It’s that time of year, again: that’s right, when the Philadelphia election powers-that-be email me a list write-in votes cast in the recent election. This time, it was 435 pages of votes cast in the 2021 Municipal and Special Election held earlier this month.
My favorite vote was the single write-in from the District Attorney’s race cast for my soccer-playing son Louden, ascribed to the “American Messi” nickname I’ve dubbed him on Twitter. (Thanks, voter!)
What follows are a few noteworthy multi-vote recipients, and then round-up by actual races. We’ll start, of course, with Gritty who again received countless votes.
Here’s how they break down:
- Justice of the Supreme Court (1)
- Judge of the Superior Court (1)
- Judge of the Court of Common Pleas (14)
- Judge of the Municipal Court (18)
- District Attorney (28)
- City Controller (11)
- Judge or Inspector of Election, by Ward and Division: 05-06, 05-23, 05-27, 15-09, 21-19, 21-25, 21-41, 26-07, 26-08, 26-11, 26-19, 26-22, 27-06, 29-10, 30-15, 31-08, 31-10, 31-11, 38-12, 38-15, 38-20 (Our Overlord Gritty), 53-09, 60-21, 63-01.
Harambe – RIP, king – is still in the hearts and mind of Philadelphia voters, receiving votes for Common Pleas Judge (2), City Controller (2), Municipal Court (1) and then Judge and Inspector in 52-03 and inspector only in 58-29.
Elon Musk (or electricity) fanboys made their voices heard with votes for Nikola Tesla for Supreme Court, Superior Court, Commonwealth Court, Common Pleas, Municipal Court, DA, City Controller, Judge and Inspector of Election 58-44.
Finally, Philadelphia’s own Defender of Freedom Al Schmidt received a litany of write-in votes (as did the Republican’s Democratic city commissioner peers Lisa Deeley, with 22 mentions across the races, and Omar Sabir with 11.)
Republican Philadelphia City Commissioner Al Schmidt says his office, which runs the vote count, has received death threats. https://t.co/LNXfXwJrbk pic.twitter.com/ouxX0xGhKX
— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) November 9, 2020
Al’s write-ins were as follows: Justice of the Supreme Court, City Controller, Inspector of Election 05-34, Judge and Inspector of Election 08-35, Judge of Election 18-18, Inspector of Election 32-19, Inspector of Election 41-21, Inspector of Election 53-18, Judge of Election 56-35, Inspector of Election 57-04, Inspector of Election 58-28, Judge of Election 58-34, Inspector of Election 59-18, Inspector of Election 60-04, Inspector of Election 61-14, Inspector of Election 61-21 and Judge of Election 64-01.
Now, onto race-by-race, with top non-blank/void vote-getters in parenthesis. (One observation was an uptick in votes cast for conservative grifter thought leaders.) I’ll bold the names of quasi-interest. Also, here is a link to the Philadelphia ward/division map if you’re interested in taking a deeper look at where votes were cast for specific candidates.
Justice of Supreme Court (Diane Lane, 5): Malcolm X, Mumia, the Almighty Lonnie Lane
Judge of Superior Court (James Crumlish, 2): Cinderella, Jerome Brown
Judge of Commonwealth Court (Sierra Street, 15): Prince Charming
Judge of Common Pleas (Caroline Turner, 76):
Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck (5), Batman (4), Michael Coard (4), Joel Embiid (4), Judge Judy (4), Ben Shapiro (3), Donald Duck (3), Brett Cavanaugh (2), Buzz Lightyear (2), Candace Owens (2), Goofy (2), Joe Rogan (2), Meek Mill (2), Porky Pig (2), Alice Cooper, Amy Coney Barrett, Ariel, Bam Bam, Barney Rubble, Bart Simpson, Bat Girl, Bernie Sanders, Betty Boop, Big Foot, Bob Saget, Bruce Wayne, Captain America, Chuck Norris, Cicero, Clark Kent, Colin Powell, Daisy Duck, Dan Bongino, Danny Devito, Dave Chappelle, Dave Portnoy, David Simon, Derek Jeter, Dopey, Duck Soup, Eazy E, Elmer Fudd, Elmo, Flapjacks A Lobster, Foghorn Leghorn, Fred Flintstone, Garfield, George Clinton, George Wallace, Grimace, Grumpy, Henry Ruggs, Herschel Walker, Homer Simpson, Howard Stern, Howdy Doody, Hulk Hogan, Ironman, Jalen Hurts, James Woods, Jim Morrison, Joe Mama, Joseph Murray, Kanye West (2), Lady Gaga, Lil Wayne, Lionel Hutz, Lloyd Christmas, Mark Cuban, Marky Mark, Matt Walsh, Megan Fox, Merrill Reese, Molly Eichel, My 2nd Cat, My 3rd Cat, Nick Foles, Nicki Minaj, Nigel Farage, Pat Burrell, Pee Wee Herman, Phanatic, Pikachu, Prince Charles, Ramona Africa, Randy Lobasso, Ron Desantis, Ruby Tuesday, Russell Brand, Sarah Palin, Scooby Doo, Scrooge McDuck, Shiddy-Poop, Sneaky Pete (2), Sneezy, Sponge Bob Square Pants (2), Ted Lasso, The Drake, The Flash, The Tooth Fairy, Tom Cat, Tucker Carlson, Vlad Putin, Wilma, Wonder Woman, Woody Woodpecker.
