My first post-election thought on Sussex Council District 3: How did Man Schaeffer amass 16,500 votes? Most likely, the write-in campaign of no-name Patti Drago may have galvanized the opposition, even though it was unlikely that a write-in candidate with no prior political history and no party affiliation could win.
Just amazing that 10,400 voters wrote and typed Patti Drago in correctly! Most people never had to do a write-in in any election before. These 10,400 people felt strongly enough to learn how to write Patti in! Remember, Patti had filed her candidacy only six weeks before the election. Well before Patti got her campaign up and running, many people had already mailed in their ballots fearing delays in the postal system. Then, on top of the challenge of the new voting machines, since her name was not even on the ballot, they had to know the position she was running for and click the write-in button to type her name in.
I am still awestruck by Patti Drago’s rise from no name to a household name, not only in District 3, but also in the adjoining District 2 and 4. Many people outside her district were disappointed that they could not write in Patti Drago. In District 4, poll workers used a megaphone to announce to the waiting crowd: “To all voters in line, No, you cannot vote for Patti Drago in this district!”
Apparently, they were getting the question often enough that they felt it necessary to abate further questions.
I congratulate Patti Drago and her volunteers for what they have achieved in such a short time:
• Starting as a small circle of Patti’s friends to reaching over 10,000 voters, and beyond District 3
• Without any political party’s support or campaign funds
• Practically in six weeks from scratch, without having time to even recruit a campaign manager
• All done with volunteers, many of whom had no prior experience in any election other than going to the polling booths
• Patti Drago became a household name from a no name.
I hope this campaign of Patti Drago provides the inspiration for the future candidates and their volunteers. I look forward to hearing more of Patti’s service for the communities, near and far.
Thank you, Patti, for taking on this challenge and give us this hope for the future of Sussex County.
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