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From: Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com>
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
Subject: Re: YASID Re: "Our writers pick the 26 best science fiction short
 stories of all time"
Date: Mon, 23 Dec 2024 14:25:28 -0600
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On 12/22/2024 12:50 AM, Mike Spencer wrote:
> Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> writes:
> 
>> "Our writers pick the 26 best science fiction short stories of all time"
>>    
>> https://www.newscientist.com/article/2460679-our-writers-pick-the-26-best-science-fiction-short-stories-of-all-time/
>>
>> "We asked New Scientist writers to pick their favourite sci-fi short
>> story. From H.G. Wells' The Time Machine to Octavia E. Butler's
> 
> I see that Jackson's The Lottery  is in the list.
> 
> Reminded me that I re-post this every couple of yeas in the hope that
> a newcomer to r.a.s.w. will have an answer.
> 
> ---
> 
> This story dates from the 60s or before and probably wasn't considered
> science fiction when published.
> 
>      Scene is election day in a small town.  Opens with the current
>      mayor, supported by police, probably doing something unspeakable
>      to the young daughter of the family across the street.
> 
>      At the end, the citizens gather on the common where the mayor is
>      lashed to a post, surrounded by faggots of firewood.  He's to be
>      burned at the stake.  If no one intervenes, his medallion of office
>      will explode early in the process giving him a quick death.  If
>      another citizen comes forward and removes the chain of office, the
>      incumbent mayor burns slowly while the citizen dons the chain and
>      becomes the new mayor.
> 
>      Someone does come forward and take the chain, becoming the new
>      mayor.
> 
> For many years, pre-internet, I thought this was entitled "Election
> Day" and was by Shirley Jackson.  Now, on the net, I can't find it and
> it seems not to be in Jackson's corpus.  The tone is very like
> that of "The Lottery".  I lost the book it was in 40 years ago in a
> move.
> 
> Any pointers?
> TIA.

I would ask in Reddit:
    https://www.reddit.com/r/printSF/

Way more eyes.

Lynn