According to this article, it is likely that a ballot-qualified Independent Party will soon come into existence in Louisiana. Louisiana permits groups to become ballot-qualified parties if they have at least 1,000 registered members, and pay a one-time fee of $1,000.
There are approximately 80,000 voters who wrote in “Independent” on the voter registration forms, in the blank that asks the applicant to choose a party. But Louisiana had a law forbidding any party from being named the “Independent Party”. However, the legislature repealed that law in 2014, effective January 1, 2015. Therefore, there is no legal barrier to the formation of the party, assuming someone pays the fee of $1,000. Now that the idea has been publicized, the individuals mentioned in the story probably realize that if they don’t pay the fee and fill out the paperwork, someone else will.
Here is a link to the Louisiana voter registration form. Scroll down. The form lists the qualified parties and gives them each their own check box. Voters who don’t want to be members of any party are supposed to choose “no party” from the form.
Qualified parties in Louisiana can’t have their own presidential primary unless they have registration of 5%. Assuming the Independent Party comes into existence, it would be only about half-way to qualifying for its own presidential primary.
Other states with a ballot-qualified “Independent Party” are Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, and Oregon. Thanks to Randall Hayes for the link to the newspaper story.
As a Independent, I am happy to learn that someone may be willing to come forth with the $1000 and the paper work, thereby making the Independent Party a legal party in Louisiana.
This argument that most Independents do not want to be associated with a party is a weak argument. It is true that some do not, but most do not care, as the word “Independent” is an expression of not being part of the Two Party Duopoly – whether there is a party organization tied to it or not. “Independent” is just what it means – being “Independent”- regardless of any partisan links.
California is in my opinion, a good example of this proof. In 1968, when George Wallace supporters needed some 88,000 people to REGISTER or RE-REGISTER into the AMERICAN INDEPENDENT PARTY, they actually got slightly over 100,000 people to do so, despite political experts saying it could not be accomplished.
As long as Bill Shearer was alive and active in the AIP, the party registration continued to grow. Yes, general California population was growing also, but today, the American Independent Party has some 400,000 members despite having virtually no real leadership or activity. What the average party registrant was saying, and is still saying, “I don’t care if I have to register as AMERICAN INDEPENDENT, as long as I can register as INDEPENDENT.
I trust the Independent Party that most likely will be organized in Louisiana will not be a “fruitcake” party. With the bill’s sponsor being a Democrat, I don’t think he will allow such to happen. What is going on in Louisiana – and a lot of other states – is that there are Democrats and former Democrats who do not want to be Republicans, but want a party that mirrors the Democratic Party before it became the extreme liberal party it is today. This is why many Republicans opposes such a party, and will do so in other states.
I am looking forward to the growth of the Louisiana Independent Party. I hope such sentiments spread to other states.
Anyone running for office as a member of the “Independent Party” should receive zero votes, since such a person would by easy implication be a known as a charlatan.
How would members of the “Independent Party” organize a state or national convention? Presumably the members would travel to whatever cities each would choose, independently. And who would chair the convention? No one? And how would an “Independent Party” platform be crafted? By stapling each member’s personal positions to a big, blank piece of paper?
No – Call if for what it really is – the “Notdemorrep Party,” or something else (my personal favorite was the “Cool Moose Party” and that name is available), but don’t pretend that as many as two people can form a political party and remain “independent.” The notion is ludicrous on its face. So ludicrous, in fact, that there should need to be no law to prevent a party from naming itself the “Independent Party.” Even dumb American voters should be able to see through that charade.
It should be noted that Louisiana has an election for Governor and Lieutenant Governor (who run separately) in 2015 and that the state has a system of nonpartisan blanket primaries in which candidates of all parties run together and then a top-two runoff.
When the group files $1,000, it identifies its party officers. It then has the same legal status as any other qualified political party. The fact that a party is named “Independent Party” doesn’t mean it isn’t a regular organization. As the blog post says, there are other states with ballot-qualified parties named “Independent Party.”
