The current version has some other options to gain skills via people. Vs lbh jvfu gb rkcrevzrag jvgu guvf, frr jung unccraf jura lbh tb gb Gunexnf naq nccbvag gur ryrpgbef gurer gb cbfgf va lbhe Pnovarg gung frrz nccebcevngr gb gurve onpxtebhaqf naq cersreraprf.

Every Elector has an opinion of you. These are a spectrum:

Hostile - Negative - Neutral - Positive - Friendly

Friendly is the best opinion and for most/all of that range, negotiating with the Elector will typically result in them agreeing to join you without requiring a quest first. If you are told an Elector is friendly, and you had been planning to appoint them to your cabinet, marry or blackmail them, consider negotiating first to save precious social turns. (There are, of course, times when you will want to ignore that tip, just to see what happens).

Okay, thank you for all your answers