The Alameda County Green Party here suggests that California voters vote next month, but that they cast blank ballots for all the seven partisan statewide races. California is the only state this year in which voters cannot vote for any statewide partisan office unless they vote for a Democrat or a Republican.
The appeal is in Indybay.org (San Francisco Bay Area Independent Media Center), a well-read on-line news source.
I don’t live in California, but like California, Alabama will not have any statewide 3rd party or Independent candidates on the November 4th General Election Ballot.
Still, I like to have the last laugh on the major parties, and I do this by simply writing in the names of the candidates who I eventually decide to vote for even though their names are already listed on the ballot either as the Democratic or Republican nominee.
Fortunately, Alabama still allows the write-in space, and I intend to use it.
I checked with the Secretary of State’s Office some years ago, as well as the local office who is responsible for counting the votes, and was told that my vote would be counted even though it may be reported as a write-in.
I challenge all Alabama readers – regardless of political party affiliation or the lack thereof – who follow along with these posts and replies on B.A.N. to join me and take the few minutes extra and write-in whomever you feel might be “the lesser crook” or who might “harm us less.”
I make no recommendation regarding candidates. Only to say I will write in some Republicans and write in some Democrats.
I still like to think I control my own political agenda, and this is one way no Democrat or Republican can force me to do otherwise.
California is the only state with no write-in space (among the states with only Dems and Reps on the ballot for statewide office).
Yes, you folks in California are truly being discriminated against, and the Courts appear to care less.
I know some think I am paranoid, Richard, but I still say this is all part of a greater picture. First, Top Two will become nationwide, and develop into a One Party State – most likely the Democratic Party.
Then the United States surrenders its sovereignty to the United Nations.
From this point on, one can only speculate. I trust I will not be around to have to endure the totalitarianism which will come from such. But still, I worry for my grandchildren, and the grandchildren of millions of other Americans who will have no where to go.
For those Alabama voters who are going to write in as I plan, remember, that for those counties/precincts using the scan voting machines, you must darken and make black with your pencil the space next to the write in space after you have written in the name.
Just writing in the candidate’s name will not do. Again, you MUST darken the space next to the written in name for the vote to be counted.
Actually, since the vote test that determines how many signatures are needed for next time in Alabama is based on how many people vote in the Gov election, it may make sense to leave those blank here in Alabama rather than write in as well so we don’t need quite as many signatures for 2016. Fewer people voting in those races is better for us.
Wouldn’t it make more sense to simply not vote? A low turnout sends a stronger message, in my opinion.
The party name is a word of free speech next the a candidate’s name which gives the voters more information when they’re in the ballot box.
Now translate the ballot access to have that word by your name and the party bosses who control free speech, ballot access, etc. within those parties. Obviously one person shouldn’t have exclusive rights because of the nature of a single-person making decisions vs multi-people (i.e. two heads are better than one).
When I finally realized how ranking enables us to add unlimited consecutively ranked names (the more the better) I have been able to identify that the single-winner elections for party chairs and state elections as a major problem for teamwork.
My team has it better than anyone because our cap is 10,000 names and the guaranteed voters satisfaction level on a 10,000-member committee is 99.98% (plus 10,000 votes).
NOBODY has is as good as WE do. The team, the team, the TEAM!
Thanks Richard Winger [Libertarian], for being on the team. I hope you can one day figure out how to “play the game”. We’ve been going for 19 consecutive years now, it works great and we welcome you.
We’re Republican Democratic, Libertarian, Green and many other people who pick political party names and who are working together as a United Team.
Currently this month we’ve adopted new registration guidelines and so we’re undergoing a fresh new beginning.
It’s a great time to be working together in unity.
The United Coalition:
http://usparliament.org/usap-wp/
I wrote:
“… voters more information when they’re in the ballot box.”
Meant to write:
“… voters more information when they’re in the ballot booth.”
Jed Ziggler:
That’s just what, in my humble opinion, the party bosses want – a lower turnout. They only want to get the base out so their guys win. They don’t give a toot about you and me.
Our only hope, politically speaking, is for Independents along with 3rd party membership to grow, where we will be the majority, and then when the establishment pushes us to the limit, we can unleash on them with demands for real electoral reform.
A low vote also sends to the Establishment, a false message the masses are content, or else they would turn out in droves. Let them continue to believe such. Our generation may not be the ones, but hopefully future generations, if the world does not implode first, can clean up the mess.
Paulie:
You make a good point. But I don’t see any 3rd party among those existing ones now known in Alabama, who have the means of getting the some 50,000 plus signatures it will take for 2016 or 2018. Of course you know, for the presidential ticket in 2016, only 5,000 (plus extra signatures for the bad ones) are needed to get a ticket on under the Independent label, and that number remains at 5,000 regardless of the turnout in 2014.
