In Florida, Man Doing Everything He Can to Lose Election
GENE RANDALL, CNN ANCHOR: When most people run for office, their goal is getting elected. But from Florida, we have the story of a man doing everything he can to lose his race. Here is Mark Potter.</s>MARK POTTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A month and a half ago, Douglas Couvertier decided to run for town council in Southwest Ranches, a rural bedroom community near Ft. Lauderdale. He was actually doing quite well. "The Miami Herald" endorsed his candidacy. But suddenly, he changed his mind. (on camera): What's your greatest fear?</s>DOUGLAS COUVERTIER, RELUCTANT CANDIDATE: To be elected. To win. At this point, if I win, I'm in trouble, so I've got to make sure I don't win.</s>POTTER (voice-over): Recently, he got bad news from his boss at the Miami-Dade fire department, where he works as a battalion chief. It turns out the county charter prohibits someone with his job from holding elective office.</s>COUVERTIER: If I'm elected to this office, I have to be terminated, and I can't afford that, because I'm three years away from retiring, and it'll affect my retirement.</s>POTTER: Not wanting to lose his full pension, he asked the elections supervisor to remove him from the ballot. But it was too late.</s>COUVERTIER: I didn't want people to vote for me, because I'd lose my job, so the only alternative was I was to communicate the fact that, please, don't vote for me.</s>POTTER: Couvertier quickly went to work, convincing the local newspapers to write stories about how he hoped to lose. He explained it by phone to radio reporters.</s>COUVERTIER: I am three years away from retiring. It would affect my retirement. So I couldn't do that.</s>POTTER: Couvertier also contacted his neighbors, who at first thought he was kidding.</s>COUVERTIER: As soon as I talk about it a little, they realize I'm serious, and they go, oh my God, no, I won't vote for you, don't worry.</s>POTTER: On election day, the now-reluctant candidate will come here to the polling place to greet voters. He will wear a tee-shirt that says "Please Don't Vote for Douglas Couvertier," and he means it. Mark Potter, CNN, near Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.