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Subscribe to RSSYou wouldn't think a one-letter typo would make a huge difference, but in an election it apparently does.
In Derby, James J. Butler received 1,526 votes in the race for the Board of Apportionment and Taxation Nov. 8. In fact, he got more votes than anyone else running for election to the 10-member board.
The problem? James J. Butler wasn't running, but his father, James R. Butler, who campaigned for the position. But because of a typo on the ballot, it's the younger Butler who was officially elected to the office.
The Democratic Town Committee nominated James R. Butler, and its members are now trying to figure out what to do, with the Dec. 3 swearing-in ceremony quickly approaching.
"I was the one they nominated. My son wants nothing to do with this," James R. Butler told the Connecticut Post Tuesday. The older Butler noticed the error on the ballot when he voted, the paper reported.
To add to the confusion, both father and son live on Prindle Avenue, and both share the same birthday.
A spokesperson for the Secretary of State's Office, which oversees elections in Connecticut, said no one in the office has ever heard of an error like this ever happening. But Av Harris said the voters elected James J. Butler, and it will be up to the Democratic Town Committee to sort out the problem.
The town has a couple of options, including swearing in James J. Butler, then having him resign, and Democrats could appoint his father to replace him. The other would be to not swear in anyone, and allow the position to remain vacant.
The Democratic Town Committee executive committee will meet Friday to figure out what to do, according to the Connecticut Post.
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No wonder politicians can't fix anything. They can't even figure out how to correct a simple problem caused by a typo without suffering a national spasm. Swear the son in, have him resign, then install the dad? Don't swear in anybody, and leave it vacant? Maybe they can figure out a way to have the election cost thousands of dollars more than it already has.
Don't allow any opportunity to rant about politicians pass you by. In spite of your hyperbole to the contrary, this is not a "national spasm" - they are not even seeking your advice. It is just an interesting story ..... something very unusual that should be more likely to cause a smile than a stroke.
This local issue aside, the ONLY WAY that any of the national TEAPUBLICAN candidates for President can be elected is if they CHANGE THEIR LAST NAME TO "OBAMA" and hope that Americans are ENTIRELY MYOPIC and will not see the difference....just sayin'
LET me type in CAPS and BOLD so I look like an INANE rambling IDOT!!!!
The butler did it!
What do you expect from the liberal Democrats , they don't know sh$$ from shineola on a regular basis. They probably don't even know what shineola is.
They probably not only know what it is, they can probably also spell "shinola." Is this an opportunity to make some lame insult comment about "conservatives'? Naw, that would make me too much like mikey.
Funny, they share the same first name, last name, street address, and birthday. Talk about coincidence and confusion!
The Father could legally change his middle initial.