Vascania's Future: Referendum night as it happens LIVE
21 August 4926
Anik Vidyasagar from Kamalata, 18:59: Welcome to the Kamalata Times' live results page for the Vascanian constitutional referendum. We'll be covering the results as they come in from the 28 regions across the continent, with the smallest in Kayal Island and the largest across the channel in the Kamalata metro. The Times has reporters across the country in dozens of counting locations in every state and will be working to provide the vote tallies as quickly as possible. The polls are set to close at 20:00 Eastern Time in Kalam Nadu, Tannaraga, Avidangana, Rajuttistan, Sakrandi Pradesh and Hamal Pradesh.
Daksh Banahatti from Lavati, 19:13: As we prepare for results to start pouring in from the eastern coast, it's important to remember how the results will be announced. The polling stations across the countries will count the votes under the supervision of the Vascanian Electoral Commission. These local results will be fed through to a larger counting centre. For example, votes in Hamal Pradesh will be counted throughout the mountains and valleys and reported to the officials in Kho City who will report the votes when they have verified all the local counting as accurate. Since each region is dealing with many millions of votes, we will not have full official results until a few hours after the polls close and will have to wait until the early morning for the biggest counts like the one in Kamalata.
Aasiya Misra from Inniya, 19:30: I'm stationed here in southern Tannaraga where the battle over the constitution has been fiercely fought. The very socially conservative north will be crucial to the victory of the monarchists, but urban centres like Inniya and Thikkonagama could offer some respite to the republicans due to their more moderate politics and high proportion of Hosians. Hosians will be key to victory for the republicans and areas with high non-Daenist populations (especially along the southern and eastern coasts) will be places to look out for. Whether they can counterbalance the heavy 'No' vote expected in northern Kalam Nadu is another matter.
Below: poll closing times across Vascania
Anik Vidyasagar from Kamalata, 19:52: Shortly before polls have closes, there are reports of extraordinary turnout being confirmed my local governments. Some rural areas expect turnout at more than 95%, far above normal rates. This could be a good early sign for either side, depending on how you look at it. The 'Yes' side thinks that high turnout means people are passionate about change, the 'No' side thinks that high turnout means that the silent majority of monarchists and nationalists has become engaged. Either way, we'll find out in 8 minutes when polls finally close.
Daksh Banahatti from Lavati, 20:01: For half of Vascanians, it's now too late to vote. The fate of the country may already be decided, though we won't find out the official results for a few hours in most areas. It's simply too early to tell which side is benefiting from the exceptionally high turnout and the vicious social media campaigns that have dominated the Rajutti and Kalam-language internet.
Anushka Vad from East Kayal University, 20:17: The results for Kayal Island, the smallest election centre tonight, will be announced here at the East Kayal University Central Hall. This affluent island is expected to vote to remove the monarchy and institute the secularisation program called for by the government and its advisors. This ought to be the first place to declare and they are aiming for results around 22:00.
Above: a map of incomes across Vascania in rupees. Inequality and class have been issues in this campaign.
Vitujan A. from Sangora, 20:36: The northern Kamal Nadu election centre is speeding to a result and it's already obvious who has won here. The 'No' side always knew that they would win here, the question has always been about the margin of victory. If the faces of the 'No' campaigners here at the Kamal Nadu City Hall announcement venue are anything to go by, they are set to get an absolute blow-out. The republicans had hoped to keep the turnout below 90% here in this reliably conservative territory, but the figures quoted by officials to our team here in Sangora suggest a turnout of 94% or higher. We expect the result from Sangora at around midnight.
Anirudh J. from Ekasha, 20:50: Polls are going to close soon in Utsal, Sanashtra, Bhaporistan and Surasa. These areas are avowedly working-class and it had been expected early on in the campaign that they would be averse to the monarchy and its associated class politics. The energetic campaign of U&C party leader Ankita Dehade has caused concerns among republicans who fear her popularity in Sanashtra could swing that state against them. They're hoping to run up the margins in the big cities of Utsal and throughout the deeply left-wing state of Bhaporistan. A study by the Imperial University of Kamalata suggested that Surasa would be the region most in-line with the national mood, as a particularly moderate state with a significant number of non-Daenists.
