“Why do people vote?” the three-time dodgeball champion asked. “Really, just skip it – that’s what I did!”

Last week, MEGaDUCK announced intentions to be the quackiest candidate for the GOP gubernatorial nomination, running on a platform of Ducking Debates, Ducking Reporters and Ducking Voters. A comic strip at http://www.megaduck2010.com/ chronicles “The Adventures of MEGaDUCK,” and supporters can also follow MEGaDUCK on Twitter and Facebook.

“It’s much easier to focus on your personal life than participate in a representative democracy,” MEGaDUCK continued. “I’m a very busy duck. I’m sure you are, too. Let’s just leave it to the politicians in Sacramento. They seem to know what they’re doing.”

Questioned how many times MEGaDUCK failed to vote in an actual election, MEGaDUCK 2010 campaign adviser Bert N. Ernie paused to think for a moment.

“Let’s see, MEGaDUCK hasn’t voted in four statewide elections since 2003 – including the 2003 recall election when Gov. Schwarzenegger was first elected to office and the crucial 2005 special election,” Ernie said.

“And I can’t remember whether I ducked the 1994 gubernatorial election, when Proposition 187 was on the ballot,” MEGaDUCK added.

In the end, MEGaDUCK insisted on a recount. The campaign also invited supporters to write to MEGaDUCK on Twitter and Facebook and explain why voting is worth 15 minutes of a MEGaDUCK day.

“I mean, don’t you all have something better to do?” asked the often-absent gubernatorial candidate.

For more information, take a guess or e-mail megaduck@megaduck2010.com. Inquiries are not guaranteed a response.

Based on a true story:

Whitman shares yet another commonality with Checchi – a spotty voting record.  Voters in polls and focus groups were flabbergasted to learn that the guy who wanted to be elected governor in 1998 hadn’t even gotten off his duff to vote in either the primary or general election the last time California elected a governor in 1994.  This was an immediate disqualification for many primary voters (Checchi finished with only 12.5 percent of the vote, despite spending a then-record $40 million on his primary campaign).

Whitman didn’t bother to vote in four statewide elections since just 2003 – including the ‘03 recall election that put Gov. Schwarzenegger in office.  À la Checchi, she hasn’t been able to verify whether she voted in the 1994 gubernatorial election, when the controversial anti-immigrant Prop. 187 was on the ballot.  She has apologized for these lapses, saying she was busy running a company and had two kids.  (Average voters with kids use that as an excuse for skipping the polling place?)

From Capitol Weekly