Palin Factor May Throw Off Presidential Halloween Mask Math

INDIANAPOLIS -- A spooky predictor of past presidential elections had been the sale of Halloween masks featuring the faces of the candidates, but this year even industry experts said the count could be skewed by one woman: Gov. Sarah Palin.

While it's certainly not scientific, typically the candidate with the most masks in their likeness sold during the pre-election Halloween season eventually ends up in the White House.

"It's really weird. I guess what it is just a slice of America," north-side Halloween Express employee Michelle Stultz told 6News' Tanya Spencer. "People subconsciously, or consciously, come in and they actually pick the stuff that they're actually going to vote for."

So far, two costume companies that had claimed success in picking the winning candidate in years past both have Sen. Barack Obama ahead of Sen. John McCain nationally, while the competition in Indiana is said to be neck and neck.

However, there might be a wrinkle in the longstanding logic this year with what has been dubbed the Palin factor.

Because she was picked too late for retailers to make masks, they said they've been fielding a lot of requests for brown wigs and glasses. That might make a dent in McCain's mask numbers, but wouldn't show up in the head-to-head race with Obama.

"This year it's really a toss up," Stultz said. "I can't really tell you who's going to win."