Tim Chitwood: Ghosts of dead campaigns haunt Super Tuesday ballot

They are the ghosts of campaigns past:

The presidential primary candidates no longer in the running, left behind, lost in the maddening crowd.

But still on the ballot -- a baker's dozen, on the Republican menu, 13 in all.

Thirteen voters can pick from, but only five in the running.

Who are the insignificant eight? Let's go to Georgia's My Voter page (www.mvp.sos.ga.gov) and check a sample ballot.

Jeb to Trump

It's in alphabetical order, so if Ben Carson doesn't block the entrance, they take the stage like this:

1. Jeb Bush. Gone. Done. Dynasty denied.

2. Ben Carson is still hanging on 'til the bitter end, maybe just to spite Ted Cruz.

3. Chris Christie. He of the alliterative name has gone 'bye-bye.

4. Ted Cruz is still cruising on Cruz control.

5. Carly Fiorina has been laid off.

6. Lindsey Graham. Lindsey you later, alligator.

7. Mike Huckabee. To Huckabee or not to Huckabee? Not.

8. John R. Kasich. The "R" is for running, still, so far, anyway.

9. George Pataki. He was running for president? Seriously? When was that?

10. Rand Paul. Ron Paul. Dan Paul. Stan Paul. All y'all. Out of here.

11. Marco Rubio is still bitch-slapping Donald Trump with makeup jokes.

12. Rick Santorum has faded like a frayed V-neck sweater vest bleached by the glare of TV cameras that turned away long ago.

13. Donald J. Trump's still proving orange is the new black, at least for hair color. Maybe not skin.

Hill the Bern

Only four names are on the Democratic ballot:

1. Hillary Clinton, Bill's better half, relatively, is still waiting for that "Weekend at Bernie's."

2. Martin O'Malley. You might have thought his catchy candy-bar name would catch on. It didn't.

3. Bernie Sanders is still running and running, and if he gets elected and his time runs out, Larry David can pretend to be him like in the movie "Dave."

4. Michael Steinberg. You remember Michael Steinberg, right? Of course you do. So do you happen to know whether he's still running? Me neither.

One thing to remember when you go vote Tuesday is your photo ID. Another is your voting precinct, which you also can look up online at the Georgia My Voter Page.

Three Columbus voting precincts have new polls this year:

Northside Baptist Church and Fox Elementary will vote in the student center at Columbus Tech, 928 Manchester Expressway.

Blackmon Road Middle School will vote at the Salvation Army Church, 5201 Warm Springs Road.

Whether you're stumping for Trump or standing for Steinberg this election day, make sure you've got what it takes to vote, because the future of America is at stake.

Tim Chitwood, tchitwood@ledger-enquirer.com, 706-571-8508.

This story was originally published February 28, 2016 at 10:10 PM with the headline "Tim Chitwood: Ghosts of dead campaigns haunt Super Tuesday ballot ."