If You're Bored With the Campaign Already

Want an election pen pal? Or would you rather join a Fantasy Election League?  The NYT has assembled about a dozen sites for those who want to plunge into the final nine weeks of the campaign in a major, or offbeat, way.  Most of them have a student or education aim, but anyone could presumably take part in the MTV "Fantasy" Game, which offers everything from "bragging rights" and real cash prizes, up to $10,000. 

Like a Fantasy sports league you draft congressional and Senate candidates for your "team," along with your pick for president, and can start or bench or trade them.  You  get points not so much for them doing well at the polls but in how honestly they conduct their campaigns.  Unlike sports, you can't be hurt by injuries to key players--well, not physical ones, but a Todd Akin self-immolation could be right around the corner.  Check it out here.   More:

 In Fantasy Election ‘12, Presidential and congressional candidates are rewarded when they exhibit the behaviors we should expect from those pursuing elected office and penalized when they don’t. We’ve partnered with 15 best-in-class non-partisan organizations and use the data they publish every day – on everything from fundraising transparency, to if the candidates have made their position on key issues known, to fact-checking the claims in Obama and Romney’s ads – to award and deduct points in the game.