Big Bird for president? Two thought so
Presidential write-ins in Woodbury run the gamut
By Bret Hayworthbhayworth@siouxcityjournal.com | Posted: Friday, November 21, 2008
A number of Woodbury County residents had their own ideas about who should be the nation's next president, and it wasn't anyone whose name was on the ballot on Election Day.
As he has many times in the past, Mickey Mouse got a write-in vote this year, along with a few newer choices such as Larry the Cable Guy. All told, 150 write-in candidates got votes in lieu of any of the presidential choices listed on Iowa's ballot. (Yes, there were other options besides Barack Obama and John McCain).
Woodbury County Auditor Pat Gill said he discourages voters from writing in a nonsensical name just to be funny or make a "none-of-the-above" point.
"It is kind of fun, and people like to do it," he acknowledged but said it takes election workers more time to tabulate write-ins.
Hillary Clinton and Ron Paul had some passionate supporters during their failed presidential runs, and the write-ins show many had a hard time letting go. Clinton got 57 votes, the most of any presidential write-in, including one spelled Hillery and one with her full name, Hillary Rodham Clinton. Texas Congressman Paul came next, with 37 votes spread out over many of the 40 county precincts.
Lots of presidential candidates from recent elections were written in as selections, including going back as far as the 1992 race, with Ross Perot getting a single vote on Nov. 4. Some wanted this year's vice presidential candidates to be at the top of the ticket, as Joe Biden got one vote and Sarah Palin had three.
And while there were votes for Anyone Else, Satan and Big Bird for president, some of the down-ticket races saw novelty votes as well. In Precinct 7, celebutant Paris Hilton was written in, presumably by the same person, for eight positions: U.S. senator, Iowa 5th District Congress, Iowa House District 1, three county supervisors posts, county sheriff and county auditor.
Gill is the county's chief election official and had no competition on the ballot for another four-year term. But there were some write-ins for the position, most notably, Jesus.
Who for president?
Here's who got write-in votes for president in Woodbury County.
57 -- Hillary Clinton
37 -- Ron Paul
4 -- Mitt Romney
8 -- Mike Huckabee
3 -- John Edwards, Sarah Palin, Al Gore, Bill Richardson, Alan Keyes
2-- Big Bird, T.Boone Pickens
1-- Anyone Else, Nobody, Satan, Bill Cosby, Mickey Mouse, Linus, Oprah Winfrey, Larry the Cable Guy, Herbie Hancock (musician), Dennis Kucinich, John Kerry, Joe Biden, Ross Perot, J.P. Patches (clown on Seattle TV show 1958-1981), Lewis Black (comedian), Dr. Sam Clovis Jr. (Morningside College professor), Autumn Cory of Iowa, John Brown, Joe Smith, Ed Huff, Bob Pederson, Aaron Wicker, Scott Jones, William Clark Merrill and Alba C.
As he has many times in the past, Mickey Mouse got a write-in vote this year, along with a few newer choices such as Larry the Cable Guy. All told, 150 write-in candidates got votes in lieu of any of the presidential choices listed on Iowa's ballot. (Yes, there were other options besides Barack Obama and John McCain).
Woodbury County Auditor Pat Gill said he discourages voters from writing in a nonsensical name just to be funny or make a "none-of-the-above" point.
"It is kind of fun, and people like to do it," he acknowledged but said it takes election workers more time to tabulate write-ins.
Hillary Clinton and Ron Paul had some passionate supporters during their failed presidential runs, and the write-ins show many had a hard time letting go. Clinton got 57 votes, the most of any presidential write-in, including one spelled Hillery and one with her full name, Hillary Rodham Clinton. Texas Congressman Paul came next, with 37 votes spread out over many of the 40 county precincts.
Lots of presidential candidates from recent elections were written in as selections, including going back as far as the 1992 race, with Ross Perot getting a single vote on Nov. 4. Some wanted this year's vice presidential candidates to be at the top of the ticket, as Joe Biden got one vote and Sarah Palin had three.
And while there were votes for Anyone Else, Satan and Big Bird for president, some of the down-ticket races saw novelty votes as well. In Precinct 7, celebutant Paris Hilton was written in, presumably by the same person, for eight positions: U.S. senator, Iowa 5th District Congress, Iowa House District 1, three county supervisors posts, county sheriff and county auditor.
Gill is the county's chief election official and had no competition on the ballot for another four-year term. But there were some write-ins for the position, most notably, Jesus.
Who for president?
Here's who got write-in votes for president in Woodbury County.
57 -- Hillary Clinton
37 -- Ron Paul
4 -- Mitt Romney
8 -- Mike Huckabee
3 -- John Edwards, Sarah Palin, Al Gore, Bill Richardson, Alan Keyes
2-- Big Bird, T.Boone Pickens
1-- Anyone Else, Nobody, Satan, Bill Cosby, Mickey Mouse, Linus, Oprah Winfrey, Larry the Cable Guy, Herbie Hancock (musician), Dennis Kucinich, John Kerry, Joe Biden, Ross Perot, J.P. Patches (clown on Seattle TV show 1958-1981), Lewis Black (comedian), Dr. Sam Clovis Jr. (Morningside College professor), Autumn Cory of Iowa, John Brown, Joe Smith, Ed Huff, Bob Pederson, Aaron Wicker, Scott Jones, William Clark Merrill and Alba C.
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The Grassy Knoll wrote on Nov 21, 2008 7:57 PM:
NotSoHot wrote on Nov 21, 2008 4:02 PM:
I am voting for Mikey Mouse for auditor next time - after all that is how Gill has run the office since he has been in.
Gill should discourage this - after all he cannot seem to get it right when the people are supposed to be on the ballot "
Re GrannyT wrote on Nov 21, 2008 2:44 PM:
GrannyT wrote on Nov 21, 2008 1:04 PM: