Who’ll make the cut?

If “Farmer” Mike Valladao’s streak holds up, Barack Obama should be the next president of the United States.

For the past nine years — and through the last two presidential elections — Valladao has carved giant pumpkins at the swap meet at the Orange County Fair and Events Center in Costa Mesa.

Each election year he carves side-by-side likenesses of the two major candidates for president and asks the audience members to cast mock ballots for the candidate whose likeness appeals most to them.

He did it for a third time Sunday on a pumpkin weighing almost 500 pounds. The candidate who has won Valladao’s mock election has gone on to win in November in the past two elections.

It might be Valladao’s moderate political stance that makes him so effective.

“I’m probably as close to borderline as anyone could be at this point,” Valladao said of his own presidential leanings.

Obama won Valladao’s election 178-88 this year, and recent polls have shown him ahead nationally, so Valladao wouldn’t be surprised if he adds a third successful election prediction to his tally.

Although the amateur sculptor has been featured on “The Tonight Show” and in the Old Farmer’s Almanac as well as at events all over the state carving novelty pumpkins, “Farmer Mike” works in computer networking for a Silicon Valley firm during the week.

He just picked up giant pumpkin carving as a hobby because it complemented another one of his hobbies: giant pumpkin growing.

He owns a 2 1/2 -acre patch of land in Central California where he raises the colossal gourds.

In order to carve successful likenesses, Valladao scours the Internet to find as many pictures of the candidates as possible and tries to identify facial features that stick out.

“In the case of Obama, he has a very elongated face as opposed to McCain, who has a round face,” Valladao said.

The notable difference in ear size and the chubbiness of McCain’s cheeks also helped the carver distinguish the candidates, he said.

A procession of hearses was also featured during the Halloween festivities for the ninth year. About 50 of the classic funeral cars, many with custom-made, distinctive themes, formed a motorcade that made a four-mile circuit of Costa Mesa before arriving at the fairgrounds.

After the parade, the hearses were put on display for the rest of the afternoon where guests could take a close look at the hearse with a bar or the homemade coffin go-kart.