Akashian presidential election, 2015

Akashian presidential election, 2015

27 June 2015 (first round) 4 July 2015 (second round)
Turnout	86,5% (first round) 84,1% (second round)
Candidate Keiko Nakayama Kyōichi Hirayama Party MPP SP Popular vote 4.730.984 2.778.514 Percentage 63,0% 37,0%
Most voted candidate by province (second round)
President before election Keiko Nakayama MPP President after election Keiko Nakayama MPP

A presidential election was held in Akashi on 27 June and 4 July 2015.

Incumbent Keiko Nakayama was challenged once again by former Governor of Matō Kyōichi Hirayama on behalf of the Socialist Party. Although Keiko held a solid lead in opinion polls, she had been elected with the narrowest margin 5 years before, leading to speculation about a close contest.

Also running for the presidency was United Reform Party leader and former finance minister Liana Ferrari, known for her strong conservative socialist credentials and extravagant public image. At the time she declared her candidacy, Liana was in a "wilderness period", after the URP had been badly mauled in 2010 and 2014, and saw the campaign as a way to "reintroduce" herself to the public. Keiko had been Liana's mentor in politics, and their campaign appearances amused the public due to their extravagant expressions of mutual politeness and respect.

Other notable candidates were Future Party leader Momoka Nishimura, who became the youngest Akashian to run for the presidency, Communist Party candidate Fujiko Chino, and the independent Kenji Suda. The field was notably female-dominated, with Kyōichi and Kenji being the only male candidates.

Keiko won a plurality of 27,7% in the first round, 5% ahead of Kyōichi. There were also strong performances from Fujiko, Nari, and Momoka, meaning that 5 out of 6 candidates won at least 1 million votes. Despite her loss, Liana credited the presidential campaign as launching her "second act" in public life, showing a more sedate and less showboating public image than she'd had as finance minister.

Keiko won the second round with a landslide of 63% to Kyōichi's 37% — a margin that nearly matched Emi Hanamura's record in 1990. She managed to sweep all provinces, the first Moderate People's Party candidate to do so.

Result

Presidential election, 27 June and 4 July 2015
Candidate		Party	1st round		2nd round
			Votes	%	Votes	%
	Keiko Nakayama	Moderate People's Party	2.139.493	27,7%	4.730.984	63,0%
	Kyōichi Hirayama	Socialist Party	1.737.855	22,5%	2.778.514	37,0%
	Fujiko Chino	Communist Party	1.058.161	13,7%
	Liana Ferrari	United Reform Party	1.011.818	13,1%
	Momoka Nishimura	Future Party	1.004.094	13,0%
	Kenji Suda	Independent	772.380	10,0%
Total			7.723.800	100%	7.509.498	100%
Registered voters and turnout			8.929.249	86,5%		84,1%