Smells like civic spirit: Former Nirvana bassist runs for clerk in rural Wash. county

Rock the vote: Nirvana bassist seeks county office

CATHLAMET, Wash. — Nirvana’s former bassist is running for clerk of a rural county to protest Washington state’s method of letting candidates name their own party affiliation.

Krist Novoselic (noh-voh-SEL’-ik) is running for clerk of Wahkiakum (wah-KAI’-ah-kum) County in western Washington.

Novoselic is head of his local chapter of the Grange, a civic organization. His election paperwork declares that he’s running under the “Grange Party” banner, even though the Grange isn’t a political party.

Novoselic tells The Daily World newspaper that he’s protesting the state’s system that lets candidates say what party they prefer when running for office. He says that’s confusing for voters and lets candidates appropriate the names of private associations.

Information from: The Daily World, www.thedailyworld.com