KIRO NEWSRADIO OPINION

‘An adorable, cautionary tale’: Jake and Spike weigh in after WA voter writes in Jimothy for every race on their ballot

Jul 26, 2026, 5:00 AM

Washington Rep. Travis Couture posted on X about low voter turnout in Washington, stating, “If common sense people turn in their ballot, it has more weight to it.” He also had a message for those who think their vote won’t make a difference, saying, “It certainly will never count if you don’t turn it in.”

One voter replied to Couture’s post with a photo of their ballot, but instead of selecting any of the candidates on the ticket, they had written in Jimothy, the viral Ballard raccoon known for his unusually round shape, for every single race.

“Jimothy has a real chance as a write-in!” Couture replied to the post.

Couture then quoted the picture of the ballot and stated, “I would laugh myself to absolute death if Jimothy the raccoon beat Pramila Jayapal.”

Jake and Spike warn Jimothy’s fame could be his demise

KIRO hosts Jake Skorheim and Spike O’Neill also found the ballot amusing, but warned that Jimothy’s fame could follow a familiar rise-and-fall trajectory.

“The level of fame that Jimothy the raccoon is getting is, unfortunately, we’ve seen it before, and we’ve seen where this path leads,” Jake said on “The Jake and Spike Show” on KIRO Newsradio. “We like to put him up on a pedestal until we knock him off.”

“Yeah, and we don’t know anything about him,” Spike responded.

“We know very little about his character,” Jake agreed.

“How many other cuties have we fallen for, only to be betrayed by their true character?” Spike joked.

He called Jimothy’s stardom “a cautionary, bushy tail.”

“It’s an adorable, cautionary tale,” Jake responded.

He posed a question to listeners: If you were forced to replace one elected official in Washington with Jimothy, who would it be and why?

Watch the full discussion in the video above.

Listen to “The Jake and Spike Show” weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. on KIRO Newsradio 97.3

KIRO Newsradio Opinion

California...

John Curley Show

‘They’re not dumb’: Curley says California billionaire tax will drive the wealthy out

KIRO host John Curley is warning that a proposed one-time tax on California billionaires could drive the wealthiest residents out of the state.

4 hours ago

aurora avenue seattle viral video pimp war trafficking...

Charlie Harger

Harger: A porch light stopped an alleged rape off Aurora Avenue. Olympia gets its turn in January

At 2:47 a.m. last Saturday, someone living four blocks away from Aurora Avenue called 911. A woman was screaming inside a car in the alley.

6 hours ago

Ramaswamy...

John Curley Show

‘What does it say about the character of the person?’: Curley questions Ramaswamy ad featuring opponent’s mother

KIRO host John Curley is questioning what a recent campaign ad said about Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.

18 hours ago

school zone cameras...

Jake Skorheim and Spike O'Neill Show

‘It’s 100% about money’: Jake and Spike clash over Federal Way’s 24/7 school zone cameras

Federal Way will start running four school zone speed cameras 24/7 in November.

19 hours ago

homelessness...

Gee Scott and Ursula Reutin Show

‘Where are they going to go?’: Gee and Ursula back Everett’s crackdown on homeless camps but question what comes next

Everett is expanding its crackdown on areas where businesses report open drug use, theft, encampments, and people sleeping outside.

21 hours ago

United Airlines...

Jake Skorheim and Spike O'Neill Show

‘I hate it’: Jake questions inheritance taxes after United Airlines CEO’s near 100% proposal

KIRO Newsradio host Jake Skorheim challenged United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby’s call for inheritance taxes approaching 100% at some level.

22 hours ago

‘An adorable, cautionary tale’: Jake and Spike weigh in after WA voter writes in Jimothy for every race on their ballot