionally, the sudden appearance of the Libertarian Party incentive more progressive and conservative members of both the Democratic and Republican parties to split off.
Emergence of Political Parties[]
Immediately after Doomsday and the few years of instability due to the aftermath, political parties were essentially nonexistent. People collaborated with each other regardless of political ideology to ensure survival. In the post-Doomsday world, there was some hope that it might be possible to arrange for a nonpartisan government. However, even though there were attempts at ensuring this would occur, right before the elections of leadership for the provisional government in 1991, the Democratic and Republican parties both formed.
The Libertarian Party emerged in the early 2000's, as a group of disgruntled Democrats and Republicans splintered off and reformed the party. They first debuted candidates in the 2004 gubernatorial election, and have participated in every election since.
The Conservative Party formed in 2016 as an amalgamation of the Unionist Party and far right elements of the Republican Party. They first put candidates up in the 2017 federal elections for the House of Representatives.
The Progressive Party formed in 2015, immediately after the 2015 gubernatorial elections, from far left wing and progressive elements of the Democratic Party. Initially there were concerns that it would compete with the Commonwealth Party, however there were discussions between the two parties to prevent this. After extensive negotiations, in late 2015, the Commonwealth Party merged with the Progressive Party. They first ran candidates in the 2017 federal elections for the House of Representatives.
Major Parties[]
The Commonwealth of Susquehanna has three major political parties, the Republican, Democratic, and Libertarian parties. Prior to Doomsday, the Republican and Democratic parties were dominant in the region, in the 1980 presidential election and the 1982 senate election, the entire region voted for the Republican candidate. However in the 1982 gubernatorial election, only Montour and Sullivan counties voted for the Republican Party.
Republican Party[]
The Republican Party is a direct successor to the pre-Doomsday party, following both social and fiscal conservatism. It is considered to be a center-right party.
Party bylaws support increasing the size and funding of the Defense Forces, lower corporate taxes, ending public healthcare in favor of privately run medical centers, strong border security, expanding the rights of law enforcement, punishing criminals, restoring both the coal and nuclear power plants, expanding coal mining, beginning exploration for natural gas in Sullivan County, expansion of the borders, and a ban on same sex marriage and relationships, as well as a ban on abortion.
It holds a majority (but not a supermajority) in the Senate, and with the Conservative Party, holds the majority and supermajority in the House of Representatives. The party has held the gubernatorial seat and most cabinet seats for the last four election cycles. Locally, Republicans hold majorities on the county board of supervisors in Columbia, Luzerne, Montour, and Northumberland.
Additionally, it holds the majority on the Danville Borough Council.
Democratic Party[]
Like the Republican Party, the Democratic Party is a direct successor to the pre-Doomsday party, however it follows social and fiscal liberalism. The party is considered to be center to center-left in ideology.
The party platform includes holding the Defense Force funding and size at the current levels, increasing corporate taxes, privatizing aspects of the medical system, but continuing to fund preventative and emergency care, strong border security, rehabilitation of criminals, restoring the coal power plant as well as installing wind turbines, continuing current levels of coal mining, limited natural gas exploration, expansion of the borders, and legalized same sex relationships, as well as legal abortions under certain circumstances.
The party is the primary opposition in both the House and Senate. It has not held the governorship since the mid 1990's, however it does hold a number of Cabinet positions. At the county level, the Democratic Party holds the majority on the Wyoming County Board of Supervisors, and representation on Columbia, Luzerne, Montour, and Northumberland counties. Locally, it holds the majority on both the Hazleton City Council and Bloomsburg Town Council.
Libertarian Party[]
The Libertarian Party is an indirect successor to the pre-Doomsday party. It follows social libertarianism and fiscal conservative ideals. The party falls center with its ideology.
The Libertarian Party platform focuses on restoring the militias as the primary defense force, eliminating corporate taxes, privatizing the entire medical system, decriminalization of drugs and crimes that do not affect others, permitting the free market to decide the power source, leaving mining, natural gas drilling, and border security to the county level, and legalizing same sex marriages and relationships, and abortion to individuals.
