CSM 8: New Eden Politics

     The CSM8 elections are right around the corner. For those that do not know CSM is the player counsil that reports feedback to CCP about events in New Eden. They are the "reps" of the people. I have read a couple different on the candidates and what they are running for and such. Forum threads such as Jita Corner which remain empty until around election time flare up. New websites hit the internet, and every writer in New Eden begins posting about it. For some great insight to the CSM process you can read The CSM 8 Election: An Early Analysis. A former Chairman of the CSM The Mittani knows what it takes to win one of these elections. But a quote that stuck out to me in his article was:

"Organization wins election. Nullsec blocs are the most organized entities in EVE, because the disorganized one get destroyed. STV(Single Transferable Vote) gives the voters a rosters of candidates to rank  your average unaligned voter in highsec will put in maybe one or two candidate names. Your average Nullsec voter, motivated by his bloc and their incentives/whipping methods, will fill out the entire ballot based on a voting guide provided to him by his leadership." ~ The Mittani. 

     To put it simply the Nullsec Blocs are the teamsters and unions of New Eden. Goonswarm is the Nation Education Association (educating the masses), the CFC/HBC/N3 as whole are members National Rifle Ascension (we love the fights), TEST the Dramatists Guild of America (cause TEST drama, BEST drama), and N3 Coalition is Independent Pilots Association (basically saying we are not CFC or HBC). All of these groups have their own ideas and plans of what should happen.  Sometimes they line up sometimes they don't.  Much like real life.
     This is yet again how New Eden reflects the real world. In my opinion its very close. As said in the by The Mittani, just because you have a good idea or a bunch of people like what you say when you talked to them doesn't mean that you'll get the votes. People from these Nullsec blocs are going to vote for their candidate or the one that leadership wants to, because leadership will show them why it is in there best interest to. And while most player in New Eden still live in High Sec mostly mission runners and miners (carebears) they are never organized enough to get a vote together. Or they simply don't know that the CSM is there. This leave the Nullsec blocs with greatest power to get members on to CSM.
    What is all for? Basically a chance to voice your opinion of how the game is going to CCP in person.  And give them ideas of what the players want to see for the future of the game. I read all the CSM7 minutes and there was a large push from them that CCP needed to work on Player owned Stations (POSes). They were talking about how this system has been broken for to long. And while CSM8 will be in before the release, of Odyssey, it was CSM7 that put a lot of work into making it happen.
     In terms of game play and changes to the game, this new group of candidates could make the focus more and more on Nullsec than High Sec and Low Sec. Most of the major players running are from the Nullsec blocs. While I will say that this is normal, it does make me a little worried that there is really not serious candidate for Faction Warfare, Low Sec, worm holes, and High Sec. I will say that Null is prolly the most broken system in EVE, but I fear that without a few members to counter what Nullsec blocs wants., the gains in Low Sec and Faction Warfare this past year will simply fade back.
   Either way, just like in the real world, election time is an exciting time in New Eden. I look forward to seeing who the final candidates are, and the changes they will help bring to New Eden.