Because I’m going to the World Fantasy Convention at the beginning of November, I was a bit worried any flight delays might cause me to run the risk of missing my opportunity to vote in the presidential election. (My flight home is on Nov. 3, so if there were any significant delays due to a snowstorm or something, for instance, being home by Nov. 4 couldn’t be guaranteed.)

So, to stave off any possibility of my vote not being cast, I decided to vote by absentee ballot. In New Jersey (and possibly in other states), you don’t need any particular reason to vote by absentee ballot—you can just request one and they’ll send it to you. Mine came in the mail today, about a month after I sent in my request (though I think it only took that long because there was plenty of time before the election—I think they can process a request in as little as a week).

In any case, I bring this up because I was surprised to see the number of people running for president. Here’s the complete list:

• Barack Obama (Democratic)
• John McCain (Republican)
• Roger Calero (Socialist Workers Party)*
• Jeffrey “Jeff” Boss (Vote Here)**
• Cynthia McKinney (Green Party)
• Brian Moore (Socialist Party USA)
• Gloria LaRiva (Socialism and Liberation)
• Ralph Nader (Independent)
• Chuck Baldwin (Constitution Party)
• Bob Barr (Libertarian Party)
   

* Roger Calero, your campaign is made of fail—I couldn’t actually find your campaign website. What I’ve linked to is the closest thing I could find.

** For your own amusement, it might be worth visiting Jeff Boss’s campaign website. It’s chock-full of crazy, which doesn’t surprise me, as I’ve seen some rather crazy-looking signs for Boss up around northern NJ. I even witnessed someone hanging one outside the Hudson United Bank on 14th St. in Hoboken. Could it have been Boss himself? Hard to say, there’s not even a picture of him on his website. But he claims to have witnessed the US government arranging 9/11. So, yeah, go take a look at the website. I think his caps-lock key is stuck. At least he *has* a website.

I find the ballot interesting for a few reasons.

1. With all of the focus on the fact that Hillary Clinton could have been the Democratic nominee for president, and then the fact that Sarah Palin is the Republican candidate for VP, you’d think that someone on the news at some point, might have mentioned that the Green Party actually did select a woman as their candidate for president. (As did, apparently, the Socialism and Liberation party, which I have never heard of.) Also, considering the attention given to the fact that Barack Obama is black, you’d think someone might have mentioned that Cynthia McKinney is not only a woman, but black as well.
2. Speaking of the Socialism and Liberation party, I find it interesting that there are not one, not two, but *three* different candidates running on a fully socialism platform (I’m assuming, based on the names of their parties). It’s possible there are more socialists on the ballot, but I’m not familiar with some of the other candidates.
3. Ralph Nader and Bob Barr are the only two people I’ve heard of other than Obama and McCain (well, except for Boss, since I’ve seen his crazy, hand-written signs). I heard it talked about that Nader did not get the Green Party nomination. Curiously, I never did hear who actually did (McKinney) until now. I’ve only heard of Bob Barr because he appeared on either The Daily Show or The Colbert Report. 
    

If you don’t live in NJ, your ballot may differ. Apparently, you can get on the ballot in certain states, and may not be able to get on it in others. People can always write in, however, if the candidate is not on the ballot in their state. (I think Boss is only on the ballot in NJ.)

That’s about all I have to say on the subject. I will add, however, that I support Barack Obama, and would encourage you to do the same.

I’m John Joseph Adams, and I approve this message.