Inside an indie mayoral campaign

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A number of hopeful politicians are looking to beat the odds in this year's city elections by vying for public office as independent candidates. To find out what it's like to run as an outsider, ARN heard from Melissa "White Chocolate" Balin, a filmmaker, activist and official write-in candidate for mayor of Los Angeles.

Balin described feeling frustrated by months of campaigning without traditional poltical backers. Being recognized by the city cost her five hundred dollars, an expense she says returned nothing in the way of procedural benefits. Volunteers at polling stations alledgely neglect to describe the procedure for casting a write-in ballot, which critics including "White Chocolate" consider to be an ethical violation of democratic procedure.