Ahem. Two lordships opened up because one paused when we found out he was going to attempt a hamfisted rebellion, and the other through inactivity. One person gave up a duchy to make way for another and was appointed to the region where the lord went inactive. The other vacancy was filled by an existing lord, who's region was filled manually after the election never started. As to why a character who'd been there 5 days was appointed, there was a well-established link between her "father", the Duke of Astrum and Malus, and she came to Solaria by invitation.
Mind you, three of the other candidates had been in the realm LESS than five days, and happened to lead a failed rebellion in the neighboring realm. And, oh yeah, they're all Pyrist zealots coming to a realm that is increasingly filling up with them while the anti-Astroist rhetoric grows. Can't imagine why I wouldn't just let the election run! But you wouldn't be knowing anything about all that, huh?
PS: We're taking Axewild and Girich, and those elections WILL run without intervention.
PSS: And you're earning more than 100 gold per week, not accounting for the ridiculously high rates I run in the town, after three days in the realm, having taken the smallest estate I had,
and having narrowly avoided a Federation-wide banishment thanks to my furious lobbying. Remind me again why I expend so much goodwill on people who never recognize it? Oh yeah, because I'm an idiot!