Commission on Election Administration to Hear From Independent Pennsylvanians September 4

Independent Voters to Testify at Philadelphia Public Hearings.

By Barbara Patrizzi on 08/23/2013 at IVN

Sign the Letter to President Obama's Commission here

Independent Pennsylvanians,  part of the national IndependentVoting.org network, will be on hand to testify at the upcoming public hearing of President Obama’s Commission on Election Administration. The hearings will  take place in Philadelphia, on  September 4th, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, rooms 102 and 103. The 10-member commission is tasked with presenting recommendations to the president about how to “improve the voting experience."

The Commission has already held public hearings in DC, Florida, and Denver, where representatives of independent voter groups from Virginia, New York and Florida submitted testimony. Independent voters have a lot to say about electoral reform, and are taking advantage of  this opportunity to voice these concerns to the bi-partisan commission, despite the narrow agenda that has been set forth for the hearings. [read more here]

Hankster News of the Day for Independents May 23

Today's Hankster picks for independent activists. The title of the article contains the link to the original, followed by the author and publication, and then a snipit from the article. You can subscribe to this briefing by email at FeedBlitz or choose your favorite newsreader... 

• The Texan (Semi-) Open Primary (By Shawn M. Griffiths, IVN) If all of the candidates in a race were on one ballot and the top two candidates, regardless of party affiliation, go on to the general election then it doesn’t disenfranchise any demographics. Republicans would vote for the Republican candidate they want. Democrats would vote for Democratic candidate they want, and independent voters would be able to vote for whoever they want.
• California's Ballot Experiment (Chris Weigant, Huffington Post) While the option will still exist to vote for a Libertarian or Green presidential candidate in November, they'll likely be the only representatives from their respective parties on the entire ballot, which, as I said, doesn't really sit right with me, because it smacks of second-class status for anyone not a member of the Democratic Party or Republican Party.
  Obama up 8 in Pennsylvania (Public Policy Polling) In a state where Democrats have a large registration advantage Obama wins if that holds true. It's a departure from some past polls that found him under even 70% of the Democratic vote, but conservative whites seem to be moving back toward him just as they did after supporting Hillary Clinton in the 2008 primary. Obama's also up 48-24 with Pennsylvania's small contingent of independent voters.
• Poll: Obama up big in swing-state Pennsylvania (By Jonathan Easley, The Hill) Independent voters have helped buoy Romney in recent national polls, but that’s not the case in Pennsylvania, where Obama leads 48 to 24. Obama also th edge among two of his most important constituent groups — women, with whom he leads 56 to 36, and young voters, with whom he leads 64 to 28.
• Pennylvania Poll: Obama Up 8, Doubles Romney With Independent Voters (TPM) A new poll of Pennsylvania from Democratic-leaning firm Public Policy Polling shows President Obama with an 8-point overall lead, 50 percent to 42 percent, built on large leads with women and independent voters.

Check out Independent Pennsylvanians!

Occupy Redistricting Pennsylvania

PA REDISTRICTING

• FINAL: Occupy movement disrupts redistricting commission meeting (By Eric Boehm, PA Independent) Protesters said the redistricting process put political interests above the concerns of the people. In particular, they said Friday’s hearing did not include everyone who wanted to speak.

 RECOMMENDED VIDEO
"What makes you more uncomfortable: children starving or gay marriage?"

• Winner in Redistricting Is Still to Be Determined (By MICHAEL D. SHEAR, NY Times/ The Caucus) If you listen to officials at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, things are looking up for their candidates. They point to states like California, Illinois and Nevada, where independent commissions or legislatures under Democratic control have increased the party’s chances of gaining seats… Both parties are also watching the process in Virginia and Pennsylvania, where the legislatures are still not finished with their maps.

PA Redistricting Needs Independent Nonpartisan Touch

PENNSYLVANIA REDISTRICTING
Redistricting commission should map out a new plan (By HEATHER LONG, The Patriot-News) What this really speaks to is the need to reform redistricting overall. As former editorial writer Herb Field pointed out last week, the ideal is the Iowa model where an independent, nonpartisan group handles things. In other words, politicians are taken as far out of the process as possible.