If we could get all the 3rd parties in Alabama together, divide the offices up, run under a neutral label, we might could get the 50,000 plus. The problem is, what offices will be sought by which group, and what neutral label will we run under? And to put it straight forward, can we trust one another that one party won’t sabotage the other parties participating over some mickey mouse difference.
I’ve been involved in 3rd party/Independent politics for most of my life. I’ve seen so many “big frog in little pond” characters come along, that I hardly trust anyone any more.
There is so much ideology purity, that we are paralyzed. We are our own worst enemies – not the major parties.
If you have a solution which will bring us together, share, and we’ll all discuss. But for 2014, I’m going to at least have the satisfaction of voting my “Independent” ticket, even if it consists of nothing more than writing in some Democratic and Republicans.
James Ogle:
I know I haven’t called you as promised.
But for right now, what is really to be accomplished with this USA Parliament? Parlor games are fine, when there is nothing else to do. But our country is going over the edge, and I have an investment in 4 grandchildren plus a handful of nieces and nephews.
I know I have less time to live, than I’ve already lived. But I feel I owe it to them to do what I can as long as I can. When I see that all is hopeless, then I might join you in these parlor games.
The 9th USA Parliament is able to generate a unity consciousness and psychology on all political and business geographical levels.
That’s done through an exact and inclusive nature of ranked choice voting in multi-winner districts, the bigger the better.
Call anytime! I LOVE talking about this. We’re able to unite with the whole. For example just today, the http://www.international-parliament.org has started coordinating with the internationalparliament.org based in Lebanon, and we may be helping the President of Lebanon with using paper ballots one day soon as they are friends. You never know when someone knows another person who is interested in the unity.
Everyone is different in their own talents and involvement in elections and we at the USA Parliament have been able to identify and attract many cool team players so we can work and think as a single unit.
For example, the Unity Platform unites us under one set of platform planks. But the participants must agree that one vote breaks a 50/50 tie as a basic democratic principle in the math or perhaps they don’t “buy in”.
And investment in a solid unifying method for helping many people think and act like a team is always a good target for your time. Please be sure to phone me to learn how you two can be one of up to 10,000 members on the National United Coalition and I will be happy to walk you through the process of joining the team.
* * *
Start by reading our guideline #s 19 & 20 to see if you qualify:
http://www.usparliament.org/rules.php
19 VOTER ELIGIBILITY:
The voter must register their name with at least two
methods of contact; and must comply with the voter eligibility
requirements for voter’s state of residence. For the state of
California, the requirements are these:
The voter must be a citizen of the United States.
The voter must be a California resident.
The voter must be 18 years old or older on Election Day.
The voter must not be in prison, on parole, serving a state sentence in county jail, serving a sentence for a felony pursuant to subdivision (h) of Penal Code section 1170, or on post-release community supervision.
The voter must not have been found to be mentally incompetent by a court.
Non-voting class membership will always be made available.
20 VOTER AUTHENTICATION:
Voters must only provide their name (as registered), and at least two
methods for contacting the voter, as part of their registration.
When two or more methods of contact aren’t provided by the voter, then further explanation will be considered by the Vote Counting Ministry verifiers.
Violation of this or any other rule will automatically disqualify a ballot.
They can’t argue that low turn out means the masses are content is there’s a Boycott campaign. https://www.facebook.com/paelectionboycott?ref=bookmarks
https://www.facebook.com/electionboycottadvocates
Agreed about growing independents & alternative party membership, I myself am a registered independent, but if there are no alternative candidates on the ballot, I don’t vote. Voting sends the message that only Republicans & Democrats on the ballot is acceptable. It is not.
I disagree that the machine wants low turnout. They want people to turn out in droves to vote for their candidates. Don’t give them the satisfaction.
I vote when there are alternative choices on the ballot. There are none this year. I will not give them my stamp of approval.
The LP may be able to get full party in ’16. We are discussing some possible ways.
If we can’t get on statewide, our vote for the counties and districts we go for besides president will still be 3% OF THE GOV VOTE in those counties/districts, so I am hoping for minimum turnout.
The All Party System is able to unite behind good independents. That way we’re working for good things instead of wasting time on fussing and fighting.
We’ve been dynamic and organized for 19 consecutive years but the mean and caustic do-gooders aren’t of help to unity.
I wish I could post more info. but my comments aren’t being approved.
Check out the names of the three independents candidates in California on the team here:
http://www.usparliament.org/usap-wp
When I ran for chair against the current chair of the California Libertarian Party Kevin Takenaga in 2007 at the San Ramoan state Libertarian convention as a pro-PR reformer, I came in at 2nd place.
