MnDOT's 'Name a Snowplow' contest voting ends tonight
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Posted: Jan. 25, 10:37 a.m. | Updated: Feb. 3, 7:30 a.m.
Bobsled Dylan? Mary Tyler More Snow? Blizzo?
Which of those — or 57 other possible names — ends up on state snowplows in Minnesota is now in your hands.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation on Wednesday, Jan. 25, issued its latest list of prospective snowplow names, for a third year of its popular “Name a Snowplow” contest.
“Choose up to eight of your favorite names before midnight on Friday, Feb. 3,” says MnDOT’s official website.
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The list of 60 names up for an online vote follows a call for entries from late last year — and features the state's penchant for grafting popular culture onto winter.
In addition to the entries noted above — there’s also the contest’s usual Prince reference, Paisley Plow, and a Star Wars allusion: Han Snowlo — other entries include Harmon Chillebrew, Blader Tot Hotdish and Miracle on Ice.
The list also includes a tribute to one of Minnesota’s most beloved comics: Plowie Anderson, a reference to Louie Anderson, who died a year ago.
Queen El-ice-a-beth and Sleetwood Mac round out the tributes to prominent and recently deceased public figures. The English monarch died last September, and Fleetwood Mac’s Christine McVie died in November.
As in past years, the names up for vote also include several Native American references: Waipahiƞte, the Dakota word for “snow plow”; Ičamna, the Dakota word for “blizzard”; and Goonodaabaan, the Ojibwe word for “snow vehicle.”
MnDOT said it received more than 10,000 suggestions that staff narrowed down to the field of 60.
“The agency considered a variety of factors when selecting the finalists, including uniqueness, frequency of submissions, Minnesota-specific ideas, and names that would be easily identifiable and understandable to most audiences,” MnDOT said in a news release.
Online voting to pick this year's winners runs through midnight on Feb. 3. Winners are set to be announced later in February.
The top eight names will go on plows in each of MnDOT's eight districts.
Past MnDOT “Name a Snowplow” contest winners
Winter 2020-21
Plowy McPlowFace
Ope, Just Gonna Plow Right Past Ya
Duck Duck Orange Truck
Plow Bunyan
Snowbi Wan Kenobi
F. Salt Fitzgerald
Darth Blader
The Truck Formerly Known As Plow
Winter 2021-22
Betty Whiteout
Ctrl Salt Delete
The Big Leplowski
Plowasaurus Rex
Scoop Dogg
Blizzard of Oz
No More Mr. Ice Guy
Edward Blizzardhands