American Voters Need Open Primary to Overcome Partisan Destructiveness

OPEN PRIMARY
Randy's Ramblings: Recent shenanigans aren’t a reason to abandon the open primary - Some conservative bloggers are gloating over the Republican Party’s use of Wisconsin’s open primary system to play shenanigans with the upcoming state Senate recall elections. (By: Randy Hanson, Hudson Star-Observer)

PENNSYLVANIA
Third Parties Face Stiff Hurdles in PA (By Judith Ayers, Politics PA) Libertarian Lou Jasikoff stated that they were approached by the Republicans lawyers and told that their signatures to get on the ballot were “no good.” “You have an hour to drop out voluntary or we will sue you for the cost to look up the challenges,” he says he was told... The Green Party has had its own ballot access problems. In 2006 Carl Romanelli ran for the U.S. Senate against Rick Santorum and Bob Casey. Fearing he could siphon votes from Casey, Democrats filed a challenge to his petitions with Commonwealth Court. Romanelli is still facing more than $80,000 in court costs over the matter.

EDUCATION REFORM

• Joel Klein vs. those status quo apologists (By Valerie Strauss, Washington Post/The Answer Sheet) The rhetoric here is, to my ear, quite remarkable. It doesn’t place children and their development in the foreground; rather, the emphasis is on what schools can extract from kids. It’s a dangerous rhetorical twist, because it points to accountability systems that can decouple school-performance measures from student learning. There’s little persuasive evidence that such systems can promote lasting achievement.
• Theater on W. 42nd Street Holds Free Day of Classes - Students can take improv, hip-hop, or even meet with "development coaches" during the All Stars Project's Opening Day Saturday. (By Meredith Hoffman, DNAinfo.com Manhattan Local News)
• ESEA Reauthorization: A Crucial Step to Improve Schools - CAP Event Looks at How to Strengthen American Education Through ESEA (Center for American Progress Action Fund) Two expert panel discussions followed, the first featuring Rep. George Miller; U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan; former U.S. Secretary of Education and current president and CEO of her eponymous company Margaret Spellings; as well as moderator John Podesta. The second expert panel featured Rep. George Miller; American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten; Vice President for Government Affairs and Communications of the Education Trust Amy Wilkins; and moderator Cynthia Brown, the Vice President for Education Policy at the Center for American Progress Action Fund.

Pennsylvania On the Way to Open Primary

PENNSYLVANIA
Nonpartisan participants - Not sold on independents voting in primaries (EDITORIAL The Tribune-Democrat - Johnstown PA) But we oppose [open primaries] because it would undermine the purpose of primary races, which is to set the field by political party for the November general elections.

CALIFORNIA
Blurry Lines - California’s redistricting commission draws an uncertain map of the Golden State’s electoral future. (JOHN J. PITNEY, JR., City Journal)
Dan Walters: The big stakes? Two-thirds margin (Modesto Bee) Combined with the new "top-two" primary system, more swing districts would probably mean more moderate legislators who would not move in lock-step with right- or left-wing pressure groups.

NEW YORK
Redistricting reform, now (by Jay Jochnowitz, Editorial page editor, Albany Times Union) Here, in case any of them misplaced their pledge, is what they signed on for: “Ensuring that redistricting pursuant to the 2010 Census be constitutional and fair … the creation of an independent, non-partisan Redistricting Commission to draft advisory maps for the Legislature to review and approve.”

2012
Ron Paul says appeal to independent voters gives him an edge (JENNIFER JACOBS, Des Moines Register/2012 Iowa Caucuses) At the Stone Cliff Winery in the riverfront area, Paul drew whistles and hearty applause from a crowd of about 160, a more robust crowd than expected for a weekday, his staff said… Paul said he is especially attractive to independents “since Obama’s not trusted on the economy. And actually the progressives are very annoyed with him, too, because he was really supposed to wind those wars down.”

Open Primaries for Pennsylvania, Independent Governor for Kentucky, Non-Partisan Redistricting Process for California

OPEN REDISTRICTING PROCESS
Former Calif. assemblyman, senator call for elimination of partisan political data in redistricting process (San Diego News Room) The language of the Initiative specifically excludes any criteria related to political party registration. There is therefore no reason for the Commission, its staff, or its consultants to access or otherwise make use of any data associated with partisan registration.

2012

• Johnson not invited to CNN GOP debate - Rep. Michele Bachmann, who hasn't declared she'll run, will debate (By Matthew Reichbach, New Mexico Independent) “I respect the right of CNN and the other sponsors of the June 13 New Hampshire Republican presidential primary debate to apply their own criteria and invite who they choose,” Johnson said in a statement Friday. “It is, however, unfortunate that a significant segment of the Republican Party, and more importantly, millions of independent voters who might be Republican voters, will not have a voice on the stage in Manchester.”
• Undeniably bad news for Obama (By Jennifer Rubin, Washington Post/Right Turn) And finally, the election now becomes less ideological, I would argue, and hence more perilous for Obama. The Republican challenger doesn't have to attack him as a left-wing radical (a loser message with nonideological independent voters); all the GOP opponent needs to do is point to the horrid results obtained by Obama’s policies.
• Obama seeks reshaped image for 2012 run (By Susan Page, USA TODAY) His strength is his base: In combined Gallup polls taken in May, he held the approval of 88% of African Americans and 57% of Hispanics, 88% of liberal Democrats and 58% of those under 30. His vulnerabilities: His approval rating sinks to 42% among whites, 44% among seniors, 38% among independents who don't lean to either party.

