one vote

Dear Chicken Nugget,

I can't say for sure but I'm pretty certain that I've voted in almost every election that's come up since I turned 18 - most of them anyway, there may be one that slipped through the cracks.

The truth is I'm a sort of politics geek.  I love reading up on current happenings in the political world and have been known to make a comparison chart of candidates to help me make my choice on election day.

Still, there are things that upset me - like incumbents that should be gone but are too powerful for opponents to even enter a race and single-candidate elections where I know very little of the lone candidate.  This happens often in small races for court positions.  I can't stand seeing a single name for surrogate judge.  Basically the Surrogate Court is in charge of wills, estates, and unclaimed properties.  The judge is elected to a ten-year term and, usually, we know very little about the candidate.

Last year I took a stand.  I looked up all the candidates in all the elections and found very little about the candidate for surrogate judge.  How can I, as a responsible voter, elect someone to a position without knowing about their character or values?

So, I wrote myself in:

If you take a close look I'm in good company.  Although I lost by over 12,000 votes to the lone candidate, I tied with Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ralph Nader, Beelzebub, Jay Leno, Frank Zappa, Boba Fett, Bono the Boston Terrier, and, my favorite, Peter.  Mickey Mouse got me by a vote.

I hate mice.

Next election, I'm taking that mouse down.

Eternally yours,

Tu papa