The Reform Party went off the ballot in California in November 2002. When a party is off the ballot in California, but wishes to re-qualify, it must notify the Secretary of State to keep track of how many registrations it has. Once it gets a number of registrations equal to 1% of the last gubernatorial vote, it is back on the ballot. The Reform Party has just re-filed its request that the state keep track of its registrations. The next tally won’t be until September 2006. The Reform Party probably has about 35,000 registrants now, and it will probably need about 90,000 to get back on. The exact number won’t be known until the November 2006 election is held; the requirement is 1% of the number of people who vote in that election. The party would have until January 2008 to meet the requirement.
As a former ‘county chair’ (District 13, Sandy Ego and Imperial Counties) it is so interesting to see official ‘Reform’ shrinking like a doctored himeroid while unofficial non Democratic and non Republican reform blooms all over the place.
Do not take my word for it, the Oakland Daily Post:
COMMITTEE FOR AN INDEPENDENT VOICE:
EMERGING POLITICAL FORCE
Weekly Edition May 31 – June 6, 2006 42nd Year #46
by Chauncey Bailey
A growing number of California voters are now registered as “independents†and are
increasingly fed up with the major political parties.
A San Francisco-based organization, the Committee for an Independent Voice, has been
working to channel this new and growing political force.
The Post interviewed Harriet Hoffman, its statewide coordinator.
Post: What is CIV?
Hoffman: The Committee for an Independent Voice (CIV) represents unaffiliated
independent voters in California, working to gain greater recognition and political clout for
independents and their issues. CIV supports issues and campaigns at the state and
national level designed to increase the visibility and power of the independent voter – now
the fastest growing political force in America.
In 2004, CIV played a key role in bringing out the independent vote in support of the open
primary initiative (Prop 62). In 2005, CIV played a similar role in the coalition to pass
redistricting reform (Prop 77). In 2006 CIV, in collaboration with The People’s Advocate,
TheRestOfUs.org, and the Mexican American Political Association, introduced a new
redistricting reform initiative proposal.
CIV conducts grassroots outreach through telephone surveys of unaffiliated independents
throughout California.
Post: Who is CIV Affiliated with?
Hoffman: CIV Grows out of a 25-year old effort by independents to develop a non-
ideological political movement to reform the two party controlled election process, so
ordinary voters can impact on issues of public policy. CIV is affiliated withthe Committee for
a Unified Independent Party, a New York City-based non-profit, non-ideological think tank
for the independent movement, and with dozens of other organizations of independent
voters across the country, including Independent Texans, Alabama Independent movement,
Coalition of Independent Voters-Massachusetts, and Independent Pennsylvanians.
Post: Why is this independent movement growing?
Hoffman: Independent voters are the fastest growing political force in the country. Millions
of voters are becoming independents to get away from the extreme partisanship and
political corruption. Some 34% of all Americans now self-identify as independents,
regardless of voter registration; 32% identify as Republicans; and 31% as Democrats.
Ninety-one percent of the growth in the California electorate in the last ten years has been
voters registering outside the two major parties. In a single 6-month period prior to the
2004 election, a half million California voters registered as “decline-to-stateâ€. (“Decline to
state†is the designation given to California voters who choose not to register in a political
party. In some other states they are referred to as “blanksâ€.) Nearly three nmillion
California voters are now registered “decline to state.†Millions more identify as
independents, regardless of voter registration.
In 1994, Democrats had 49% of voter registration in California. Now it is 42.7%. There are
now 200,000 fewer Democrats than in 1994, even though there are 1.5 million more
registered voters in California. The Republican Party share of voters in California has
decreased from 37.1% in 1994 to 34.6%.
Decline to state registration has grown from 10.3% of the electorate in 1994 to 18.3% of the
electorate in 2006.
Post: Who are Independents?
Hoffman: Independents are not a uniform body. As individuals, we subscribe to diverse
views across the political spectrum – left, center and right. Whatever those differences,
independents are united in the realization that if we want to move forward as a country,, we
have to do something about partisanship and the domination of the political process by the
two major parties and the special interests.
Post: How does CIV Make Endorsements?
Hoffman: The Committee for an Independent Voice endorses candidates for political office
– Democrats, Republicans, and Independents – who exemplify a commitment to an open,
inclusive, non-partisan political process.
Ideological issues play no role in any endorsements. As individual independents we have a
broad range of opinions on many hot button issues across the political spectrum. However,
it is we who are the engine for political reform. Independent voters cannot be dismissed as
“swing†voters. We have the opportunity to leverage our growing numbers to vote for
candidates who are partnering with independents in support of opening up the political
process. CIV has endorsed Ronald V. Dellums for Mayor of Oakland, but has not yet made
endorsements in the California statewide races.
