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Catching ‘em all is fine, but you can vote for only one of the 720 candidates.

When election time rolls around, responsible citizens recognize the importance of casting their votes so that society can be represented by its best and brightest individuals. This week, that duty becomes even more important with the opening of the very first Pokémon general election.

Yes, the Pokémon Company has held character popularity polls before, but this is the first time for the franchise to put all 720 Pokémon who have made their official debuts on the ballot. Newcomer Volcanion, one of the stars of the upcoming Pokémon XY&Z theatrical feature, isn’t an option for voters, but every other Pocket Monster is.

▼ The poster for the Pokémon General Election 720, as the contest is officially called.

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Voting with physical ballots will be carried out at Pokémon Center retail outlets and Toys “R” Us branches in Japan.

▼ And yes, of course the ballot box is colored like a Poké Ball.

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Additionally, gamers with a Nintendo 3DS can vote online by accessing the 7 Spot Wi-Fi network at 7-Eleven convenience stores.

Now it would seem like series mascot/frequent Yokohama traveler Pikachu would walk away with the election, but there’s a unique wrinkle to the contest. When the Pokémon XY&Z movie opens this summer, theater-goers with a 3DS and a copy of Pokémon X, Y, Omega Ruby, or Alpha Sapphire can download the winning Pokémon into their game, for free. So it’s not just a question of which Pokémon voters like the most, but which one is the best fit for their roster of fighting Pocket Monsters.

The polls open on April 16, and voting closes on May 8.

Follow Casey on Twitter, where he limits his political statements to ones that are Pokémon related.

Related: Pokémon General Election 720 website
Source: Pokémon General Election 720 website via IT Media
Images: Pokémon General Election 720 website