On September 17, the California Secretary of State released a new voter registration tally, as of September 3. The previous California registration tally had been as of May 24. Between May 24 and September 3, the parties that increased their share of the registration are the Republican, American Independent, and Libertarian Parties. Parties that decreased their share are the Democratic, Green, Peace & Freedom, and Reform Parties. All of these parties are ballot-qualified except for the Reform Party.
The May 24 results had been: Democratic 44.49%, Republican 30.80%, American Independent 2.34%, Green .664%, Libertarian .511%, Peace & Freedom .333+%, Reform .140%. The September 3 results are: Democratic 44.32%, Republican 30.94%, American Independent 2.35%, Green .658%, Libertarian .515%, Peace & Freedom .333-%, Reform .139%.
Independent voters were at 20.17% in both tallies. The number of people registered in other unqualified parties went up, from .559%, to .574%.
The Constitution Party is now a political body in California. This means that it requested elections officials to tally how many people are registered in the Constitution Party, and it identified its state officers. Members of the American Independent Party faction that is loyal to the national Constitution Party registered the name “Constitution Party” as a political body, just to preserve rights to the name, although there is no effort being made to increase the number of voters registered “Constitution.” The Registration tally says the Constitution Party has 72 registrants. Here is a link to the Secretary of State’s Report of Registration.
The IAP makes up 4.4% of the voter population in our state.
Regardless of whose to blame, without the infighting, the AIP might have a better percentage then they do now.
Cody, not everyone knows you live in Nevada.
So whats your point?
Voters affiliated with other non-qualified parties have increased by 48% since 2006 (60-day report before general election). Those affiliated with parties other than the Reform Party have almost doubled (96% increase).
Other party voters now comprise 5.30% of the electorate in Santa Cruz County and 3.27% of the electorate in Fresno County.
California treats such voters as distinct from Declined To State voters (No Party Preference voters from January 1, 2011).
In particular, if such a voter becomes a candidate for a voter-nominated office, they may have their party preference as expressed on their voter registration appear on the ballot.
Cody, you and I sometimes argue on other matters, but I have to agree with you about the “childish” AIP leadership currently in California. WOW! Almost 400,000 registered voters.
If we had a party with ballot position here in Alabama like the AIP has there in California, we’d be so “giddy” we wouldn’t know what to do with ourselves. I just don’t understand those so-called “leaders” who are spending more time and energy fighting one another rather than the real enemy.
And I also cannot understand – regardless of who is the REAL leadership – why they have not been able to recruit a well-known “sports” or “entertainment” personality who holds a somewhat “conservative-populist” position on the issues and who is able to obtain the millions for a campaign, and run for either Governor or US Senator. I beleive the AIP already has such a base of voters and the party is not “threatening” with its name, and who knows. Another Jesse Ventura type upset. Oh well, we can keep on hoping!
And I also cannot understand – regardless of who is the REAL leadership – why they have not been able to recruit a well-known “sports” or “entertainment” personality who holds a somewhat “conservative-populist” position on the issues and who is able to obtain the millions for a campaign, and run for either Governor or US Senator. I beleive the AIP already has such a base of voters and the party is not “threatening” with its name, and who knows. Another Jesse Ventura type upset. Oh well, we can keep on hoping!
= Chelene Nightingale is the best we got so far.
Their have been efforts I heard of, in the past, to get Mel Gibson to join the party and even run for office under its banner, but with the controversy surrounding him the past few years, I dunno.
Cody Quirk,
Get Clint Eastwood to run as a Libertarian and Mel Gibson as an American Independent and you’ve got a race!
That would be interesting
How many of those 400,000 people voted for the AIP presidential candidate in 2008? While it’s nice to have numbers, can you really count on them to vote for your candidate?
Cody and Derek, you’ve got a great idea, and if a contest between Mel Gibson and Clint Eastwood could become a reality, it would be a “Katie bar the door” fight. Actually, wouldn’t you imagine Clint Eastwood would be more comfortable with the AIP and Mel Gibson the Libertarian Party?
At anyrate, it would be one race to watch. And in such a race, the Democratic and Republican nominees would have the distinguished roles of being “also rans.”
And oh yes, if I voted in California, I’d proudly vote for Charlene Nightingale for Governor.
Though I think Eastwood intends to stay Republican.
In a March 1997 Playboy interview, when he was asked: “How would you characterize yourself politically?” Eastwood replied: “Libertarian… Everyone leaves everyone else alone.”
Okay, Eastwood says he’s Libertarian. Still, all of the 3rd parties in California are losing golden opportunities by not attempting to get these well-known personalities who reside there to run under their banners.
The problem with many 3rd party leaders, is they consider the party their little fiefdom, and they fear asking someone of prominence to come aboard.
They fear losing control.
#13 3rd party *leaders* = Very little fish in very little political ponds — due to unequal ballot access laws and minority rule gerrymanders.
P.R. and App.V.
I have a question, Bill Lussenheide for congress ca-45 I saw on the SEC filings for Contributions for chelene Nightingale for governor, that he listed himself as “retired” then the site shows he donated 600.00 to the nightingale campaign. Thats funny, Lussenheide is about 52 and he is an investment advisor, yet the form says “retired” that seems a tad odd, perhaps more investigation should be done about this obvious, um, mistake..