From ‘Nickel Bag’ to ‘Whinehouse’: Election ’08 write-ins

I spent the afternoon clicking through the Star Tribune’s excellent database of challenged ballots in search of the ballot Sen. Norm Coleman’s campaign reportedly questioned because the voter penned in a note of gratitude: “Thank you for counting my vote!” I still haven’t found it, but I did find, along with old favorites like write-in candidates Flying Spaghetti Monster and Lizard People, an array of others oddities, including write-ins for “Amy Whinehouse,” “Hitler,” “Tiny Tim” and a hairy bodily orifice I won’t mention til after the jump.

One spelling-challenged voter from Blue Earth went mostly with Democrats, but added in a few write-ins for down-ballot races, from “Snake River Peace” for Soil and Water supervisor to “O.J. Simson,” “Amy Whinehouse,” “Hitler,” “A Hairy Asshole” and, in an apparent reference to TV’s “Judge Judy” Scheindlin, “Judy Shinlun.”

A Farmington voter also showed up to support Democrats like Barack Obama, Al Franken and House District 36B DFLer Bev Topp, but seemed to break from party affiliation supporting each of The Three Stooges, as well as Farmington mayoral contender, “Nickel Bag,” in other races.

This ballot from Lake Edward showed an official vote for Dean Barkley, later x’d out to show support for write-in candidate Norm Coleman.

Already noted by the media, here’s a Fridley voter who turned the entire ballot into an electoral poem of sorts (pdf). A diatribe about campaign advertising, it concludes, “If I get beat down with political ads… I’d rather have Nick D. Pab for president. Ha ha ha ha.” Curiously, the voter turned out on the busiest election day ever, but cast no votes for actual candidates. A detail:

A St. Louis Park voter seemed confused about his or her Soil and Water pick, jotting the note “both either or else no one.”

There could be a candidate named “Don Johnson,” but I’d prefer to think the “Miami Vice” star merited this write-in:

Here’s a vote for Al Franken that seems to use the lesser-of-evils logic: “Just because he is on democratic ticket.”

“Me” gets the nod over Mark Uglem for Champlin mayor:

And finally a voter who really likes Sen. Coleman. Or really doesn’t.