The April 23 issue of the San Francisco Chronicle has a story about confusion between the American Independent Party, and independent voters. The American Independent Party has been ballot-qualified since 1968, yet some Californians still think that if they wish to register as an Independent voter, they should choose the box for “American Independent Party.” The correct way for a California voter to register as an independent is to check the box labeled “Declines to State a Party.”
The publicity was engendered when Mayor Gavin Newsom’s fiancee registered into the American Independent Party. When this was noticed, the Mayor said his fiancee had intended to register as an independent. The American Independent Party is the California affiliate of the Constitution Party. The California Secretary of State says she will redesign the voter registration form to make it more obvious that the American Independent choice is a party. However, the logical solution, to change the designation for actual independents from “Declines to State a Party” to “Independent” cannot be implemented without a change in the election code. The legislature in the past has voted down bills to make this change. Apparently legislators don’t want the choice of “independent” to be listed on the voter registration form, because they believe it is too attractive.
Dear Richard Winger:
I have retained legal counsel to establish a “Non-affiliated Voters Legal Defense Fund†to correct via litigation this independent voter “misinformation†scheme in NYS and most states nationwide.
/s/
Billvanallen
If they cannot figure out that form, can you figure out the ballot?
I was always curious how many of the people who registered American Independent actually considered themselves to be supporters of the Constitution Party.
If they labeled the “Declines to State a Party” as “Independent”, then they would suffer from the reverse problem: some people thinking they are registering for the American Independent Party or other similarly-named “Independent” parties around the country, but winding up with no party by mistake.
Still, the “Declines to state” language is a bit awkward. Something like “No party affiliation” might be clearer, to be coupled with the Secretary of State’s suggestion that the parties are more clearly identified as such.
And will this end up with the AIP losing its valuable CA ballot line for the indie right?
Here is a link to the online version of the registration form.
https://ovr.sos.ca.gov/votereg/OnlineVoterReg
The layout of the parties is rather odd, with rows of 3; 2; and 1 party. Is California aware of the effect of all the weird formats used in the Florida 2000 election? The statement about non-declaration is capitalized as if it were the name of a party; and because of the arrangement could well be seen as Yet Another Party Party. Note that conventional capitalization is used on the Spanish language version. Is California discriminating against English reading voters?
A curiousity is the hints, which do not match the party names (run your cursor over the party names).
In the instructions, the names of the qualified parties are not with the instruction about political parties.
“Independent” or “independent” is not an accurate description of a voter. A candidate may be non-dependent on a party nomination; but what is a partisan voter dependent on? And a voter may in fact consider himself a member of a party, but choose not to have a public record of that affiliation. So even if an “independent” option were available, such a voter might not select that as being an inaccurate representation of his beliefs.
So let’s redesign the registration form:
Political Party (select one)
[] American Independent Party
[] Democratic Party
[] Green Party
[] Libertarian Party
[] Peace & Freedom Party
[] Republican Party
[] Other Party (specify) __________________
[] I decline to state a party (see instructions)
…
POLITICAL PARTY. Select either: (1) The name of a qualified political party; (2) Other unqualified party – specify its name; or (3) that you decline to state a political party affiliation.
No voter shall be entitled to vote in the primary of a political party unless he or she has affiliated with that party. However, a political party may adopt a party rule that permits voters who have declined to state a party, to vote in that party’s primary.
The six qualified political parties in California are American Independent Party, Democratic Party, Green Party, Libertarian Party, Peace & Freedom Party, and Republican Party.
Just more proof of the back room duopoly between the Democans and the Republicrats!
News from the Murkie Middle: http://www.reformpartyusa.us
NO need for any party hack primaries.
Ballot access by EQUAL nominating petitions for all candidates for the same office in the same area.
P.R. for legislative bodies
Nonpartisan Approval Voting for executive / judicial offices.
Some people spend way too much time on worry about problems that do not exist in reality. I agree with Citizen 1: If some people can not figure out the form, how are they ever going to figure out the election ballots?
Here’s a thought: The Reform Party of Califonia (not ballot qualified at present) should begin a mass effort to register people into the American Independent Party of California. After taking control of the Party, the Reform Caucus could simply change the national affiliation from the Constitution Party to the Independence/Reform Party.
In 2000, California conducted its presidential primary using a modified blanket primary. Voters could vote for any presidential candidate, but their party affiliation was associated with the vote.
So we know who the “American Independent” party voters favored for President:
McCain 31.3%
Gore 26.6
Bush 22.6
Bradley 8.2
Keyes 3.6
Phillips 3.1
Nader 1.9
Howard Phillips was the only candidate who had filed in the AI primary.
In the Natural Law primary, John Hagelin was way down the list.
How did John B. Anderson do? My wife and I were both members of the Reform Party at the time and we voted for that Honorable candidate in our Party’s California primary election.
By the way, thanks for the fascinating information, Jim!
The following file has the statewide votes by candidates and party.
http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/sov/2000_primary/sum.pdf
Anderson finished 2nd among Reform Party voters who voted for a Reform Party candidate (his best showing for any party’s voters), but was 8th overall among all candidates.
This page is a table of contents, and down the page has links to breakouts by congressional district, senate district, assembly district and county.
http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/sov/2000_primary/contents.htm
HELP!!! I changed party afilliation this last August from Democrat to Republican. Did a follow up after my son told me about a video on utube last week on voter registration fraude in California. According to the “computer” I’m still a Democrat, how can I ensure that my vote is not going to be “hijacked”? (thanks for your advice in advance)