I was elected to public office (without running)

[Neptunian Slug]

Our ballots often have blank spaces for the various positions like election judges, inspector of elections, etc. Because no one wants to run for the office. They don't want to bother with petitions, filing fees and all of that nonsense. So for years, I would just write in someone's name. Sometimes a friend, sometimes George W Bush or Bill Clinton, doesn't matter. This past election, I wrote in my own.

This week, I received a letter from the county. They were informing me that I had finished in a four-way tie at one vote a piece for Inspector of Elections in my ward. I had always thought you needed 10 votes minimum for this sort of thing to be valid.

Yesterday there was a random drawing to break the tie and my name was pulled.

First I want to thank all my supporters (me) for their votes. This was a hard fought campaign and I deserve great credit for standing up and supporting me and voting for myself.

Second, I guess now that I have been elected, I have to do this. I have actually worked the polls in the past, just not since I moved to PA. I actually have enjoyed it. Of course, my ward is not terribly exciting since its very small. I think it was a bit of an afterthought when they drew the district lines. In any case, I think I will be lucky to get 100 people for most elections and maybe 400 for a presidential election.

So note to self, don't write in your own name on the ballot, unless you are actually running for the office.

Note number two, if you do want to win the office, make sure you tell your wife to vote for you as well. Then you can win outright without the need for drawing ping pong balls.

[delphica]

That's excellent, I would like to congratulate you for running such a clean campaign.

[don't ask]

Who is Barack Obama?

[BrandonR]

Who is Barack Obama?

:dubious:

[Attack from the 3rd dimension]

Congratulations. That is a very odd story. I assume you were at least okay with filling this office when you wrote in your own name.

[jjimm]

That's excellent, I would like to congratulate you for running such a clean campaign.To the contrary, I feel that the campaign was absolutely ridden with graft: the candidate was elected purely by lobbying and currying the favor of vested interests.*


*Unless he's self-hating.

[Amp]

Holy crap, I do that too. Guess I have to stop or I might accidently end up being a public servant. I've also written in Donald Duck, Bruce Wayne and Cecil Adams.

[Neptunian Slug]

Congratulations. That is a very odd story. I assume you were at least okay with filling this office when you wrote in your own name.

No problems with it at all. Even though I have not worked as an election judge since I moved here, I am usually at the polls all day whether I am working for a particular candidate or serving as a poll watcher. Frankly, I never wanted to run for it, because I have never really wanted to schlep around getting signatures then take a half day from work to drive to the county office and stand in line to file.

[don't ask]

:dubious:

You are kidding aren't you?

I am not an American and I know that Obama rigged his first election in 1996. He had his opponents petitions overturned because people had printed not signed their names. Obama's name became the only one on the Democrat ballot, which he obviously won.

[ToeJam]

Really puts the whole "one person, one vote" thing into perspective now....

[Ferret Herder]

I am not an American and I know that Obama rigged his first election in 1996. He had his opponents petitions overturned because people had printed not signed their names. Obama's name became the only one on the Democrat ballot, which he obviously won.
If you were an American you might know that a lot of our elections, even local ones, have challenges to validity and sufficient number of signatures. That's nothing unusual.

Getting back onto the topic now, congratulations (?) to Neptunian Slug. :)

[faithfool]

Just wanted to add that that is the coolest thing ever. Congratulations and do a good job. You'll make us proud. :)

[Munch]

Wow - that's actually really cool. Congrats! (Especially since you're willing to fill the position.)

Did they give you a chance to decline? What if a group of people had filled your name in as a joke - would you be effectively drafted into office?

[Oakminster]

Does the gig come with a salary?

And if you really don't want to do it, you can probably decline.

[twickster]

don't ask -- don't hijack this thread.

twickster, MPSIMS moderator

[don't ask]

don't ask -- don't hijack this thread.

twickster, MPSIMS moderator

OK, if that's how you see it, my apologies. It is MPSIMS after all.

I thought my first post was a joke based on a popular US TV show and my second was simply an attempt to explain it to someone who obviously didn't know what it meant.

It isn't any more important than that.

[Neptunian Slug]

Wow - that's actually really cool. Congrats! (Especially since you're willing to fill the position.)

Did they give you a chance to decline? What if a group of people had filled your name in as a joke - would you be effectively drafted into office?

