Yup, no faces whatsoever. I don't know if this was a malfunction on the computers on Whyville, or even my computer, but for the first four days or so of the election, there was no faces on the Senate candidates. Then I logged on, and to my surprise the senate candidates had their faces back.

Is this a good idea or not?

Based on what I've seen in Whyville, I think showing the live faces of the Senate candidates is a bad idea. When people vote, they may make their decision all too quickly. I call this making a quick vote.

A quick vote is when someone looks for a really simple reason to vote for someone -- like if they look at the faces for Senate candidates, and choose the prettiest one.

With no faces, people pretty much can't do that type of voting. They will have to think more about which candidate to choose, and spending more time thinking is always a good thing. They'll have to find a Senate candidate who has the right standards, someone who that citizen would really want to represent them.

Without seeing the candidates' faces, I think the voting will more often be based on criteria related to "How can this person improve Whyville" instead of "Who's got the prettiest face on Whyville."

Some people vote for senator, like they would vote for a beauty contest. The senator shouldn't be based on looks, but knowledge of Whyville. Look behind the faces of the senators, and actually read their platforms.

I fear that the Senate Races are turning more and more into popularity contests. If you want to vote for a pageant winner, then hold a beauty contest. Don't run for Senator.

Maybe there is someone on Whyville who doesn't make their face the prettiest out of all the faces on Whyville... but this person may have great ideas on Whyville, and may have a decent salary, too.

Whyville's faces are cartoons, not real faces. People should look through the cartoons, and focus on the ideas behind them.

*Snowgri13*

Editor's Note: Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Snowgri13! To our readers, I'd like to know if you know of anyone who has ever voted for someone in the Senate races based on how they looked. Did appearance ever actively affect your vote, or the vote of someone you know? I know that many people worry that appearance determines the next Senator, but very few folks have admitted to voting based on a candidate's face. Is it truly a problem, or no? I'm really not sure!!