The party holds two voting seats in the Senate, four voting seats in the House, and one non-voting seat in the House. It also holds one cabinet seat in the executive branch, however the party has never held the governorship. Locally, the party holds the majority in the Schuylkill County government and seats on the Board of Supervisors for Montour and Wyoming counties.
Minor Parties[]
Even though the political landscape is dominated by the three major parties, two minor parties have formed. Minor parties do not have official recognition in all counties, however they are federally recognized. Federal recognition provides access to funding during the elections, as well as reduces the number of votes and signatures required in the counties.
Conservative Party[]
The Conservative Party is a direct successor to the post-Doomsday Unionist Party and an indirect successor to the pre-Doomsday Republican Party and the American Independence Party. It follows an ideology of social and fiscal conservativism. The party is considered to be far right in ideology.
The party platform advocates for a much larger defense force, eliminating corporate taxes, privatizing the entire medical system, building security fences around the borders of Susquehamna and requiring passports, stricter punishment and three strike laws for crime, restoring the coal power plant and starting work on a gas power plant, increasing coal mining and opening up the entire nation to gas drillers, rapid expansion of the borders, and criminalizing same sex relationships and abortion, treating them as felonies.
The party holds no seats in the Senate, two seats in the House, as well as one secretary seat in the cabinet. Additionally, the party controls the Sullivan County Board of Supervisors, and one seat in the Columbia and Luzerne counties governments.
Progressive Party[]
As the smallest political party, the Progressive Party is the successor to the pre-Doomsday Citizen's Party and the post-Doomsday Commonwealth Party, s well as an indirect successor to both the pre-Doomsday and post-Doomsday Democratic Party. It is a fiscally socialist and socially progressive. The party is considered to be center left to far left in ideology.
The Progressive Party platform has emphasized reliance on county militias for defense, raising corporate taxes and nationalizing critical industries, providing an open border policy, focusing on prisoner rehabilitation and reintegration into society, restarting the power grid with wind turbines and hydroelectric facilities, ending mining and gas drilling, limited expansion and focusing on humanitarian aid, and legalizing same sex relationships and marriage, as well as supporting legal abortion with government support.
It holds no Senate seats, one House seat, and one cabinet secretariat position. The party is represented on the Wyoming County Board of Supervisors as well as the Hazleton City Council and the Bloomsburg Town Council.
Independent Candidates[]
Due to election laws in Susquehanna, it is difficult for independent candidates to obtain ballot access in national elections. It requires a minimum of 34% of registered voters to sign a petition form. This has led to most candidates running on a party line. Only a handful of candidates have served as independents at the federal level.
After the 2018 House of Representatives election, one independent candidate won a seat. A handful of independents serve at the county or local level as well. There has not been a single independent in the executive branch since the foundation of the Commonwealth.
With the Supreme Court being nonpartisan, technically, all justices are considered to be independent.
Ballot Access[]
The Republican, Democrat, and Libertarian parties all enjoy automatic ballot access as major parties. The Conservative and Progressive parties both must gather at a minimum 5% of the votes in each federal election to continue receiving automatic ballot access. Otherwise, they are required to petition during the primaries and obtain enough signatures to gain or keep ballot access.
| Party | Columbia | Federal District | Luzerne | Montour | Northumberland | Schuylkill | Sullivan | Wyoming |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| Democratic | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| Libertarian | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| Conservative | YES | NO | NO | YES | YES | NO | YES | NO |
| Progressive | YES | YES | NO | NO | NO | YES | NO | YES |
Voter Registry[]
| Party | Registration (Number) | Registration (Percentage) |
|---|---|---|
| Republican | 24,647 | 39.3% |
| Democratic | 20,529 | 32.9% |
| Libertarian | 7,492 | 12.0% |
| Conservative | 3,158 | 5.1% |
| Progressive | 2,673 | 4.3% |
| Unaffiliated | 3,992 | 6.4% |