Hanging Chad Costume
Channel your inner Ted Mosby with this legendary, low-effort election ballot costume.
The Hanging Chad is the ultimate inside joke for fans of How I Met Your Mother, famously worn by Ted Mosby in the show's first season. Representing a flawed punch-card ballot from the infamous 2000 US presidential election, it is a clever, political, and incredibly easy costume to make. The look consists of a giant, wearable paper ballot card with a partially detached, swinging paper square.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time
- ~30 min
- Budget
- $10–25
Try it on
See yourself as Hanging Chad
One clear photo of yourself; we render you in this costume — face untouched, full body, about 20 seconds.
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What you need for a Hanging Chad costume
Short on time? Buy it ready-made
Spirit Halloween sells the complete Hanging Chad costume — one box instead of 5 pieces.
White poster board
Two large sheets of sturdy white poster board or foam board to construct the front and back of the ballot.
DIY: Use a flattened cardboard box painted matte white.
Black permanent marker
A thick, black chisel-tip marker to write the ballot text and draw the punch circles.
DIY: Use black acrylic paint and a small paintbrush.
Black ribbon or cord
Two strips of thick black ribbon to act as shoulder straps connecting the front and back boards.
DIY: Use thick black yarn or strips of an old black t-shirt.
Hanging paper square (The Chad)
A small square cut from a third piece of poster board, attached by one corner so it swings freely.
DIY: Use a scrap piece from your main poster board cuts.
Under-costume clothing
A simple, neutral outfit like a black long-sleeve t-shirt and dark jeans so the ballot stands out.
DIY: Wear any solid-colored dark shirt and pants from your closet.
Rather not assemble it? See ready-made Hanging Chad costumes at Spirit Halloween ↗
How to put it together
- 1
Cut two large, matching rectangles out of the white poster board, sized to cover your torso from collarbone to mid-thigh.
- 2
On the front board, use the black marker to draw a simplified voting ballot. Write 'OFFICIAL BALLOT' at the top, followed by mock candidate names like 'Bush', 'Gore', and 'Nader' with circular punch holes next to them.
- 3
Carefully cut out one of the circular punch holes entirely, leaving a clean empty space.
- 4
Cut out a small square of poster board (the 'chad') that is slightly larger than the hole you just cut.
- 5
Tape or glue only one corner of the small square to the edge of the cut-out hole on the back of the board, allowing it to dangle or 'hang' loosely over the opening.
- 6
Punch two holes at the top of both the front and back poster boards, then thread and tie the black ribbon through them to create shoulder straps.
- 7
Slip the straps over your shoulders like a sandwich board over your plain black clothing.
Makeup & hair
Keep your hair and makeup completely natural. If you want to fully commit to the Ted Mosby look, style your hair in a slightly messy, casual side-parted look.
Hanging Chad for couples, groups, kids & more
- couples
- Pair up with someone dressed as the 'Slutty Pumpkin' (a pumpkin carving with strategically placed cutouts) to recreate Ted's legendary rooftop party search.
- group
- Have friends dress as the rest of the HIMYM gang: Barney Stinson in a suit, Robin Scherbatsky as Robin Sparkles, and Marshall and Lily in a matching couples costume.
- Plus size
- Adjust the width of the poster boards and lengthen the shoulder ribbons for a comfortable, custom fit.
Tips
- Reinforce the holes where the shoulder ribbons attach with duct tape on the back of the poster board to prevent tearing.
- Keep the ballot dimensions narrow enough that you can easily sit down and move your arms to hold a drink.
- Write your ballot text in pencil first before committing to the thick black permanent marker.
- If attending an outdoor party, use foam board instead of poster board as it holds up better in damp or windy weather.
Hanging Chad costume FAQ
- What exactly is a hanging chad?
- A hanging chad refers to a fragment of paper that didn't fully punch out of a paper ballot card during the 2000 US presidential election recount in Florida.
- How do I make the chad actually hang?
- Cut a square piece of paper and tape only one of its top corners to the back of the ballot board, right next to the punched-out hole, so it swings freely when you move.
- What should I wear under the ballot board?
- Wear plain, dark, solid-colored clothing like a black long-sleeve shirt and dark jeans to make the white ballot board pop.
Did you know? In How I Met Your Mother, Ted Mosby wears this exact same costume to the same Halloween party for ten consecutive years in hopes of reuniting with the 'Slutty Pumpkin'.