Judge of Municipal Court (Gritty, 18): Phillie Phanatic (4), Michael Coard (3), Napoleon Dynamite (3), Winnie the Pooh (2), Ben Shapiro, Ben Simmons, Baba Booey, Cicero, Clarence Thomas, Dave Chappelle, Easter Bunny, Frank Rizzo, Fred Flintstone, Geico Gecko, Homer Simpson, Hugh Jass, Isaiah Joe, Jason Kelce, Kermit the Frog, Larry Elder, Lionel Hutz, Optimus Prime, Pete Rose, Queen Elizabeth II, Rand Paul, Rudy Giuliani, Shaq, Steve Jeltz, The Most High God, Theo Epstein, Winston Churchill, Yogi Bear.
District Attorney (Carlos Vega, 110): Phanatic 2, American Messi, Atticus Finch, Ben Simmons, Conor Corcoran, Darth Vader, Dwayne Johnson, Eric Cartman, Goofy, Harvey Dent, Huck Finn, Joe Pesci, Kermit the Frog, Lionel Hutz, RBG, Ru Paul, Sally Yates, Samuel L. Jackson, Stu Bykofsky, Vermin Supreme, Vern Anastasio, Wonder Woman.
City Controller (Brittany Alston, 39): Seth Curry 5, Bernie Sanders 2, Frank Rizzo 2, Porky Pig 2, Batman, Ben Shapiro, Ben Simmons, Bill Cosby, Bugs Bunny, Caitlyn Jenner, Christopher Columbus, Cicero, Darth Sidious, Elmo Monster, Fuch So Long, Jalen Hurts, Joel Embiid, Kanye West, Mark Cuban, Mayor McCheese, Mike Schmidt, Santa Claus, Satan, Spaghetti Monster, Zippy the Pinhead.
Inspector of Election 01-10: George Clooney
Inspector of Election 01-12: Bill Cosby
Judge of Election 02-05: Vincent E. Fumo II
Judge of Election 02-29: Gob Bluth
Inspector of Election 05-02: Joel Embiid
Judge of Election 05-16: Donovan McNabb
Inspector of Election 05-16: Michael Vick
Judge and Inspector of Election 05-21: Dan Crenshaw
Judge of Election 05-35: Joel Embiid
Inspector of Election 05-35: Davonte Smith
Judge of Election 08-10: Julie Ertz
Inspector of Election 08-10: Zach Ertz
Judge of Election 15-02: Popeye
Inspector of Election 15-02: Peppa Pig
Judge of Election 21-01: Dick Hertz
Inspector of Election 21-12: Inspector Gadget
Judge of Election 30-15: Steve Jeltz
Judge of Election: 30-16: Jason Kelce
Inspector of Election: 30-16: Jalen Hurts
Judge of Election 31-06: Beavis
Inspector of Election 31-06: Butthead
Judge of Election 36-37: Fran Dunphy
Inspector of Election 38-15: Allen Iverson
Judge of Election 52-16: Harry Butts
Inspector of Election 52-16: Harry Butts
Judge of Election 57-24: Big Bird
Inspector of Election 57-24: Elmo
Judge of Election 58-20: Ivan Drago
Inspector of Election 58-23: Inspector Gadget
Judge of Election 59-22: Lisa Simpson
Inspector of Election 59-22: Maggie Simpson
Judge of Election 61-26: Sonia Sotomayor
Inspector of Election 66-07: Joe Pesci
Inspector of Election 66-13: Nick Foles
Judge of Election 66-29: John Cena
Inspector and Judge of Election 66-36: Brandon Graham