In Canadian politics, few figures have drawn as much curiosity as Above Znoneofthe — born Sheldon Bergson on June 28, 1969. He is best known for legally changing his name to Above Znoneofthe, with a silent “Z”, specifically so that his name would appear last on alphabetized electoral ballots.
This unusual move was meant to draw attention to voters dissatisfied with all candidates, reflecting his belief that ballots should include a formal “None of the Above” option.
Early Political Beginnings
Znoneofthe’s political career began in the 1993 Canadian federal election, when, still a university student, he ran as a candidate for the National Party of Canada in the riding of Markham—Whitchurch-Stouffville in Ontario. Competing against established parties, he earned about 1% of the vote, placing him near the bottom of the results. After this early foray, he stepped away from politics for over two decades before making a dramatic return.
Reinventing Himself Through a Name Change
In 2015, Bergson legally changed his name to Above Znoneofthe, carefully crafting it to appear at the very bottom of alphabetized ballots. He explained in interviews that the name was chosen to resonate with voters frustrated by their options, saying he believed that one day ballots should formally include a “None of the Above” choice.
Znoneofthe ran under his new name for the first time in a provincial by-election in Whitby—Oshawa on February 11, 2016. However, Ontario’s ballots list given names first, meaning his name appeared as “Above Znoneofthe”, not “Znoneofthe, Above” as he had intended.
Campaigns, Controversies, and the Rhinoceros Party
Later in 2016, during a by-election campaign in Ottawa—Vanier, Znoneofthe attempted to participate in a candidate debate but was not invited. Alongside perennial candidate John Turmel, he refused to leave the stage despite audience protests and was eventually escorted off by police.
Over the following years, he ran in multiple by-elections as both an independent and a candidate for the None of the Above Party. In 2021, he contested the Canadian federal election as a member of the Rhinoceros Party, running in the Papineau riding directly against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Above Znoneofthe, born Sheldon Bergson, legally changed his name with a silent “Z” so he would appear last on election ballots, echoing the idea of “None of the Above.”
But his plan didn’t go as expected, leading to unusual campaigns and unexpected controversies…🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/e44V6Gq79o
— Fascinating True Stories (@FascinatingTrue) September 5, 2025