Good morning from Augusta, where I figured you were bored with and burned out from this slog of a presidential election that’s coming in an eternal four days.

So, we wanted to let you know about Maine’s 14 declared write-in candidates for the presidency, although that list includes “Cracked Fourpounder” of the non-existent Halifax, Maine, an apparent reference to a Canadian folk song. This list is different from the four write-in candidates who have registered with Maine’s secretary of state.

This week, we got in touch with one of them: Keith LaPointe of Sidney, a 36-year-old writer who rents space from his parents in the home he grew up in and uses the pen name “Soul Tsukino” for fiction, reviews of anime and toys and a blog where he touches on politics and pop culture.

Keith LaPointe of Sidney, one of Maine’s 14 presidential candidates, appears here in costume. (Contributed photo)

LaPointe is progressive: He calls himself “anti-NRA,” supports “a total government audit to decrease useless spending” to put those funds into lowering medical and student loan costs and thinks Republican nominee Donald Trump’s stances on immigration are “deplorable.”

He said he supported Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in the Democratic primary, but he registered for the election on his 35th birthday in October 2015 because he knew that his candidate wouldn’t make it to Election Day.

His pitch? He’s a normal person, “not stuck with big business” or “knee-deep in government and this, that and the other thing.”

“I don’t have any real visions of winning this whole thing,” LaPointe said. “But at least when I go into the booth and vote for myself, it’s for somebody I have confidence in, you know?”

He has also blogged some colorful thoughts on the election, saying, “Whoever wins will give a gracious and generic speech and whoever loses will give some prewritten admit to defeat and then hopefully shut the hell up.”

After you vote on Election Day, he also advises you to “treat yourself” with a doughnut or pizza and either watch the results roll in or “watch porn if you want,” suggesting the adult film (the link goes to Wikipedia) that satirized 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin.

That revelation probably won’t sink LaPointe’s candidacy. He’s campaigning in online social circles and said while his parents aren’t voting for him — they’ll back either Democrat Hillary Clinton or Trump — he has convinced friends and has a low bar for votes.

“If I get more than five, I’m doing OK,” LaPointe said.

The Daily Brief will report back on our hero’s vote total after Election Day. Good luck, Soul, and here’s your soundtrack. — Michael Shepherd

Quick hits

• We know at least one legislative race on Gov. Paul LePage’s radar. We’ve been watching the Republican governor’s ICE PAC closely as it has moved money into the Maine Republican Party’s fund and been secretive about what races it’s interested in. On Tuesday, it spent $25,000 to boost Rep. Ricky Long, R-Sherman, in his toss-up, open-seat Maine Senate race against former Attorney General Michael Carpenter, a Houlton Democrat.
• Democratic 2nd Congressional District candidate Emily Cain is making a western swing on Friday. Her opponent, U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin, will be in her backyard. She’ll be in Skowhegan, Farmington and then off to Rumford for a spaghetti supper with the Oxford County Democratic Party, Gov. John Baldacci and his brother, Bangor City Councilor Joe Baldacci. Poliquin, a Republican, plans to campaign in her hometown with an appearance at Orono High School’s playoff football game against Dexter.
• More than 33,000 Mainers made contributions to candidates in Maine’s taxpayer-funded election system. That’s after Maine’s Clean Election system was strengthened by voters in 2015. The total of 33,000 contributors to candidates under the system was double the total from 2014, according to Maine Citizens for Clean Elections.

Reading list

• Tall Timber Trust buys nearly 300,000 acres in North Maine Woods — Anthony Brino, Bangor Daily News
  • The major North Woods land buy has ties to Subway’s founder — Darren Fishell, BDN
• LePage wants to make it harder to send ballot questions to Maine voters — Steve Collins, Sun Journal
• Federal judge to decide whether enough is being done in Maine to protect lynx — Judy Harrison, BDN
• U.S. officials warn of Russian mischief in election and beyond — Greg Miller and Adam Entous, The Washington Post
  • ‘He’s got to get control of the ship again’: How tensions at the FBI will persist after the election — Matt Zapotosky, Rosalind S. Helderman, Sari Horwitz and Ellen Nakashima, WaPo
  • Donald Trump’s income isn’t always what he says it is, records suggest — Russ Buettner, The New York Times
  • Why Clinton’s position is worse than Obama’s — Nate Silver, FiveThirtyEight
• As Maine heads for a record, even early voters face long lines — Eric Russell, Portland Press Herald
  • Portland smashes early voting counts of the past two elections — Jake Bleiberg and Dan MacLeod, BDN
• Sunday River, Sugarloaf sold as land investors cash out — Fishell
• USM investigates Latin graffiti as possible hate crime — Bleiberg

Best of Maine’s Craigslist

• This person wants a pony ride. But “NOT on a carousel.”
• A man who sits at this Portland coffee shop is playing the field. A man who was “in the corner with another girl” in the Coffee by Design on India Street said he was “digging” a “sexy tattoo” on another woman’s leg. He also noticed a “tall professional blonde girl,” saying, “Let’s hook up!” Pay more attention to your date, man.
• A unique model opportunity for southern Maine men. Are you ‘fit,” and between the ages of 18 and 28 with “great armpits”? An armpit model is needed. Here’s your soundtrack. — Michael Shepherd