Americans Elect, which is trying to qualify as a party in California using the 10% (of the last gubernatorial vote) petition method, now has over 500,000 signatures. This already sets a new record for the largest number of signatures ever collected in one state to place a new party on the ballot. The previous highs had been set by the American Independent Party in Ohio in 1968, which collected 451,000 signatures; and the Independent Progressive Party in California in 1947-1948, which collected 464,000.
That number would qualify them here in New York (fewer than 5 million New Yorkers, out of more than 11 million registered, voted in last November’s governor election) but California is much bigger. What’s the targer number and will they try to double it to forestall challenges (as is generally done here)?
The California requirement is 1,030,040 valid signatures. Americans Elect probably needs 1,600,000 to be safe.
From their website:
“We have no candidates, issues, or ideology of our own.”
Well then what’s the point of voting for them?
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Who is paying for all of this?
Peter Ackerman is undoubtedly paying for much of it. He is a multi-millionaire who founded the Center for the Study of Nonviolence. He has been publicly identified with Americans Elect since it began.
It appears that Mike Arno has serious problems not related to this petition drive.
His pattern of conduct since the death of his brother is troublesome for any one who circulates petitions.
On the last two petitions Arno has ‘managed’, he has cheated his workers and lied to his clients.
His charge backs on electricity were based on a flawed formula (in his favor by 5%-13% depending on county). The more blackstriping a manager did to try to clean it up, the worse they got screwed. Not content with his managers doing his validity skimming for him, he ‘rewarded’ them by hitting them with across the board chargebacks after it was too late.
On the tobacco tax, he refused to file the petition until he was payed “enough to cover the people who stood in front of the stores”. He then scurried away keeping the money for himself and again leaving people unpaid.
In this latest fiasco with Americans Elect, he has already had to refund nearly $30,000.00(opensecrets.org) to Peter Ackerman. While this is not conclusive proof that yet another client caught Arno with his hand in the till,I have never seen a client demand a refund because they had trust in the integrity and/or bookkeeping methods of the consultant.
People in this industry know how to find me and if/when he rips everyone off, I’m still in the data business, and available to testify if necessary.
For the record I stopped doing his programming because I will not work with people who lie and who’s business practices I can’t defend.
All of the above is a matter of public record or personal opinion. Mike Arno has already been informed by a judge in a court of law as to his lack of legal remedy for anything I have written.
Just my $0.02
Mr. Winger,
What’s your source on this story?
One more INSANE/EGO event in CA.
How much cash needed for a P.R. and App.V. petition ??? – NO primaries.
“Americans Elect, which is trying to qualify as a party in California using the 10% (of the last gubernatorial vote) petition method, now has over 500,000 signatures.”
Wow, it sounds like Americans Elect is a lot futher along on this petition than I thought they’d be by this time in California.