Welcome to election year! On the ABC sitcom "Modern Family," Claire Dunphy ran for town council on this week's episode -- and lost.
Was it the emergency dental issue that left her toothless right before a big campaign interview? Or was it her clueless, overzealous family, who went into overdrive with campaign frenzy, but apparently did little in the way of garnering votes for her? (Her own father even fled from the voting booth when he saw an old fling, Dottie, working the polls.)
No matter. Claire's big issue was a much-needed stop sign, which the election victor not-so-graciously installed.
While we're sorry Claire lost her town council bid, our "Modern" mama isn't the first TV character to run for a coveted office. Check out these past TV elections:
"Vote For Brady" had a double meaning in a 1969 "Brady Bunch" episode that had step-sibs Greg and Marcia running against each other for student body president. Marcia finally bowed out due to the pressure, but not before her brothers dissed her speech, and Alice the maid tossed her campaign notes. Check out the episode here.
ABC's "Brothers and Sisters" featured Rob Lowe as California senator and presidential hopeful Robert McCallister. But his campaign was ill-fated. That's what happens when you take credit for being a war hero when you aren't one. He eventually conceded in the primaries.
Nothing like pitting two BFFs against each other for a women's club election. The 1953 "I Love Lucy" episode "The Club Election" had Lucy and Ethel going at it over the Wednesday Afternoon Fine Arts League club president job, with both of them hitting up new club member Ruth Knickerbocker to cast the deciding vote.
Bribing voters with sugary treats is a surefire way to win a student council election. Just ask "Glee's" Brittany, who won the school's top seat against Kurt in the 2011 episode "I Kissed a Girl." Of course, Brit's win wasn't so clear cut. There was some ballot stuffing, which Principal Figgins inevitably snuffed out when there were way more votes than there were voters. Funny factoid: Puck actually wrote in "Ross Perot" on his ballot!
Even a small town like Mayberry needs a government. In the 1968 "Andy Griffith Show" episode "Sam for Town Council," Andy and his pals decided to support farmer Sam, much to the chagrin of their other pal (and Sam's opponent), Emmitt. Nothing like small town politics!
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