Akashian presidential election, 1980

Akashian presidential election, 1980

28 June 1980 (first round) 5 July 1980 (second round)
Turnout	90,5% (first round) 87,7% (second round)
Candidate Masako Nakai Yurika Ehara Party Ind NU Popular vote 3.322.197 2.150.945 Percentage 60,7% 39,3%
Most voted candidate by province (second round)
President before election Yurika Ehara NU President after election Masako Nakai Ind

A presidential election was held in Akashi on 28 June and 5 July 1980.

Held in the midst of a protracted recession lasting from 1979 to 1981, this election, together with the simultaneous legislative snap election, marks the height of the economic and political crisis that hit Akashi in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Independent candidate Masako Nakai unexpectedly won a plurality in the first round, with incumbent Yurika Ehara finishing second. The electoral alliance between the National Democratic Party and United Akashi unraveled as they could not agree on a common candidate, and instead ran separate candidates. The Communist Party sat out the election, leaving the Socialist Party candidate as the main representative of the left.

Campaigning ahead of the second round, Masako refused to take any political positions and concentrated on the message that it was time for a change, which resonated strongly with the frustrated electorate. The opposition consolidated behind her, while Yurikara's long tenure had reduced her popularity and left her without any natural constituencies to draw from.

Masako defeated Yurikara in the second round as expected, but her winning margin of 1,1 million votes stunned observers who expected a closer contest, and represented a clear rebuke to Yurikara for staying too long in office. Masako carried three provinces, with Yurikara only winning majorities in Kobi and Shimachi.

The election inaugurated both the post-Yurikara era, and an era of landslide elections: for the next 2 decades, presidents were elected with at least 60% of the vote in the second round.

Result

Presidential election, 28 June and 5 July 1980
Candidate		Party	1st round		2nd round
			Votes	%	Votes	%
	Masako Nakai	Independent	2.016.294	35,7%	3.322.197	60,7%
	Yurika Ehara	National Union	1.423.267	25,2%	2.150.945	39,3%
	Shimei Yukimori	Socialist Party	1.118.281	19,8%
	Gelvira	National Democratic Party	491.366	8,7%
	Masashige Kuno	Conservative National Party	423.591	7,5%
	Sozen Maeno	United Akashi	175.084	3,1%
Total			5.647.883	100%	5.473.142	100%
Registered voters and turnout			6.240.755	90,5%		87,7%