Anik Vidyasagar from Kamalata, 21:10: The vast majority of votes are now already cast and it is now evident that turnout has been extraordinary. The team here at the Kamalata Times has yet to find a single locality that has quoted us a turnout figure below 90%. The count is continuing to progress aggressively in the counting centres across the eastern coast and throughout the north. Some smaller booths have counted and reported all of their votes already and there are some early signs that the 'No' side are hitting their targets in rural areas.
Below: map illustrating strength of Hosianism across Vascania. It is thought that non-Daenists will vote to abolish the Daenist monarchy.
Aasiya Misra from Inniya, 21:35: We can clearly tell at this point here in Inniya that the 'No' side will win in Tannaraga. This is not necessarily a surprise, but the state has voted for moderates in the past and the city of Inniya has a fair few Hosians. Regardless, the results from Tannaraga are likely to be announced within the hour and may be the second set of results after the Kayal Island count. There are reportedly connection issues at the count in Hamal Pradesh due the state's mountainous nature, but that will likely also reveal its votes before the stroke of midnight.
Anushka Vad from East Kayal University, 21:53: We have our first result! Yes: 1,896,743 (52.0%), No: 1,752,931 (48.0%). This is definitely a disappointing result for the 'Yes' campaign, who had been expecting a big victory here on Kayal Island. The turnout was exceptionally high, at 93%, but it does not seem to have benefited the republicans. There are fears that this could show a last minute reticence by affluent voters to depart from the status quo - a group the 'Yes' campaign is relying on - or it could be a one-off not indicative of other results from the mainland.
Aasiya Misra from Inniya, 22:18: Another result, this time from Tannaraga. Announced here at the Inniya Concert Hall foyer, the votes are No: 5,087,737 (60.2%) and Yes: 3,364,983 (39.8%). This is a bitter blow to the 'Yes' campaign, who had been expected a closer result on account of south Tannaraga's notable Hosian population and the middle-class voters of the state's coastal region. With two results in, the republicans have little to cheer for and are underperforming their targets. Reports from elsewhere in the east suggest that things are looking very tight in many urban areas. Polls are now closed across the country.
Above: Results at 22:18
Anik Vidyasagar from Kamalata, 22:40: We are starting to see a flurry of declarations from the smaller counts. The two most recent declarations are from Hamal Pradesh and northern Sakrandi Pradesh. Hamal Pradesh voted No: 3,044,998 (59.2%) and Yes: 2,100,136 (40.8%) on a 90% turnout. At the count in Utpolo in the north of Sakrandi Pradesh, the results came through as No: 4,148,555 (57.7%) and Yes: 3,041,849 (42.3%) on a 93% turnout. Both of these results are in line with expectations if the result was close, as they are both socially conservative parts of the country. The worst bit of news for the 'Yes' campaign here is that they narrowly lost in the Kho City region of Hamal Pradesh, but this is the smallest of the counting areas on the mainland and we are still very early on in the night.
Vitujan A. from Sangora, 23:00: Late in the night we are getting some massive margins for the 'No' side from their expected base in the north. Central Kalam Nadu announced its results as No: 6,552,287 (74.3%) and Yes: 2,267,942 (25.7%). The state of Avidangana has also announced its results from the Port Authority Building in Dolostipe, with the final tallies being No: 7,588,433 (68.8%) and Yes: 3,436,854 (31.2%). The image of these giant monarchist margins coming through has struck fear into the hearts of the 'Yes' campaign, who are evidently on the back foot now. The extent of their drubbing in the north goes beyond their expectations, and the worst is yet to come - when Sangora itself announces at midnight.
Anushka Vad from East Kayal University, 23:19: The 'Yes' team have not given up despite unwelcomed defeats early on in the count. Over 200 million votes are yet to be counted and the city of Kamalata is looking increasingly good for them. With 17 million voters in the city's urban area alone, the night is clearly still very young and anything can happen as we get more liberal parts of the country in.
Above: Results at 23:19
Anirudh J. from Ekasha, 23:40: Results came through in both halves of Sanashtra one after the other, and it's clear that the energetic performance of the state's First Minister in favour of the 'No' campaign has had an effect. The combined results across the state amount to No: 13,155,253 (59.7%) and Yes: 8,895,321 (40.3%). The high hopes of the republicans to get a big margin out of the major city of Pagi has fallen flat, with even the more working-class parts of the state going for 'No'. Results are counting slowly in the rest of the Centre zone of Vascania, so if these are even remotely representative results then the chance of the monarchy being abolished seem incredibly bleak.