I don't know about prior to the draw. But I could certainly resign from the post if this had been a fun joke. The presiding judge in the ward would have the option of appointing someone or using students from the local high school to fill the duties.

Does the gig come with a salary?

And if you really don't want to do it, you can probably decline.

Yes, I will get $125 I think for a 13-14 hours on election day, so a bit better than the minimum wage, but not quite as good as the nearby McDonalds. I can take a vacation day at work so its double dipping for me.

[Desert Nomad]

If you decide to run for higher offices, you might want to rethink future campaign strategies. ;)

[Chessic Sense]

My cousin got 30 votes by just posting in his status "Vote for me for Mine Inspector". The whole family voted for him. They said he couldn't have the job because he didn't file correctly, or something. We're all still wondering what the point of the write-in is if it doesn't let you write in candidates.

[Zsofia]

It sounds like you're the right guy for the job, actually.

[Ann Onimous]

Congratulations! That is the coolest - and funniest - thing I've heard all week. Good for you for following through and actually accepting your own nomination. I'm sure you'll do well.

[dhkendall]

Wow! One of my goals in life is to run for public office (and hopefully be elected to same), this gives me hope! I'm planning for school board when they come up next year (since anything lower than provincial politics aren't party based and, while I have a clear position on the political spectrum, I am not, nor will I ever be, a member of a political party.) School board vote turnout is traditionally very low (single digits) so I might stand a chance if I just put in a modicum of effort. :) (School board also seems a good fit for me as I'm a parent.)

I'm wondering how they managed to get you in that. Maybe it's because I'm unclear on the "write in ballot" thing (I've never seen that on a ballot here), but surely you aren't the only Neptunian Slug in your area (well, your real name of course, I'm sure you are the only "Neptunian Slug"!) How did they know how to contact you? Would your previous votes of, say, Bill Clinton, be invalid because the former US President doesn't live there? But what if there was a Bill Clinton (a 40 year old plumber in this case) that does live there, are they sure that that's who you mean and not the one whose married to the current Secretary of State?

I guess I don't understand the write-in process.

[Colibri]

Let's just hope your opponents don't demand a recount.

[Hockey Monkey]

Spice Weasels for Everyone! Congratulations!

[Neptunian Slug]

Wow! One of my goals in life is to run for public office (and hopefully be elected to same), this gives me hope! I'm planning for school board when they come up next year (since anything lower than provincial politics aren't party based and, while I have a clear position on the political spectrum, I am not, nor will I ever be, a member of a political party.) School board vote turnout is traditionally very low (single digits) so I might stand a chance if I just put in a modicum of effort. :) (School board also seems a good fit for me as I'm a parent.)

I'm wondering how they managed to get you in that. Maybe it's because I'm unclear on the "write in ballot" thing (I've never seen that on a ballot here), but surely you aren't the only Neptunian Slug in your area (well, your real name of course, I'm sure you are the only "Neptunian Slug"!) How did they know how to contact you? Would your previous votes of, say, Bill Clinton, be invalid because the former US President doesn't live there? But what if there was a Bill Clinton (a 40 year old plumber in this case) that does live there, are they sure that that's who you mean and not the one whose married to the current Secretary of State?

I guess I don't understand the write-in process.

Being a write-in candidate just means you aren't on the ballot at all. Our machines have a little button at each race that says "write in" After you press it, you type the name in on a small keyboard. Next time you vote, find a race with no candidates, there is sure to be a button for a write in.

Some states require you to give advance notice or register as write-in candidate. PA does not. Although they encourage you to send it a note telling them that you are running and indicating any nicknames you might use. In my case, my name is not terribly common (I have only found three or four other people in the US with my name). And I typed in my middle initial. So in a ward of 1,000 people, it wasn't that hard to know who received the vote. If my name was John Smith, it would be harder.

Its pretty tough to win as a write-in for a genuinely contested office. Although it has happened. For most people, its too much effort to type in someone's name. You would have a better shot if you could get on the ballot as an independent or small party candidate. Although the signature requirements in some states can be downright onerous for independents.

[Polycarp]

Congratulations, Slug. My wife recommends to you the song "Luck of the Irish" by skiffle singer Lonnie Donegan, which includes the lyrics, "Mine was the only ballot, now I'm mayor of the town" :)