Draft 2: Cleaned up some stuff and reworked option 4.
Voting Machine
Validity: Must have Devolution and elections.
Description
During a recent local election in tiny Scarlet Neck Province, things got off to a poor start when three voting machines caught fire in the province's only voting center, leading to a mass panic that transformed into a full-blown riot after a municipal employee responsible for purging voter rolls accidentally let slip that the machines were rigged beforehand. By the time first responders arrived on the scene, the mayor's mafia connections had already broken up the crowd and declared the election a landslide victory.
Option 1
"Unbelievable. Simply unbelievable," tuts your secretary, pouring you your morning beverage. "This just goes to show that local governments cannot be trusted to run their elections in a fair and sane manner. All elections in @@NAME@@ must be put under the direct control of the central government- we're the only ones who can be trusted to get things right, especially in matters as important as these."
Effect: local election results always smell faintly of cheap coffee and big-city contempt
Option 2
"You big city bigwigs just need to back off, alright?" says Tam Anihall, the newly reelected mayor of Scarlet Neck Village. "We're the ones closest to our people, and we're the best ones to decide how elections are held. After all, why would we be in office if people are dissatisfied with how we run things?"
Effect: the new mayor of Yow Kell Township was elected via wrestling contest
Option 3
"Let's have the best of both worlds!" exclaims your Minister of Compromises, doing her daily stretches. "We can please local governments by giving them authority over their elections, and please everyone else by stepping in to hold a second election if we suspect foul play. Everyone's happy! Except the voters and taxpayers, I guess."
Effect: taxpayers are fuming over the government's new two-for-one election bundle
Option 4
"What's the point of elections in the first place?" asks local farmer @@RANDOMNAME@@, stuffing a strawman. "Far as I'm concerned, it's just a big 'ol sham to keep us normal folk outa gubberment. Just make all them politicians randomly selected! No elections, no ee-leetism, no fuss."
Effect: the government has abolished elections out of convenience
I definitely don't mind it that you included it in here, but perhaps it would be refreshing if for once we stuck to democracy. Or, include an option that doesn't get as much showtime like Autocracy does. Perhaps something with sortition? You could easily work that into the subject of devolution, as decentralized governments and lottocracies really go well together, I believe.