Under a unifying system I would have been elected #2 – vice chair. But they aren’t for the way I suggested elections be conducted and so I got no representation at all.
I first started emailing Takenaga in 1995 about uniting and he has never returned an email or phone call in 19 years.
Instead he moved to modifying the top two system in California as per Winger’s suggestions and voters weren’t able to vote across party line for Greens, Libertarians and P&F Party candidates because of that in 2012.
Roseanne’s campaign and others have been continually harmed by the party bosses’ fighting against us since 1995.
Part of team work is having communication and practice.
I know exactly what the L Party’s problem is with their voting system on state and national level. They have the same problems affecting Greens and others and we’ve been trying to help them learn.
Instead, other people with more resources have grabbed the ball and done more for reform (i.e. top two) because of their inaction and hesitation.
They (the party bosses elected in their system) completely shut down free speech access, pound our team players with lawsuits and vile rhetoric. That’s the nature of plurality election systems and in their arrogance they believe they alone have the answer.
I won the 2012 Missouri POTUS primary with 52.7% while uniting with Roseanne. Yet the Libertarian Party only allowed me to speak at the meetings for 10 minutes at the CA state convention during a three-day meeting.
They’re geared towards shutting down unity and communication.
The Ds, and Rs are no different so you see why people need more effort put into good things and less effort in to the fussing, faulty voting systems and parliamentary procedures currently being used by them.
We at the United Coalition don’t have those problems and we try to help but we’re too small, too slow and our resources membership numbers are being rapidly diminished every day.
Some will say “there is no perfect voting system” but our team is doing and has done far above and beyond anything the fussing and fighting they promote has accomplished.
We at the All Party System are able to continually integrate more team players under an orderly voting system, vote and think like a team.
TEAM=together everyone achieves more!
The United Coalition has a plan; Call on Republican, Democratic and independent voters to support the three independent Congressional candidates in California districts 5, 20 and 28 (Napa, Monterey and Los Angeles Counties).
In exchange for the support, we also ask those same categories of Republican, Democratic and independent voters, to support the Unity Coalition candidates in their own districts both inside and outside of California.
Have you asked the Constitution(al) Party of Alabama if they would form some type of unity ticket?
What would be wrong with forming a unity ticket and have the Petition to read: Constitutional-Libertarian Party?
Then, each party could decide who would run for Governor, etc. And it would also have to be agreed that each candidates was running as an “individual” thereby being free to say and conduct his/her campaign as they see fit.
The overall benefit, would be there would be more candidates on the ballot, and the chances of gathering the 50,000 plus signatures would greatly increase.
What about it Constitution(al)ists? Will you join?
To give you an idea of how long the Alameda Green Party has been damaging the United Coalition, I remind everyone that Ralph Nader agreed to be on our coalition when he wasn’t even a POTUS candidate in 1994.
I had started the coalition elections soon after I lost in the Green Party primary and I was working with Randy Toler [Green] and Mike Bogatierv [Environmentalist] for US President.
The Alameda Green Party also wrote Ralph Nader after Nader had agreed to work with the Unity Coalition and by offering him ballot access he agreed to run for POTUS because of that, but since the Green Party bosses were fighting the United Coalition, neither they nor Ralph Nader, ever bothered to return a phone call again.
Here is a hyperlink to the early post I made before that moment in time:
http://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en#!searchin/alt.politics.reform/james$20ogle|sort:relevance/alt.politics.reform/P1LliQ2oeTA/_PLiYuOq3DcJ
https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en#!searchin/alt.politics.reform/james$20ogle|sort:relevance/alt.politics.reform/P1LliQ2oeTA/_PLiYuOq3DcJ
The founders of Google got the name of their company from my logo and became a multi-billion dollar gateway in October of 1997 and bought Usenet where this message is now hosted!
The hyperlink doesn’t work on this site, but when you go to the USA Parliament’s index page and find the hyperlink in the lower right column entitled “http://www.usparliament.org/”, click that and then the link will work:
Scroll to the bottom of this page to see the post dated 6/12/1994 linked in the eight paragraph from the bottom:
http://usparliament.org/how-google-got-its-name.php
Since TWENTY YEARS AGO these guys have been messing up the progress for unity! That’s how long we’ve been being fighting the Alameda Green Party! SNAP OUT OF IT!
Voting for any CONTROL FREAK Donkey communist or Elephant fascist ONLY means getting more of the same or worse.
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P.R. and nonpartisan App.V.
Ukraine election – half P.R. seats
A mere 29 (repeat 29 parties_