| Related events | |
| Proposed by | |
| |
| Galactic Republic Chancery Election, 3 ArS | |
|---|---|
| Date | |
| Government | |
| Electorate |
Galactic Senate (1,024 electors) |
| Outcome |
Palpatine is elected to the office of Supreme Chancellor |
| Candidates |
Bail Antilles |
| Other key individuals |
Finis Valorum |
An special election for the position of Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic was held in 3 ArS. The election took place just after Chancellor Finis Valorum was removed from office by a Vote of No Confidence in the Galactic Senate because of the Republic's mismanaging of the crisis on Naboo.
Senator Bail Antillies of Alderaan secured the nomination for the Core faction, and, while, Ainlee Teem, Representative of Malastare, was considered the favorite for the Rim faction, he withdrew, and backed Senator Palpatine of Naboo, who was considered likely to gain sympathy due to the plight of his homeworld.
In the closest chancery election in Republic history, Palpatine was elected by a margin of four electoral votes. Though political analysts and other outside observers saw Palpatine's victory as a surprising result, the Nubian had, in reality, manipulated events—both in his public identity and in his secret role as Darth Sidious, Dark Lord of the Sith—to make certain not only that an election would be held, but that he would triumph in it. After winning the election, Palpatine would hold office for thirteen years—the longest tenure of a Chancellor since the New Sith Wars—until the Jedi Order discovered his Sith identity and deposed him in the final year of the Clone Wars.
Context[]
Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum, part of the Core faction of Senators, had been elected to the Chancellorship in 5 BrS, and re-elected in 1 BrS, largely due to the supremacy and renown of his family. He was considered by many to be an upstanding man who truly desired what was best for the galaxy. However, his position of maintaining Republic policies inimical to major corporations, slow responses to unfolding situations, reliance on bureaucracy, and conservative nature in general, angered many in the opposing Rim faction, and even left many of his supporters doubtful of his abilities. The rumor that Valorum was having an affair with his Senior Administrative Aide, Sei Taria, certainly did nothing to halt the already large deterioration of his popularity and public image.
The Candidates[]
Palpatine[]
Bail Antillies[]
Outcome[]
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
