Hal

Iowa · United States · Manor

He stood for alderman of the third ward and lost by a landslide. He kept turning up to the council meetings anyway.

A heavyset man is reported sitting in the council chamber at the city hall in Davenport, Iowa, and they call him Hal.

Hal was a citizen who was thoroughly fed up with the city government. He stood for alderman of the third ward and was beaten by the sitting member by an enormous margin.

That did not stop him. He carried on attending, and what he did at those meetings is the rest of the story.

This is the only entry in the entire archive about local politics, and it is one of the few that is genuinely funny. A man who lost an election and refused to accept that this ended his involvement, and who is still in the chamber, is a recognisable figure in every town in the world.

City council chambers are also empty and locked for most of the week.

The city hall is a public building.

FAQ

Where is Hal located?

Hal is in Iowa, United States.