Vitujan A. from Sangora, 23:59: The results from northern Kalam Nadu were announced here at the Sangora Gallery of Vascanian Arts & Culture with dramatic effect. No: 10,017,837 (80.2%) and Yes: 2,477,488 (19.8%) on a 94% turnout are the devastating figures that really do paint a picture of the nationalist sentiment in this most northern part of the country. Sangora has lived up to its reputation as the beating heart of the Vascanian right-wing. A closer result has also come through from Paristan, with a much closer result at No: 4,272,775 (52.8%) and Yes: 3,812,435 (47.2%). Paristan has a sizeable Hosian population and complex economic circumstances, so its closeness was expected to some extent.
Anik Vidyasagar from Kamalata, 0:10: The count is progressing in Kamalata but the big city is certainly going to take longer to count that most other areas. Expectations are that the result will be a narrow win for the republicans but a big turnout in the more conservative parts of the city has been reported. With around 30% of the vote in across the nation, the 'Yes' campaign will really need to start getting in votes from big cities like Kamalata, Ekasha and Sabuda.
Above: Results at 0:10
Anirudh J. from Ekasha, 0:36: Results have slowed down as new teams are brought in to count across the country, but we now have results in the north and centre of Utsal. Once again, the 'No' campaign has hit their targets while the 'Yes' campaign have been devastated by a sudden last-minute reticence among the public to change the system of government. The results, with two-thirds of the state in, are Yes: 10,215,526 (50.8%) and No: 9,888,918 (49.2%). The republicans had hoped to erase the northern victories of the monarchists with their own urban blowout, so they are now relying on a big pro-secularism vote in the predominantly Hosian parts of Rajavant and Khond.
Aasiya Misra from Inniya, 0:47: Thikkonagama and the rest of southern Kalam Nadu have come in with results of No: 9,013,692 (61.3%) and Yes: 5,686,691 (38.7%) on a 95% turnout. These results are actually in line with the targets of the 'Yes' campaign, so they go against the dire results elsewhere so far tonight. This means that the entirety of the north has voted for the monarchy, so even if the republicans can pull it out the bag at the last minute, they would be dealing with a giant new issue around the political voice of the Vanashishu people of Kalam Nadu and its two sister states in old Vanakalam.
Anik Vidyasagar from Kamalata, 1:00: Another state has just finished its counting. This time it's Sakrandi Pradesh, with the south part of the state coming in as No: 4,674,743 (50.0%) and Yes: 4,672,783 (50.0%) on a 92% turnout. This is by far the closest result of the night so far, with the 'Yes' side coming within just 2,000 votes of winning here. This will be disappointing to the republicans, who had hoped to win by at least 5 points in the state of Sakrandi Pradesh. Though it was once a very working class part of the country, gentrification emanating from the Kamalata metro means that the state's demographics have changed significantly.
Above: Results at 1:00 in the morning
Daksh Banahatti from Lavati, 1:34: Probably the most deflating and devastating results for 'Yes' have come throughout, as two of their key target areas have turned against them. Surasa, a moderate state predicted to vote in line with the national figures has gone No: 6,228,808 (56.5%) and Yes: 4,796,479 (43.5%). Southern Rajuttistan has announced its vote from Kalinda Film & Theatre Hall, No: 8,431,567 (52.9%) and Yes: 7,503,568 (47.1%). These are spectacularly disappointing because they close off the only remaining avenues for a 'Yes' victory. Southern Rajuttistan represented the 'Hosian' path to victory, as its large Hosian minority failed to overturn the monarchist majority. Surasa represented the 'moderate' path to victory, as it voted heavily to keep the constitution as it is within a relatively diverse electorate.
Anik Vidyasagar from Kamalata, 1:42: The Kamalata Times has called the referendum for 'No'. Along with VascaniaNews, the Kalam Courier and the Sangora Post, we are calling this referendum with a monarchist majority. There is no feasible path back to victory for the 'Yes' side and even as we await results from Kamalata and the south, our reporters on the ground have assured us that there will simply not be enough votes to overturn the current lead for the 'No' side. This announcement has led to jubilation at the 'No' HQ in Sangora and a look of shock and horror at the 'Yes' HQ in Vatavana - cities on the two opposite ends of the country.
