'Giggles The Pig' Write-In Effort Ends In Flint Mayor's Race
FLINT (WWJ/AP) - A lawyer who wanted to enter his pet pig into the Flint mayoral race is calling off the effort.
Michael Ewing started the "Giggles the Pig for Flint Mayor" campaign after learning that a mix-up by Flint's clerk threatened to keep candidates' names off the ballot. Gov. Rick Snyder on Friday signed a law allowing Flint's mayoral election to proceed despite the error.
Ewing said Wednesday that the "Giggles the Pig for Flint Mayor" Facebook page will now be used in part to share good news stories about Flint -- as well updates about Giggles and her "post-campaign life."
Ewing had said Giggles' candidacy sought to draw more attention to the mayoral race, better educate voters about their choices and encourage residents to demand more of elected officials.
Ewing issued the following statement on Giggles' Facebook page:
Sadly, we must announce that Giggles is withdrawing from the Flint mayoral race. The folks in the state capitol worked together and passed a law allowing the names of the candidates to be placed on the ballot—even though the candidate petitions were filed after the state deadline. It's no longer an even playing field, but in reality, that's a good thing. At least now we know exactly who is running for mayor as opposed to a not-so-transparent-election that we feared would result from a write-in election.
Though the Giggles campaign was short lived I hope we were successful in using a little creativity to raise awareness about the election. Had the election remained on a write-in basis the intent was to use the Giggles Facebook page as a way to announce the names of the candidates who were running—and provide website links, etc., for their campaigns (Giggles was not afraid of the competition). Though the write-in situation is moot, we will use the Giggles Facebook page to provide links to articles and website information for ALL FOUR candidates whose names will be appearing on the ballot. We will also post good news about Flint, and give updates about Giggles and her post-campaign life.
We've been asked many times who Giggles would vote for. Well, she's not voting for anyone because she's a pig—and that's really the only good excuse for not voting in an election that is this important. Wait, where did this soap box come from? Anyhow, thanks for all of the support and kind words from here at home, and from around the world—it truly has been a pleasure talking to all of you.
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