September 9th, 1893 - here
Thomasina Dempsey

It was a strange thing, at the age of forty-three, to be granted the right to vote simply because her husband had died. There hadn't been any occasion until now, but since she had the opportunity, she wasn't going to be stupid enough to waste it.

It just so happened that one of the candidates was her friend's husband, and so she'd made a point to attend one of the events that she was allowed to go to to see what it was he had to say. Fortunately she'd run into Sina first. It had been a long while since she'd seen the other woman, too long, but that was how it was when she was walking on eggshells the entire time.

"Will being the minister's wife suit you, darling?" She teased as she sidled up to Sina on the outskirts of the the room. Mr. Dempsey didn't exactly seem to be in his element, but doing well enough.

---

  

---

Thomasina went to Oz's events, although she was not particularly happy about it. It did not seem like a good use of her time. But Oz would be uncomfortable today, with the masses, and so he needed his wife's support — or her chiding, on occasion.

She had not expected many friends here, and Sina beamed at Ziya. Ziya, who was finally out of mourning; Ziya, who had always struck her as smart (a rarity for people); Ziya, who she was elated to see at an event like this. Ziya, who could vote! "There should be a debate of the wives," Thomasina joked, happy to be with someone who knew her for a moment. "I would clear the field in a heartbeat." She did not expect she would have to be the Minister's wife — it was unlike Britain to make good choices, after all.

The following 1 user Likes Thomasina Dempsey's post:1 user Likes Thomasina Dempsey's post
   Ozymandias Dempsey

---

set by MJ

"You would absolutely decimate them, I could be your second," she joked like it was a duel. Ziya would love to see a debate of the wives, it would be eye-opening for certain. As a woman who was in a position to vote, she rather thought she should have some sort of involvement here, even if it was just to observe.

Sipping at her own champagne, she eyed Sina playfully. "Alright, plead your husband's case." Ziya had done a little research previously, but would like to hear the behind-the-scenes version of what Mr. Dempsey's plans for the future happened to be.

---

  

---

Sina beamed at Ziya's playful expression, and at her question. "Well, you know that Ozymandias has to do something exceptional for me to compliment him," she said playfully. "But I think he's — more willing to think through new things, than those who are entrenched in the Ministry." Complimenting Ozymandias in public was unusual for her; it also held the risk of leading to later embarrassment, if her words got back to him and he quoted her.

She took a small sip of his champagne. "But he's not so far outside the Ministry that he wouldn't get anything done," she added, a clear jab towards Wright. "And — well, I don't like that we have so many purebloods running." Everyone except for her husband and Whitledge was a pureblood — and Whitledge was barely older than Anandhita.

  

---

set by MJ

Ziya snorted over her champagne. With no plans to marry again, the whole arrangement baffled her. She couldn't pretend to understand other's marriages and the only good thing she had gotten out of hers were her beautiful children. The rest was scars and nightmares.

She nodded along as Sina went on. All good points, the ministry could use fresh blood and somebody who wasn't a stuffy old pureblood, but her opinion on Mr. Dempsey still wasn't solidified. "Do you think he can actually handle it?" Though Ziya didn't know him very well, Mr. Dempsey hardly struck her as the kind who could run wizarding kind the level of efficiency it needed.

---

  

---

That was the question, wasn't it? Sina took a beat to reply. "He can handle me," she settled on, "And I think we both know I can be more difficult than the Wizengamot." (That was it, wasn't it? Sina would not have married Ozymandias if she did not expect great things from him — and sometimes that included a decent showing in the election for Minister. Never mind that she had not wanted him to run.)

  

---

set by MJ

Ziya had to concede to that. As much as she enjoyed Sina, which she did, very much, she was a lot to handle. Chuckling quietly, she shrugged lightly. "I do suppose that has to count for something, but this is all of magical Britain and beyond." The Wizengamot was a bunch of old, privileged men, Mr. Dempsey's peers. The whole of magical society was another thing entirely. "Far more than managing a household or a business." Neither of which was was sure that Mr. Dempsey had much experience with. "I'm just trying to be realistic, not pessimistic." She offered by way of apology.

---

  

---

Ziya had always been a realist; Sina was an eccentric, but she could not hold it against her friend. She smiled. "I know," she said, "But if people don't vote for something different nothing will ever change. And I would like to be able to vote before I die." Crouch, Wright, and Dempsey were the only candidates for voting reform — and Crouch was in the Ministry, and Wright was too radical. Sina understood, with a clear vision, what Oz's message was — and she had helped to craft it.

  

---

set by MJ

That was fair. Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results was in fact, the definition of insanity. "So he'd for voting reform then?" Ziya's own right to vote had been bestowed upon her by her husband's death. One of many perks from his early departure from this world. Part of her reason for engaging Sina, aside from seeing her friend, was to gauge just how well Mr. Dempsey appeared to be doing with his platform. Ziya was not completely unaware, she had done some reading, wanted to be prepared to vote appropriately, but so far she had mostly ruled out some of the wilder candidates and was working to hone in on the more worthy ones. "I would also like for you to be able to vote before you die." As they all should have the right to do.

---

  

---

Sina nodded. "He's for voting reform," she said. Never mind that she had essentially forced him into it due to Mrs. Wright; if Oz was going to run for Minister, he was at least going to be interesting. "I think one would call him center-left." Or whatever; these political classifications had always seemed silly to Thomasina.

  

---

set by MJ

Center-left. Whatever that meant. Ziya supposed she had some reading to do if she was going to vote responsibly this election. Without having cause before, and no desire (or capability) to persuade her deceased husband. Now she felt like she should put the effort in. This was eye-opening at the very least and now she had some information on at least one candidate.

"I'm going to have to do my due diligence and research, I suppose." Voting reform was a good place to start, especially as some highly relevant to her now. "This has been quite informative, thank you Sina." And here Ziya had just thought that she was going to be over here teasing her friend about possibly being the minister's wife

---

  

---