alfred e. newman mickey mouse mr. burns write-in candidates on ballot

What do Mr. Burns, Alfred E. Newman, Sleeping Beauty and Mickey Mouse all have in common? (Aside from their cartoon complexions, that is.)

They’ve each gotten your vote for president.

Every national election year, tens of thousands of Americans voters exercise their right to, well, write. While some ballot casters choose to scribble in the names of former presidents or third-party candidates, others use it as a chance to satirically salute their favorite fictional characters. In the 2008 presidential election, Mickey Mouse racked up 11 votes,  and Donald Duck came in close behind his Disney buddy with 7 write-ins. Mr. Burns, the billionaire from the Simpsons, had many New York voters smitten during the 2009 gubernatorial election. And Mad Magazine’s mischievous, freckled poster boy has gotten a few votes in every election since 1960, when the publication first started satirically pitching him as a candidate.

These stories can easily make you disillusioned with the electoral system. It’s kind of discouraging hearing about all the people who throw away their vote on some goofy, 2-D character, isn’t it? But these write-ins also illustrate another thing: It’s possible for your ballot to reflect your beliefs and values, even in this cramped two-party system. It may sound idealistic or naïve, and maybe that’s the case. But what’s wrong with a little idealism if it gets more of us to the polls on Election Day?

So on November 6, go to your polling place, rain or shine, traffic or empty streets, busy day or not. And if you pick up the ballot and realize that none of the typed out names resonate with you, exercise your right to write-in one that does.