Post: Who are some of the leaders in your organization?
Hoffman: Jim Mangia is a statewide Co-Chair and spokesperson for the California-based
Committee for an Independent Voice. A founder of the Reform Party, he served as its
national secretary for three consecutive terms. Mangia is CEO of St. John’s Well Child &
Family Center, a network of community and school-based health clinics in Los Angeles. I
serve as CIV’s Statewide Coordinator. I’m a 25-year veteran of national efforts to reform
the political process and have built and led independent campaigns and organizing efforts
in New York City, Oregon, Washington State and California. Dr. Elouise Joseph, CIV
spokesperson, is an Africa-American activist and Director of Youth Programs for the
Oakland-based Bay Area Center for Independent Culture.
Editors Note: For more information go to http://www.civca.org or write to CIV, 870 Market Street,
Suite 1019, San Francisco, CA 94102, (415) 393-9970.
The Reform Party of California already had a chance to get back on the ballot this year – and blew it big time! In the Summer of 2004, I changed my registration to the Natural Law Party and tried to convince California reformers to follow me. The Natural Law Party of California had become an empty shell with ballot status. It was there for anyone to move into. My thinking was to run candidates for everything from County Central Commitee to Governor. If we had been succussful, we could have tried to change the name of the Party, later, to the Reform Party, Natural Reform Party, or something else. Or, we could have just kept the name Natural Law Party. “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”
My plan got no support from the California reform community and, consequently, the Naural Law Party had no candidates in the Primary Election on June 6th of this year. It almost surely will be off the ballot after the Novermer General Election.
Now, I am with the Green Party of California which is affiliated with the Green Party of the United States. GPUS is where the action is going to be for third party people in 2008, I believe.
‘Reform’ 2004 and 2006, Or resonable facimilie there of:
Don Lake, also, suggested the same, completely independent of Philip Sawyer (both ‘met’ on line due to posting(s) on Ballot Access News only in 2006, depite the fact that Lake spent a lot of time in Sacramento from 1999 embarassing CALVETS and recalling ultimate corrupt insider Governor Gray Davis and both are former Reform Party USA and former Peace and Freedom activists) with the same (mostly Southern California) results…
Richard Winger has expressed similar emotions and opinions since April 2004 (when the Natural Law Party national office “went educational” and left the states to their own ‘devises’! All and all, another sad opportunity lost and more proof that true (Decline to State) Independents (like my man Moose Mahoney of http://www.mahoneyforcalifornia.com), minor party types, and micro party types can be just as short sighted and just as out right stupid as the Democans and the %&#@%$# Republicrats….
‘Reform’ efforts in the extreme North East via
http://www.reformparty-ag.org:
MAKE SKIP FOLEY A WINNER IN THE MAINE STATE SENATE!
Nelson ‘Skip’ Foley, State Chair, Reform Party of Maine, is running for the State Senate in District 13! He has a prove track record of public accomplishments and community leadership, and only needs 34% of the vote to win! You can Help! DONATIONS to help Skip WIN can be sent via http://www.reformpartyusa-ag.org/Donations/donate_001.htm, a registered PAC to assist Reform Party candidates; or made directly to Skip @ FOLEY FOR STATE SENATE, 24 Republican Avenue, Oxford, Maine 04270.
Political contributions in excess of $200 dollars require name, address & occupation of donor, plus name & address of employer pursuant to Federal & State campaign regulations. Each dollar is a political bullet! Take Aim today!
One would almost be tempted to chalk the whole thing up to “kaiidth” (ancient Vulcan word of wisdom meaning “what was, was”). Almost – except for the fact that the final tune has not been played yet. The Reform Party of California could switch its current registration drive to the Natural Law Party. By adding the registrants of both parties with new registrants, it would actually be feasable to maintain NLP ballot status. One should not hold his or her breath waiting for this to happen, though. My plea is that people follow my lead into the Green Party of California.
By the way, I must respectfully differ with my friend, Don, about former Governor Gray Davis. Counting the open primary of June 1998, the General Elections, and the special recall election of November 2003, I voted for Mr. Davis for governor every chance that I had. We Vietnam Veterans tend to stick together – especially those of us who came home to protest the war. We will never forget those who did not make it home!
I found your blog on Google. I’ve bookmarked it and will watch out for your next NLP blog post.