Come in number 247

And the latest from California is that there may be as many as 247 candidates for Governor in the recall election. Now, I've run elections with more than 10 candidates and I've voted in ones with over 30, but 247? I seriously do believe that if some of these candidates don't vote for themselves there could well be people receiving no votes at all. Which would be a different way of distinguishing yourself from all the others afterwards.

I have thought before, if I had the money to throw away on a deposit, of standing in a by-election as the 'Don't vote for me Party' just to see how few votes it would be possible to get, with that added bonus of pseudo-immortality in the Guinness Book of Records. I think the record (post everyone getting the vote, anyway) is something like 11 votes by Lord Buckethead or someone similar.

Update: The lowest is apparently the seven votes received by Dorian Vanbraam in Putney in 1997. Thanks to Anthony for the pointer.