I don’t agree with Richard Grayson’s vocabulary about the Louisiana system. Louisiana doesn’t have primaries; it just has general elections. Usually someone gets 50% in the general election and is elected. If not, there is a run-off. An “election” is an event at which people can be elected. In a top-two system, the first round is not an “election” because no one can be elected in the first round. The U.S. Supreme Court forced Louisiana to stop electing members of Congress at a time other than November of even-numbered years, in 1997, in Foster v Love. That is why Louisiana abolished primaries and just has elections and run-off elections.
TruFoe: I assume you are being somewhat facetious with your comments, but yes, Independents can organize into a political party if they so desire. Just check with the election officials in Florida, for example, and you will find they have submitted a Copy of their Constitution and By-Laws, along with their required quarterly financial reports as required by law via the Secretary of State’s office. On their website, you will find their positions, democratically decided upon by party leaders, on a variety of issues. And if you will check the election returns, you will find they have ran some candidates, with a couple of them actually being elected.
I suspect, more than anything else, you are among those disgruntled voters who do not have a political party within which you can find your political salvation. Most Independents I know, even when we have disagreements on issues, are still a happy lot because our very name beams with expressions of freedom and the knowing that we don’t have to bow down to the Democratic Party or to the Republican Party.
More and more voters – in states where they are permitted to do so – are registering “Independent” regardless of whether or not there is a partisan organization attached thereto. Independents are, and have been the fastest growing group of voters in the United States.
And just as Libertarians can form county committees, state committees, and hold a national convention, likewise can do those Independents who desire to exercise the partisan side of this freedom.
Unless the Democrats and Republicans see the handwriting on the wall, and consort together to stop such from happening, I predict the day will come when there will be held a Independent National Convention, nominating a candidate for President and Vice-President, who not only will go on to appear in the Debates with their Democratic and Republican counterparts, but whose vote totals after the November elections just may find themselves being inaugurated into office at Noon on some January day in the not too distant future.
So why not become a Independent? It’s a good feeling.
Richard: Thank you for re-enforcing the fact that in some states – particularly Louisiana – Independents can now organize into a party and act as a party just as the Democrats, Republicans, and Libertarians do.
I know it is hard for some to fathom a Independent also being a partisan, but that is the beauty of such in Louisiana and the other states you listed.
I look for this list to grow.
Correction: the threshold for holding a Presidential Preference Primary (which is NOT a real primary in ANY sense) is NOT 5% of registered voters, but a hard threshold of 40,000 registered voters.
http://www.legis.la.gov/legis/law.aspx?d=81288
A newly formed “Independent Party” would instantly qualify since they have about 80,000 voters. But I suspect if the party files for recognition, people may investigate switching to “no party” which is the proper designation for non-affiliated voters. How many do so remains to be seen.
Followup:
The 5% threshold is for a party to be forced to elect a State Central Committee by state-house districts. Until this is reached, a party can elect their SCC by any manner, and with any number of members they see fit.
Adrien Monteleone: Thanks for updating on how the Independent Party in Louisiana would be allowed to participate in a Presidential Preference Primary. However, it appears there could be a legal snafu, as the party will have the 40,000 registered members to initiate a Presidential Preference Primary, but still lacks the 5% registration of the state to force it to form its State Central Committee.
However, I would assume the ones paying the $1000 and doing the paperwork for legal recognition of the Independent Party, would take care to cover in their rules and regulations as to how anyone wanting to enter their Presidential Preference Primary in 2016 must adhere to.
And one would assume the Louisiana SOS’s office would accept whatever rules are written as binding regarding such Presidential candidates.
Adrien Monteleone: “But I suspect if the party files for recognition, people may investigate switching to “no party” which is the proper designation for non-affiliated voters.”
Why would they switch to “no party?”
Its no skin off their teeth.
I mean, “no party” can mean “Independent” and “Independent” can mean “no party.” So why would the average voter who has already listed himself as “Independent” switch to or switch back to “No Party?”
