Donnie “Dirtwoman” Corker, Richmond’s most infamous 450-pound drag queen, says he was nearly denied his right to vote during Tuesday’s election.

Corker, a former Richmond mayoral candidate who threw his endorsement to City Council President William Pantele, says he arrived at his Southside Plaza polling station yesterday in full drag — ready to pull the lever for his candidate.

Once there, Corker says he presented a valid photo identification card, but a poll worker stopped him and demanded that he remove portions of his costume.

“That [expletive] made me pull my [expletive] wig off my head,” says Corker. “He said I couldn’t vote in drag. I was mad, I blowed up!”

Corker eventually removed his wig and was allowed to vote, but Richmond Voter Registrar Kirk Showalter says the election worker was in the wrong in requiring Corker remove the wig. 

“Lots of women wear wigs, and so apparently does Donnie,” says Showalter, who says that unless the wig in some way was altered to represent one or another party or candidate, there are no voter regulations that would preclude Corker from wearing it.

Corker, whose wig is blonde, is not a member of the Whig party.

— Chris Dovi