Sim Brother surprised the housemates on their third day in the house by asking them to openly nominate who they thought would be the best house president. After two rounds of voting, John and Alyssa were put forward. Today, the candidates find out what is involved and how the housemates are going to be divided.
It's 9am on Day 4 in the Sim Brother house. Both John and Alyssa have been called to the Diary Room and as requested are dressed formally.
John - Is it? I haven't decided yet.
Alyssa - Good morning, Sim Brother.
SB - Congratulations upon becoming the nominated candidates for house president. The president will hold the position for one week running from midnight on Friday to midnight the following Friday. In their week in office, they wield a lot of power. First and foremost, the president is the one who chooses which housemates are up for nomination next week. It is also the president's choice as to how many are up for nomination.
John - Suppose I really dislike one person, who is guilty of crimes against the use of marmalade for example. If I was president, could I just nominate her?
Alyssa - Yes, I like almost everyone in the house but one person does irritate me a lot.
SB - Yes, the president can nominate one person. However, by doing that, their eviction is not automatic. The public have the choice to vote out that person or to keep them in. Also, as there has to be an eviction, the president would become the outgoing president in more ways than one.
Alyssa - Perhaps it is safer to nominate more than one.
John - I don't know. I might just take my chances if I am elected.
SB - The President also has the option whether or not to take part in tasks and not be personally penalised for it. The President has certain privileges that he can share with up to three other housemates, one of them being access to and use of the spa.
Alyssa - Then I'll definitely be trying to get elected.
John - Not unless I get more votes.
SB - Your election campaign begins now. By 6pm tonight, I want you to have picked a campaign team of three. You will have a campaign manager, a policy adviser and a scriptwriter.
John - I don't want that marmalade abuser on my team.
Alyssa - I don't want her on mine either. She's mean.
John - That sounds like one issue we have in common.
SB - By 6pm tonight, those housemates who have not been approached to join one of your teams team will be drafted.
John - Why do I get a bad feeling about this?
SB - Choose your campaign manager carefully. After you leave here, your only contact with Sim Brother regarding the election will be through briefings that Sim Brother gives your campaign manager.
John - Where and how do we sort out our policies?
SB - Your campaign managers will liaise with each other for different parts of the compound to hold meetings. For example, you don't want to choose a place to find out that the other party are there.
Alyssa - That makes sense.
SB - Deciding on your policies and having a speech written will be very important to you as on Thursday evening, you will be in a head- to-head debate.
John - Very serious.
SB - You will now decide a name for the parties that you represent.
Alyssa - I'll go with the series that I am part of. I will be the "Charmed" candidate.
John - And I will stand for the "Marmalade" Party.
SB - All that is left to be done is to tell you to appoint your campaign manager and wish you both the very best of luck in the forthcoming election campaign.
10.48am - John is approaching Arnold with his request.
John - Arnold, as my State Governor, I was wondering if you would support me in my election by becoming my campaign manager.
Arnold - Yes, I will do it. I will not fail, I will not disappoint you, I will not let you down.
John - If I didn't know you better, I'd think you'd said that somewhere before. We need two more for the campaign team. I'd like to get Tiger involved and I think Steve would be a good choice.
Arnold - Make it an all guy team and knock out those girlie-girls.
At the same time, Alyssa is speaking with Condoleezza about the same thing.
Alyssa - Condi, you are a politician, right?
Condoleezza - I believe I was until I put my day job on hold.
Alyssa - Would you be my campaign manager for the election?
Condoleezza - I'd be glad to, Lyssa. What does it involve?
Alyssa - Apart from getting me elected, seeing Sim Brother on behalf of our party. We have to find two more members to help with the campaign and prepare for the Candidate's Debate on Thursday.
Condoleezza - I think Bjork would join us. I think Steve is a floating voter but I think he can be persuaded.
None of the candidates or managers have mentioned Martha in their plans.
11.48am - Alyssa does some direct campaigning herself and catches Steve on his own in the gardens.
Alyssa - Hi, Steve.
Steve - Hi, Lyssa. How's it hanging with you today?
Alyssa - Pretty good. I was wondering if I could ask something of you.
Steve - Ask away, gorgeous.
Alyssa - You know that I'm up for House President?
Steve - Of course, I voted for ya.
Alyssa - I would like to ask you to be in my campaign team. I know you get on well with Arnie, but I'd really like you to work with me and Condi.
Steve - Arnie is a great guy, but I prefer a gorgeous Sheila over a beefy Bruce any day.
Alyssa - You don't know how much this means to me. Thankyou.
And with that, Alyssa gave Steve a hug.
This means that Martha is on John's campaign team.
Sim Brother (C) - This is Sim Brother. Will both of the campaign managers come to the diary room?
Arnold and Condoleezza both come to the Diary Room and sit down on the couch.
SB - Voting for the House President is now out of your hands. Inform your candidate and your team that voting is now in the hands of the viewing public. Sim Brother will give you a daily update on how your candidates are showing in opinion polls.
Condoleezza - Good. I prefer a fair fight.
Arnie - The side with the bigger guns will win. And my party has real big guns.
Condoleezza - Going by the size of your weapon, you've just got a BB-gun.
Arnie - That is a lie. I have a very big weapon. All the other ladies say so.
SB - I am pleased to see you are taking your roles seriously. Tomorrow, you have to prepare your party's policies for your candidate.
And that is where we have to leave it.
With election fever starting to grip the Sim Brother House, the candidates preparing themselves for leadership and their campaign managers doing their best to get their candidate there, we are in for a lively election campaign.
However, the choice of who becomes the Sim Brother President is ultimately down to you. Cast your vote now and once every 24 hours until the polls close.
