At the 2011 City Council-at-large debate held at WHYY, moderator Dave Davies asked Republican Denny O’Brien if Philly was actually getting a sixth Democrat if they voted for him. That question is much more appropriate this year, but not for O’Brien.

With two seats set aside in Council for the non-majority party, the assumption and reality has always been that there are at least two Republicans seated. But that’s being challenged in a new and innovative way this election by Andrew Stober of the Philadelphia Party.

Stober is trying to buck a six-plus decade trend by running as an Independent in this year’s election. He is for all intents and purposes a Democrat: He served in Mayor Nutter’s administration, even earning the endorsement of his former boss along with one from Ed Rendell. But can he win? Let’s see where he stands first.

While Stober may be a Democrat in sheep’s clothing, his sit-down with The Spirit sounded very similar to Republican Terry Tracy. Their ideas may diverge a bit but their priorities run parallel. Stober wants “quarterly meetings with the school district” so there’s “no feigned surprise” with the annual budget shortfall. He wants “Capital budget discussions” and wondered, “Does Council even ask those questions?”

He wants to repair the relationship with Harrisburg too. State legislators are “deeply suspicious” of Philly. Stober asked how we can blame them when “there was one hearing [for the school district issues] and they spent most of it on cursive handwriting?”

Stober cites his ability to work with the state on transportation issues for Nutter.

“The first thing was working with SEPTA so legislators in Harrisburg were getting the same message [from the city and SEPTA].”

They then “passed the largest transportation increase” and that “was with a Republican governor and [legislature].”

But will he get the chance? He has an uphill battle for sure. The five Democrats win because so many people just vote the straight Democratic ticket. But while Republicans can’t compete with that, there are thousands of people who vote straight Republican at the polling booths too. This probably gives challengers like Tinney and Tracy at least a 20,000 vote head start on independent candidates like Stober and Kristin Combs (Green). Maybe Rendell and Nutter’s endorsements can match that, but then you need to not only convince voters you are the best choice, but teach them how to vote for you. Stober’s name is all the way to the right on the ballot. His team is telling people to “push my button first” so that they don’t hit the straight “D” button and lock him out.

But Stober is not just sitting there with his finger’s crossed. In addition to explaining to people that a vote for him won’t hurt their favorite Democrat, he hired a firm that worked with Obama to get his name and face on your computer screen. If you voted in either of the last two municipal elections and you find yourself using something known as the internet, then you just may be one of the hundreds of thousands of Philadelphian who saw Stober’s adorable two-year old ask you to vote for him.

Will it work?

The internet’s reputation is at stake.

You’ve got the power to vote, here’s everything you need to know to make the most informed decision on November 3rd.