By Ricky Swindle

Muffler Shop Musings

Howdy, friends!

Well the primaries are over and now we are heading to the general election in November. Congratulations to all the winners and kudos to all the runners up also.

It takes a lot of gumption to put your name on a ballot and ask for votes from folks you know and don’t know. I have a lot of respect for all candidates who toe the mark and walk the line during election time.

I don’t really care for the primary system we use in our state. I think everyone ought to be on the same ballot and the top vote getters run it off in the general. 

I’m in the mindset that we should be able to vote for who we want no matter the party the way we do in the general.

But that’s just me I reckon.

I don’t foresee any elected member of our legislature changing one iota of a system they took advantage of that led to their being elected to their position. 

It would be sorta crazy on their part to change the very system that got them elected in the first place.

They know how the system works to their advantage and change is unnecessary to them no matter how much it aggravates me not to be able to vote for Sheriff, Circuit Clerk, Supervisor or State Legislator on the same ticket. You have to give up voting for one to vote for another. Makes no sense to me.

Speaking of brave folks putting their name on a ballot, I heard a funny true story years ago about a guy I will keep his name to myself because he’s been long deceased and it was in a neighboring county.

The Sheriff there locked the fellow up often because he was very prone to break the law. The lawman didn’t have anything against the man, he was just doing his job and his job required arresting the dude on a regular basis.

So it comes around time to sign up for elections and the outlaw guy decided that he would just run for Sheriff himself. We don’t know why because we all knew he was going to keep doing his usual unlawful things. 

Maybe he was planning to cut out the middleman and arrest himself. God only knows why he ran.

The ol’ boy had 10 folks living on his place, but he only received 8 total votes for the entire county.

The day after the election, he came walking in the old honky tonk beer joint with a pistol all holstered up on his side.

Folks told him, “Hey man, you didn’t win that election, you can’t be up in here toting a gun around like Wyatt Earp.”

He said, “Boys, after that election showed me with no more friends than I’ve got, you will never see me go anywhere without this gun.”.

Take care of yourself folks and don’t forget to vote in November. 

Write to Ricky Swindle at rickyswidle@bellsouth.net