Man named Nobody is running for Mayor of Keene!

Posted on Aug 23, 2019 | 0 comments


Original Article

Five more people have filed for Keene city positions — including a mayoral contender with an unusual name.

Nobody, formerly known as Rich Paul, filed for mayor early Wednesday morning, though the paperwork wasn’t posted with the other declarations on the city’s website until Thursday.

A YouTube video posted Wednesday on the Free Keene blog shows him in a court hearing to legally change his name to Nobody. In the video, he tells the judge he is changing his name out of “a combination of performance art and protest.”

In a text message this morning, he wrote that “the system is broken, and Nobody can fix it.

“Nobody cares about the poor, Nobody will end the wars, Nobody will end the genocidal war on drugs,” he continued.

Filings Thursday include:

*Ward 4 councilor: Gladys Johnsen

*Ward 2 selectman: Nancy Wilkinson

*Ward 5 moderator: James Fay

*Ward 5 checklist supervisor: Sylvie Rice

The filing period opened Wednesday at 8 a.m.

Positions on the ballot are mayor, five at-large and six ward-specific City Council seats, and elections officials in each of Keene’s wards — a moderator, clerk, supervisor of the checklist and three selectmen.

All positions are two-year terms aside from ward councilors, which come with four-year terms. The exception is the sixth ward seat (ward 4) for a two-year position. That’s because then-Ward 4 Councilor Margaret M. “Maggie” Rice stepped down in June midway through her term.

There are two options for those interested in running: File a declaration of candidacy or submit a petition, both of which go to the clerk’s office at City Hall.

Declaration of candidacy forms are due Tuesday, Sept. 10, by 5 p.m., along with a filing fee of $5 to run for mayor and $2 for any other office.

Those filing by petition have until Friday, Sept. 13, by 5 p.m. There’s no fee, but the petition must include 50 signatures from voters registered in the part of the city the candidate would represent. Paperwork is available at the clerk’s office.

The city’s primary is slated for Oct. 8, and the general election is Nov. 5. For more information, go to ci.keene.nh.us/city-clerk/elections-voting or contact City Clerk Patricia A. Little at plittle@ci.keene.nh.us or by calling 352-0133.

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