Stu Bykofsky: TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT THIS YEAR: VOTING

IN 10 DAYS, city voters can have their say, but most will remain mum. In 2007, with an open mayor's chair, fewer than 29 percent of registered voters cast ballots. I expect fewer this year, as the mayor's race is not competitive.

The Big Contest is for City Council, but before I go there, I fulfill a "campaign promise" to oppose the snakes who joined the Deferred Retirement Option Plan with the intention of collecting their Powerball pension payout and returning to work.

Hel-lo, Register of Wills Ron Donatucci and Councilwoman Marian Tasco. He's pocketing 370G; she's slipping 478G into her purse. Both are fraudulent retirements.

Since Tasco is unopposed, all I can suggest is not voting for her. She is certain to be re-elected, but not certain to be elected president of Council, which she wants to cap her career of public pillage - oops, I mean service.

Donatucci realized too late he made a terrible mistake in signing up for DROP - a mistake that cost Councilman Frank Rizzo Jr. and City Commissioner Marge Tartaglione their jobs. A mistake that led to the "voluntary" retirements of a gaggle of incumbents - Council President Anna Verna, Council members Jack Kelly, Donna Reed Miller, Frank DiCicco and Joan Krajewski - who feared voters' wrath.

Donatucci has a Republican opponent, Linda Bateman, who has a plan to get at least another $1 million a year out of uncollected inheritance taxes. If you want to punish Donatucci for DROP, vote for Bateman.

Shall I waste time endorsing Michael Nutter for Term No. 2?

He's in like a lipstick stain.

You've barely heard of his Republican opponent, (former Democratic committeewoman) Karen Brown, who hasn't shown that she's ready for prime time. Even I hadn't heard of independent candidate Wali Rahman, the name listed on the ballot, but not the name he prefers. When you click on Wali's name on the Committee of Seventy's fact-stuffed website, you get zipped to the Committee to Elect Diop Olugbala.

Why? Is he an evil twin?

I dial Diop's number, Wali answers. He heads the International People's Democratic Uhuru Movement, Philadelphia chapter.

I ask about the double-dipping names. Wali says that he petitioned the court to let him run as Diop, but was turned down, even though he is best known by that name "in the community."

I ask why he doesn't use his legal name "in the community"? If I want an interview, he says, I must go through his press secretary. (He's swamped with interview requests?)

I don't want an "interview," just an answer, I say.

He seems to relent and asks for the question.

"Why not use your real name, your legal name?"

The line goes dead.

As dead as his chances of being elected.

For City Council, since all five Democratic nominees are as inevitable as sunset, the fight is among Republicans for the remaining two at-large seats (a/k/a crumbs).

Top GOP primary vote-getter David Oh, who I like, lost my vote for fudging his military record. (I am not voting for five Dems. Jim Kenney's distemper is no longer funny. Neither is Bill Green's thin skin. Bad qualities for elected officials. They'll win anyway. Luck of the Irish or a 6-1 Democratic registration edge?)

Republican Denny O'Brien is deeply committed to kids while Al Taubenberger brings knowledge of City Council and small business to the table. It's a coin flip between Al and financial manager/Navy vet Joe McColgan, who has smart fiscal ideas.

Listen to me, or don't. But do vote on Nov. 8.