This is purely speculation on my part, but I feel there are a lot of Democrats or former Democrats there in Louisiana, who don’t won’t to be a Republican, you know that Reconstruction thing that happened right after the Civil War, in which northern Republican troops were stationed in the South, and many Southerners didn’t like it. I can see where they’re coming from. Today’s Democrats done got too liberal for them, and the Republicans still don’t think the Southern States had a right to secede. So, best thing to do is become a Independent, and go from there. Just speculation on my party.
Richard Grayson’s vocabulary is consistent with Louisiana statute and usage.
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From the Louisiana SOS web sited.
Fall Gubernatorial Election
The following is important information for the Oct. 24, 2015 primary and the Nov. 21, 2015 general:
qualifying period is Sept. 8, 9 and 10 until 4:30 p.m.;
…
early voting is Oct. 10-17 (except Sunday and holidays) from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. for the Oct. 24 primary election; and
early voting is Nov. 7-14 (except Sunday and holidays) from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. for the Nov. 21 general election.
=========================
An election is the entire process.
Are there any special elections slated in Louisiana in which a registered Independent deciding to seek office and does so for the 1st time with the Independent (or IND) label next to their name? Can’t remember if Louisiana ballot law requires the name of the party to be spelled out fully or an abbreviation used.)
Either way, I feel the word “Independent” or the abbreviation “Ind.” better identifies a candidate rather than the words “No Party,” and it will be interesting to see if in future elections such makes a difference.
Is a caucus an election? Is a convention an election? Is a straw poll an election?
@Richard Winger: a caucus might be an ‘election’ if it results in the selection of an office holder – but that is usually only for internal party procedures.
A convention might have as part of its agenda, an election for certain offices of a party.
A straw poll is merely what it states – a raw unscientific measure of opinion of those participating.
@Alabama Independent:
The 5% does not prevent a party from forming of a State Central Committee. The 5% is the trigger for HOW the SCC is to be formed. Until that 5% is reached, the Independent Party can form its SCC however it wants.
For example, the Libertarian Party of Louisiana has a tad over 10,000 voters. Since that is well below the 5% threshold, the laws that set out requirements as to HOW their SCC is composed and chosen do not apply to that party. The law that says they have to have one, does apply. So the mechanics are up to the LPL.
The law requires parties of 5% or more to have an SCC composed of two members, one male and one female from each state-house district. (thus 210 members) That same law also requires state-run elections for those seats.
Since the LPL is below 5%, and trying to mimic that organization would be a mess for their small size, they organize on a more simple (and I’d say more reasonable) level, that is, one representative to the SCC for each parish chosen at 4-year parish caucuses, with some additional executive and at-large positions chosen at 4-year state-wide conventions.
The Independent Party might consider something similar until the state takes over the process. (or better yet, fight to change the law so the parties can properly organize themselves as they see fit)
As for the issue of switching from Independent to “no party” I really doubt many will bother for some time if ever. It all depends on if they care or not to really be thought of as not affiliated with any party. The proper designation for non-affiliated voters in Louisiana is ‘no party’ regardless of if there is ever an “Independent Party” or not.
I’d suspect though that most of those people aren’t really wanting to be partisan just not Democrat or Republican. I suspect they really wanted to be independent of ANY party. However, since it isn’t an issue here as we don’t have partisan elections, most people will not bother to switch.
As for party names appearing on the ballot it works like this:
recognized parties appear in proper capitalization without abbreviation like so:
Republican
Democratic
Libertarian
Green
Reform
or
No Party
non-recognized partisans are indicated by
Other
Interestingly, in the list of registrations from the Secretary of State, a recognized party is properly capitalized. A non-recognized party appears in ALL capitals. Presently, “INDEPENDENT” is the listing, not “Independent”. I’m not sure if this is a real distinction, but interesting nonetheless.
On voter registration forms (I guess for limited space) the recognized parties are listed as:
REP
DEM
LBT
GRN
REF
NONE (for No Party)
and OTH (other) with a fill-in blank for the non-recognized party name.
Note, if you misspell a non-recognized party, you effectively create a new party name in the database. (there are several versions of ‘independent’) If the registrar fills it out for you and misspells the name – you are NOT registered in the party you asked for, you get registered in the non-recognized party that is spelled wrong!