The 7th AKB Election to choose who will sing on the idol group’s upcoming 41st single will be held at Fukuoka Yafuoku Dome on Jun. 6. This is the first AKB election to be held outside of the Kanto area and hopes are high that members of the local AKB subgroup HKT48 will perform well in the fan vote. There are nearly 300 girls in AKB48 and all of its regional offshoots, 272 of whom have thrown their hats into the ring for the next election. Members of the official fan club and people who buy the band’s next single, “Bokutachi wa Tatakawanai” (“We won’t fight”), upon its May 20 release are allowed to vote in the next election. The 41st single is slated for release sometime in August. Source: Nishinippon Shimbun 4/20
