It happens every election. People flock to the polls to cast their ballots and instead, as a joke, they vote for Mickey Mouse.

Which fictitious character gets the most votes?

“Off the top of my head, I’d say Disney characters are up there,” said School District Moderator Ryk Bullock.

Also popular, though not fictitious, is whomever holds the U.S. presidency.

This year, with all candidates on the Bedford School District ballot running unopposed, about 100 voters chose to enter write-in votes – some real people in town, some animated. That’s about 3 percent of voters.

“For some reason, that’s a signal for them to write in their aunt or uncle, husband or wife, Goofy or Tigger, anyone from Osama Bin Laden to George Bush,” Bullock joked.

It’s not a problem, though, because it’s a voter’s constitutional right to choose whichever candidate they want, Bullock said.

“I would never encourage anyone from using a write-in vote,” Bullock said. “Hey, it’s their ballot.”

Fake write-in votes have the potential to slow down a vote count during presidential and state elections, and could be costly as town staff tally, Bullock said.

The results for state and national elections must be sent to Concord on election night.

Results have to include a tally of every candidate, including all the Mickey Mouses.

“That can easily delay an election an hour or an hour and a half,” Bullock said.

Town Clerk Wanda Jenkins said she doesn’t understand why people come out to vote if they’re just going to write in fake candidates.

“Why do they do it? When you find out come and tell me,” she said.