On June 25, the Americans Elect facebook page featured a question from an individual who said, “I would actually prefer to see some viable legislative candidates put forward. There’s only so much a President can do.” From the context, it appears the individual meant the national legislature, i.e., Congress.
Americans Elect responded, “We would also like to extend the platform to do that too, after we work on this nominating convention.” Thanks to Jim Cook of Irregular Times for this news.
Interesting information. Weren’t these the people who said that they won’t run any congressional candidates?
Once they file the petition in California, and a individual signs up as a member of the Americans Elect Party, isn’t it up to any party member to decided whether they will run for ANY partisan office on the ballot using the Americans Elect Party affiliation?
Of course this year I believe California will have a open primary, AND, a top-two selection for the General Election.
So what does it matter what the party leaders say, unless they are supplying money?
AE makes many contradictory statements, Jim Cook has really been on top of pointing them out.
Funny- in Alaska they signed up as a ‘limited third party’ able only to nominate for Prez, if memory serves.
As always, we’ll just have to wait for events to unfold if we want to understand Americans Elect.
#2 A voter in California may register now that their party preference is the American Elects party (or any other party). California allows write-ins on voter registration forms, and their are no notification requirements. Notification is only necessary if the party wants the voter registrars to actually count the number of voters affiliated with a party.
If the petition drive succeeds, then voter registrars will begin counting the number of voters registered with the party, and the party name will be added to voter registration forms. If not enough voters sign up, the party will lose its qualification for the 2014 primary election. It is conceivable that so few will sign up that the party would be deemed abandoned before 2014.
The party will have to hold a presidential preference primary next June. In addition, the statutes require them to elect county central committees, though there are court decisions that permit them to not do so.
Any voter who runs for a voter-nominated office, which includes Congress and the legislature, may have their party preference appear on the ballot, regardless whether that party is “qualified” or not. Qualified parties may also endorse candidates on sample ballots (California distributes sample ballots to voters before elections). Parties are free to cross endorse. In the recent congressional special election, the American Independent Party endorsed a candidate who preferred the Republican party.
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This is significant news.
It may prove that the AE “board” may not be able to prevent non-presidential canidates in every state. But I wonder though if AE’s response “after we work on this nominating convention” means extending the platform this election cycle or the next 2012.
If there are non-prez 2012 candidates it may be detrimental to the AE brand if someone decides to run and is a lunatic and draws negative attention to the AE presidential nominee.
Also, I am not sure if it has been discussed that most likely AE will still have ballot access in 2016 in all/most state which will possibly (if Obama wins re-election) be an open election with no returning incumbent. So AE’s effort this time around will actually be a two for one deal. And who knows if/how they will run candidates in the mid-terms in 2014. Or even at the state level.
It gets more interesting everyday. I am looking forward to the greater news + buzz when this reaches the mainstream media more deeply.
Where are these individual’s questions listed on the AE website? Just popped over there and did not see any. Thanks for letting me know if this feature is no longer listed.
Perhaps some AE genius noted Art. I, Secs 1 and 8 in the nearly dead U.S.A. Constitution ???
It depends if they want to exist further than 2012, if its a one-election only plan then the whole thing is silly anyway. If its a serious attempt to make a long term project based on party member democracy then it makes sense to attempt other positions than just President, any successes, whether local, state or federal is useful propaganda to say “yeah, we’ve been elected, we’ve tasted power, you can trust us” in a future election.
I personally think AE’12 will be as much a flop as Unity’08; I’d like to be proved wrong.
Brad M., See here for the original article:
http://irregulartimes.com/index.php/archives/2011/07/27/americans-elect-expresses-desire-to-run-legislative-candidates-after-2012-nomination/
… the mention is on the Americans Elect Facebook page, not the Americans Elect website.
Mikebloke, the difference between Americans Elect and Unity08 is that Americans Elect has a LOT of money. Americans Elect is on the ballot in a number of states already, including an announcement of ballot access in California tomorrow. See:
https://secure.americanselect.org/news/7-2011/4-down46-more-go
An Americans Elect candidate is already an accomplished fact in five states, one of them immense in terms of electoral votes. They just have to name the candidate. For better or worse, this thing is happening.
#11, thank you. I’ll amend the post.
Jim Cook is doing us a public service by staying on top of Americans Elect. Thank you so much, Mr. Cook.
Random question…how is it that a political movement that can get 1,650,449 petition signatures only has about 4k Facebook fans?
Libertarian Voter:
One of the articles on AE Richard Winger linked to here cited current membership of “delegates” at an approximate 17,500. Since they haven’t been signing up people for a month and they’ve only come into any media spotlight for maybe a week, that is perhaps not as low as it sounds.
The same articles said that the 17,500 number represented 1 in 5 unique visitors to the site. So, hopefully, AE will be able to eventually sign some significant number of people up, unlike No Labels.
@ Jim Cook, good to hear, it’ll certainly be interesting to watch.
“AE makes many contradictory statements, Jim Cook has really been on top of pointing them out.”
The top news outlets, Fox, MSNBC, CBS, ABC, NBC, CNN, and HLN…point out contradictory statements every day from the two party system.
“Random question…how is it that a political movement that can get 1,650,449 petition signatures only has about 4k Facebook fans?”
Contrary to Facebook user perceptions not everyone that has an internet connection has, needs, or wants, a Facebook page. Toyota said it best in this commercial:
http://kremer.com/toyotas-facebook-tv-commercial
“Interesting information.” Weren’t these the people who said that they won’t run any congressional candidates?”
I just found AE and would be disappointed if they didn’t run Congressional candidates. I personally see Congress as more of a problem than the President. More of a problem but not the only problem.
No other third party can seem to break the lock Republicans/Democrats have whether they be Libertarian, Green, Reform..
Let’s give it a real shot, with a real commitment from ordinary people trying to make their voice heard with tweets, e-mails, votes, and phone calls. Because that isn’t working and it leaves everyone frustrated, frightened, and angry.
Not so long ago only Al Qaeda made Americans feel that way, now it’s our own Congress.
The need for raising out of that group is getting larger and larger. Used to live while getting noised out by millions of spots each single day, its now imposible for them keep the same task for more than six minutes today. We pushed a generation of brainless individuals that are just numbed to every human normal feelings.
The appeal for raising out of the group is getting bigger and bigger. On top of being brain spammed by hundreds of spots each single day, its now imposible for them focus and do something for more than ten minutes today. We raised a generation of careless individuals that are totally numbed to any human regular feelings.
Amen to that. Just want to say thanks for a great post!