You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown is the eighth prime-time animated TV special produced based upon the comic strip Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz, and the 10th one to air.

[1] It originally aired on CBS on October 29, 1972, nine days before the 1972 United States presidential election between incumbent Richard Nixon and Senator George McGovern.

Linus' campaign, assisted by Lucy and Charlie, is vigorous and enthusiastic, and he takes a huge early lead in the opinion poll against his opponent, Russell Anderson.

However, at a subsequent assembly, he commits a major blunder when he goes off-script by talking about the Great Pumpkin, causing Charlie and Lucy to scream in frustration.

In the original storyline, Linus blows the election (and Charlie Brown's bid for Vice President) after bringing up The Great Pumpkin in his final speech and being laughed off stage–again after leading in the polls at the time.

[citation needed] The same storyline, albeit adhering more closely to the original strip, was adapted for the Peanuts Motion Comics episode "Linus for President."

The score was performed by the Vince Guaraldi Sextet on August 22, 1972, at Wally Heider Studios, featuring Tom Harrell (trumpet), Pat O'Hara (trombone), Seward McCain (electric bass, flute), Mel Martin (woodwinds) and Glenn Cronkhite (drums).

On August 17, 1994, it accompanied It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown on a Snoopy Double Feature release from Paramount Home Entertainment.