Running On Empty

By Val Castronovo, Matthew Cooper, Daren Fonda, Daniel S. Levy, Benjamin Nugent, Julie Rawe, Sora Song and Josh Tyrangiel

Getting out the vote is one of the great challenges in U.S. politics, and no one has it tougher than candidates for local office. Thus may we forgive the press-starved pol for resorting to the classic campaign stunt:

CANDIDATE Jeremy Friedbaum (I) FOR Governor of Utah TACTIC Went on a hunger strike from Sept. 8 to Oct. 18 SOUND BITE "At least I don't look like Gandhi"

[CANDIDATE] Thomas Wesson (R) [FOR] Constable, Dallas County, Texas [TACTIC] Listed his name on the ballot as Tomas Eduardo Wesson to appeal, opponents say, to Latino voters [SOUND BITE] "I go by Tomas. I just put down what I go by"

[CANDIDATE] Brent Christensen (D) [FOR] Sixth Congressional District (Ill.) [TACTIC] Plans to jog through every precinct in his district, with a 47-miler a few days before the election [SOUND BITE] "I will focus my energies on pragmatic proposals that benefit our communities"

[CANDIDATE] Gregory Kazarian (R) [FOR] Illinois State Senate [TACTIC] Gave away 1,000 tickets to a Supremes concert [SOUND BITE] "I do have this feeling it's our obligation to be involved"