Uncle Mover (born Michael Patrick Shanks, March 17 1953, and formerly known as Mike The Mover) is an American perennial candidate and business owner from Washington State.[1] Shanks legally changed his name to Mike the Mover in 1990 to help promote his furniture moving business.[2]
According to Mover, he has run for public office more than 17 times but has never been elected.[3]
Though originally motivated to run for office in order to draw attention to Washington's complex regulations for movers, Mover's more recent campaigns have been a marketing tactic to promote his business. In 2004 he estimated $150,000 (~$231,953 in 2023) of his company's annual revenue came from the name-familiarity generated by his ballot appearances.[2] Never endorsed by a political party, he has sought office as both a Democrat and a Republican. In the 2014 election for U.S. Congress from Washington's 1st congressional district, Mover, a Civil War enthusiast,[4] ran as a candidate of the "National Union Party" (under Washington elections law, candidates can declare themselves a member of any party, whether the party exists or not).[5] Changing his name again to Uncle Mover, Mover filed to run for U.S. Senate in 2016.[6]
Mike the Mover grew up as one of twelve children born to Richard and Patricia Shanks.[7][2] His father was the former Mayor of Lake City prior to it becoming part of Seattle in the 1950s.[7]
Mover resides in Snohomish County near Lynnwood, Washington.[2]
In 1977, Mover started moving professionally. Unable to receive a state permit, he was charged 89 times with gross misdemeanors and was convicted of in two of these cases for operating an illegal moving business.[2]