(Facebook)
KEENE, N.H. (WBZ NewsRadio) — When voters in Keene hit the ballot box for Tuesday's Municipal Primary, they'll see Nobody's name next to Democrat Mitch Greenwald and Republican George Hansel as a candidate for Keene's next mayor.
That's right—Nobody is a person, and that is his actual name. The "cannabis freedom activist" previously known as Rich Paul had his name legally changed to "Nobody" earlier this year.
"I changed it to Nobody to run for office, because Nobody knows how to live your life better than you do, and Nobody deserves that kind of power," Nobody told WKNH in an interview last month.
His campaign website, electnobody.com, features much of this kind of wordplay. On Facebook, his page posts more "nobody" puns, as well as memes about police brutality, the second amendment, and climate change skepticism.
Nobody's quirky campaign is fitting for a slightly offbeat city that has seen a pumpkin festival turn into a tear gas riot; where libertarian-minded protesters held daily pot-smoking rallies on the a public square.
Nobody helped organize those rallies them back in 2009. In fact, in the decade or so the Michigan native has lived in Keene, The Boston Globe reports he's been arrested eleven times, mostly for disorderly conduct or drug offenses.
Nobody told The Globe his campaign is serious about two things: lowering taxes, and keeping an open-door policy for anyone who wants to discuss the actions of Keene Police.
“I am getting a lot of good response,” Nobody told The Globe. “The last time that I went to the liquor store there is this guy in there and he says ‘you are running for mayor’ and I am like ‘yeah I am.’ I was like ‘groovy.’ ”
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