2021 Bikini Bottom Mayoral Election (Under the Sea)

The 2021 Bikini Bottom Mayoral Election was the 57th quadrennial mayoral election in Bikini Bottom, the capital city of Pacifica. The National Rally candidate of local business owner Eugene H. Krabs defeated the Social Democratic candidate of local musician and labor union leader Squidward Q. Tentacles in the second round.

The first round was held on November 7, while the second took place on December 14th. The first round was held concurrently with the 2021 Bikini Bottom City Council Elections. Krabs was nominated by the Rally with token opposition, highlighting his military service, his small business, and his status as a single father. In the Social Democrats, Tentacles fought a contentious primary with incumbent Deputy Mayor Howard Normstein, and narrowly prevailed.

In the Futurist Party, Cheeks ran without opposition and brought the tiny Land Dweller's Rights Party in. Local business owner and Plankton rights advocate Sheldon J. Plankton was nominated by the National Populist Party, while boating teacher Poppy Puff was drafted by the Safe Cities League and Women's Unity Party. Finally, Patrick Star, former television commercial star, ran as part of his half-satirical Jellyfish Party.

This was the first election since 1921 in which no candidate was an incumbent politician, and the first in which a landborn ran. The election was plagued by scandals, such as accusations that Krabs conducted unfair and possibly illegal business practices, the revelation that Tentacles was behind the Great House Attack of 2006, and the constant accusations by many that Cheeks was unfit for office due to her status as a natural-born citizen of the land nation known as the United States.

Plankton was attacked as a radical and a thief by Krabs, while Puff suffered immensely after it was revealed she had passed wealthy students without proper qualifications in Bass Vegas under the name Rose Gust. In the first round debate Krabs and Plankton nearly had an altercation before police intervened.

Ultimately, in the first round Krabs won a plurality, taking 33% of votes, with Tentacles close behind at 29%. Cheeks came in third, Plankton in fourth, Puff in fifth, and finally Star in sixth. All were eliminated for the second round, leaving Krabs and Tentacles.

In the second round Krabs decisively defeated Tentacles, winning 55.2% of the vote in a landslide, beating Tentacles by a nine-point margin, the greatest margin of victory in any Bikini Bottom election since 1989. Krabs would take office on January 15 as the 116th Mayor of Bikini Bottom. The same day police chief Al Pruss would take office as the 86th Deputy Mayor and 94th Speaker of the City Council.

Background
The City of Bikini Bottom is headed by a mayor with strong executive power, elected every four years by popular vote. According to the Capital Charter, the mayor may serve for two terms only. The city uses a two-round system provided one candidate does not obtain an outright majority (51%) in the popular vote. The top two candidates survive while the rest are eliminated, and typically endorse their preferred candidates.

There has been a second round in nearly every mayoral election in the city, the lone exception being the 1933 election, in which Rally candidate James Whitereef won with 52% of the vote.

Incumbent mayor Amelia von Major chose not to run for a second term after narrowly defeating Rally candidate Judge Horace A. Whopper in 2017. Von Major soon became one of Bikini Bottom's most unpopular mayors, failing to account for the rising crime in the city and being implicated in the JellyFence scandal in late 2019. Because of this, she announced in 2020 her intent not to run again, leaving the field open.

Campaign
Considered one of the most competitive and divisive races in decades, this was also the most expensive ever, with all candidates spending a combined $8 million.

Notable Expressions, Phrases, and statements
By Krabs By Tentacles
 * "Bikini Bottom is to me what booty is to a sailor" Slogan by Krabs referring to his pride for his city.
 * "Hello, I like money" Krabs slogan referring to his desire to cut taxes in Bikini Bottom.
 * "The Gentle Laborer shall no longer suffer" Controversial phrase used by Tentacles in one campaign rally. Lambasted by Krabs as "communist."