Anirudh J. from Ekasha, 2:07: Almost perversely, the two best results of the 'Yes' campaign so far have confirmed their defeat. The regions of southern Utsal and northern Bhaporistan each voted for 'Yes'. The first as Yes: 5,305,878 (51.0%) and No: 5,092,972 (49.0%), the second as Yes: 4,888,247 (55.4%%) and No: 3,931,982 (44.6%). The results are both in favour of a republic, but they are damning to the republican camp because they confirm that there are simply not enough votes left in their strongest areas to combat the side's obliteration in the northern states. In further news, the 'No' side has got more than 100 million votes - a pretty telling achievement.
Above: Results at 2:07 in the morning
Vitujan A. from Sangora, 2:31: In rapid succession, the three counts in Khond have been announced. Expected to be a close state due to its large Hosian population, the results total to No: 14,105,301 (56.4%) and Yes: 10,885,349 (43.6%) at a 93% turnout. Though the city of Vatapor itself very narrowly voted in favour of the new constitution, the rural parts of the state voted decisively the other was and other coastal towns and cities could not make up the difference for the republican cause. An analyst at West Kayal University has posted on social media saying that results do suggest that Hosians voted 62-38 for the 'Yes' side, but they need to break at more like 68-32 in order for that campaign to really be in contention.
Anik Vidyasagar from Kamalata, 2:42: Southern Bhaporistan, including the city of Bhapor itself, has voted for a republic at Yes: 6,216,349 (60.4%) and No: 4,073,919 (39.6%). This is the best result for the 'Yes' campaign so far, but it is evidently too little too late. The working-class had been whipped up in support of the republican cause by trade unions and the left-wing parties in parliament, but many of their supporters seem to have ignored their recommendations - certainly too many for the 'Yes' side's liking.
Anushka Vad from East Kayal University, 3:23: Results are finally in for central and northern Rajuttistan - baring the Kamalata metro area. No: 8,945,905 (55.6%) and Yes: 7,135,212 (44.4%) on a 90% turnout makes this the lowest turnout area so far, which really says a lot about how high turnout has been in this referendum. This area was set up as a bellwether and its 12-point margin in favour of the monarchist cause really points to that being the eventual result nationally, or at least resembling it closely.
Above: Results at 3:23 in the morning
Daksh Banahatti from Lavati, 3:35: The state of Rajavant has announced its results, with Vora and Vatavana both announcing at almost the exact same time, causing some confusion on television channels trying to show viewers all of the declarations. The results are No: 16,930,953 (55.5%) and Yes: 13,572,341 (44.5%) on a 91% turnout, with the city of Vatavana and much of the southern coast going for 'Yes' while Vora and the rural regions went for 'No'. Hosians in the state make up a large minority but they seem to have broken for the republican side at an even lower rate than elsewhere, meaning that the vote from the Daenist villages and towns was able to overpower the votes along the more affluent coastal areas.
Anik Vidyasagar from Kamalata, 3:46: At this ungodly hour of the morning, the Kamalata metro area has announced its results, Yes: 8,601,365 (50.9%) and No: 8,286,676 (49.1%) on 92% turnout. This is far below what the 'Yes' side had wanted at the start of the night, but at this point the republicans have moved on from watching the counts and are now beginning to assign blame on social media. The government is clearly defeated and pollsters had predicted a 51-49 victory for the 'Yes' side. Ultimately, there seems to have been a genuine last-minute movement towards the status quo.
Anushka Vad from East Kayal University, 3:47: The counting is over, with the massive and efficient counting machine having performed superbly across the continent. The results were officially announced on the steps of the Parliament Building to a crowd of jubilant 'No' voters. The government is staying silent on social media, while the opposition are revelling in their victory. The name of Ankita Dehade keeps coming up, with many applauding her ironically presidential-style handling of the 'No' campaign in the crucial Central zone of Vascania. The Emperor is sure to be pleased by his subjects voting 57-43 for his continued rule.
Below: final results
The Kamalata Times is a daily broadsheet newspaper in Kamalata with national and international circulation.
