American voters agonizing over re-electing either Joe Biden or Donald Trump as president can now cast a vote Literally Anybody Else.
A 35-year-old Texan, known formerly as Dustin Ebey, has legally changed his name to Literally Anybody Else and entered this year’s race for U.S. president.
He said he’s fed up with the two major-party candidates and wants to send a message.
“People are voting for the lesser of two evils, not someone they actually believe in or support,” Else told ABC affiliate WFAA.
“People should have the option to vote for someone who resembles and represents them, not the lesser of two evils. I reject that.”
“It’s not necessarily about me as a person, but it’s about literally anybody else as an idea,” he continued.
Else, a veteran of the U.S. Army and a seventh-grade math teacher in the Dallas suburbs, has offered up his driver’s licence as proof he changed his name. Records with the Federal Election Commission show he has filed under the name.
His website argues that “America should not be stuck choosing between the ‘King of Debt’ (his self-declaration) and an 81-year old. Literally Anybody Else isn’t a person, it’s a rally cry.”
Else told WFAA that the “constant power grab” between the Republican and Democratic parties “has no benefit to the common person.”
“Three hundred million people can do better,” he said of the current presidential frontrunners, referencing the population of the United States.
Under state law, Else will be required to obtain more than 113,000 signatures from non-primary voters in Texas by May to get his new name on ballots — an undertaking he admits will be very challenging.
“My hope is to have Donald Trump, Joe Biden, and then Literally Anybody Else right underneath,” Else said, adding that the backup plan is to encourage voters to write his name onto their November ballot.
A recent Associated Press-NORC Research Center poll, released in December, found that 68 per cent of adults are pessimistic about the state of politics in the United States.
The poll found that 56 per cent of U.S. adults overall, regardless of party affiliation, said they would be “very” or “somewhat” dissatisfied with Biden as the Democratic presidential nominee. About 58 per cent said the same about Trump being the potential GOP nominee.
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