Solomon Kleinsmith, from Rise of the Center blog, has obtained an opportunity to ask Americans Elect some questions. Solomon Kleinsmith is offering to let anyone suggest questions that he should ask. See his blog post here.
Ballot Access News
Edited By Richard Winger
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Here was my question:
I have seen many general comments by AE that delegates do not have to leave their party to participate in the nominating and nominee election process for AE.
My state, Texas, does not allow any affiliation by a person between different political parties. Most people are officially affiliated with a party when they vote in that party’s primary election. Note: there is no party registration when getting a voter card in Texas. Once a person votes in a Rep/Dem primary it becomes a Class C misdemeanor to participate in a convention or primary for another party, which AE will be once they complete their petition. Also, their 2nd primary vote or convention activity is voided. Additionally, and preliminarily, anyone voting in a Rep/Dem primary cannot sign AE’s petition for party ballot access. The Sec of State (our state’s top elections official) would nullify their petition signature.
I am more knowledgable than most on the labrynthian ballot access here in Texas, but this could cause many problems for Texans who want to participate in AE’s efforts not to mention hassles for AE. How will AE educate those wishing to participate AE’s efforts without jeopardizing themselves and avoid chaos?
Solomon, Thanks for giving us the opportunity.
Irregular Times has a nice set of questions………
Brad, good question. Of course Texas can impose a primary screenout on minor party petitions, even though the policy is stupid and not in place in any other state for minor and new party petitions.
But I don’t think Texas can tell Americans Elect that people who voted in a major party primary are forbidden from participating in an Americans Elect on-line presidential primary. The US Supreme Court has issued several very good opinions that give political parties a great deal of freedom, especially if those parties nominate by convention. If Americans Elect bylaws say any registered Texas can vote in the Americans Elect private presidential primary, I don’t think Texas has the authority to interfere. And no Texas official ever tried to tell any Texas voters in the Reform Party private presidential primary that they couldn’t participate in the Reform Party primary.
Is AE a front group for Prez candidate ABC- XYZ ??? Duh.
AE should answer Jim Cook’s questions.
Good job Solomon!
Let the detracting begin!!!! Good for a laugh. Albeit with a hint of truth.
http://images1.dailykos.com/i/user/2722/TMW2011-08-03colorlowres.jpg
#5 You still can’t seem to comprehend Texas’s party qualification model.
In some states, parties must pre-qualify before they can hold nominating activities. California is such a state (more so under the old partisan primary system).
In other states, new parties qualify after the nominations are made (by the party bosses). In effect, the party becomes qualified, by qualifying the nominees.
In Texas, the nomination and qualification processes are concurrent. A party qualifies based on participation by voters in its nominating process.
There is no impediment to the Americans Elect party simply getting voters to attend its precinct conventions. It wouldn’t have to bother with a petition drive.
#10, it is impossible, practically speaking, for any minor party to qualify by having 49,729 voters attend its conventions. In the real world, it makes no difference that parties that can get 49,729 to attend their meetings need not petition.
Oregon, ever since 1953, has let a statewide candidate on the ballot if the candidate can bring 1,000 voters to a meeting. In practice, the 1,000 attendance meeting is just too difficult. People who have been unable to meet that Oregon 1,000-attendees meeting include Lenora Fulani in 1988 (she really tried, holding the meeting on Gay Pride Day near the site of the march), John Anderson in 1980 (he used the alternate 3% petition instead), and Ralph Nader in 2004 and 2008 (he also really, really tried in 2004).
Texas has a large number of population centers so its not like you would have to get all the people to a single meeting. If you wanted to create party, wouldn’t you want members?
Texas law requires a new party to file its rules as a condition for ballot access. So it is expected that it will really be a party, and not a reality TV show.
#12
Keep in mind most (99.99%) “Republicans” and “Democrats” have never, ever been to a single party function. Yet they call themselves members of their party.
#13 The state conventions draw 10s of thousands.
If what you say were true, there would be 200 million party members. And the primaries are party functions.
I would disagree that voting in a primary is an active, orgnaziational, process-oriented, thought provoking, platform determing party function. Technically, maybe, but that would mean I am a Republican which makes me shudder a little bit when I think of the quality of republicans here in Texas.
I would say though that my comment on the 99.99% is way off the mark. You got me.
Speaking of reality TV shows in your earlier comment…when I look and listen to the Republican presidential field I get the strong sense of reality TV. Bad reality TV.
#15 You’re nothing in odd years. You get a chance to improve yourself in 2012, when you could attend the AE convention. If they don’t have any members, where are they going to get the 38 elector candidates?