KENTUCKY
Independent Candidate for Ky. Governor Could Revitalize Frankfort Politics - Gatewood Galbraith Eyes Kentucky Governor Mansion (Tyler B. Yandall, Yahoo! Contributor Network, Associated Content)

PENNSYLVANIA
Primary changes weighed - Bill would allow independents to participate (Tribune Democrat) House Bill 958, introduced by state Rep. Jaret Gibbons, D-Beaver, would require independent voters to register with the polling place 30 days before the primary election.

Independents Lead Fight for Structural Political Reform, State by State, Nationally

INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING

• The rigged game of redistricting (By John Avlon, Special to CNN) At least 15 states have citizens groups fighting for redistricting reform 
• People’s election (Salt Lake Tribune) We support this quiet insurgency. The caucus system, in which comparatively moderate Republicans such as Bob Bennett and Olene Walker — who are willing to work in a bipartisan fashion — can be ousted without the consent of a majority of Utah voters, should be changed. It creates a governing elite and contributes to Utah’s embarrassingly low voter turnout.
• Mathis: Engage voters in redistricting plan - Panel chair wants public connected to process of redrawing boundaries (by Mary Jo Pitzl, The Arizona Republic) Q: Why are you an independent? A: I like being able to approach things issue by issue. Being an independent allowed me the freedom to operate as I wanted.

PENNSYLVANIA INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• In Montco, 3,000+ improperly registered as independents (By Jeremy Roebuck, PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER) Beginning in 2008, Hoeffel said, a (Montgomery) county employee added those names coming through without prior registrations to the voter rolls as independents because there were no party affiliations for them on file. The worker should have discarded them since they had never officially registered to vote in the first place, Hoeffel said.
• Looking for independent voters in Pennsylvania: Independent Pennsylvanians

COLORADO INDEPENDENTS

• Businesswoman announces run for Congress (By JEFF TUCKER, Pueblo Chieftain - Southern Colorado) Tisha Casida is running for Congress as an independent candidate.  "There are things I like about all the parties," she said in her announcement Friday. "But the problem is the two-party system is not doing anything to solve our current economic problems."
• Looking for independent voters in Colorado: Independent Voters for Colorado

UTAH CAUCUS SYSTEM

• News Analysis: A Political System for a Select Few? (By Con Psarras, KSL Salt Lake City) There's a lot of debate on the caucus system after it was used last year to boot Sen. Bob Bennett from his incumbency. On one hand, it was a sterling example of how citizens can mobilize and be self-empowered to the point of knocking a three-term senator off the convention dais. On the other hand, it may have also been a textbook case of how the nominating system can be overtaken by a well-organized contingent whose views are not necessarily in sync with the party or the population as a whole.
• Looking for independent voters in Utah: Utah League of Independent Voters

NEW YORK

• Procedural Victory in New York Vote-Counting Case (Ballot Access News) On May 10, U.S. District Court Judge JedRakoff issued an 18-page opinion in Conservative Party v Walsh, southern district, 10 cv-6923. This is the lawsuit in which the Conservative Party of New York, the Working Families Party of New York, and the Taxpayers Party, sued to overturn a discriminatory New York state election policy on counting votes.
• Cuomo: NY Legislature doesn't want ethics reform (AP, Wall Street Journal) In a news conference later, he said, "If a law is not passed, then I will appoint a Moreland Commission," a reference to an historic anti-corruption panel. "It is unacceptable to have no progress on ethics." He said if an ethics bill isn't passed by the June 20 end of the legislative session, he will appoint an investigative commission.
• Donors to G.O.P. Are Backing Gay Marriage Push (By NICHOLAS CONFESSORE and MICHAEL BARBARO, NY Times) The donors represent some of New York’s wealthiest and most politically active figures and include Paul E. Singer, a hedge fund manager and top-tier Republican donor, as well as two other financiers, Steven A. Cohen and Clifford S. Asness. At the same time, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, a billionaire businessman and philanthropist who has been a major contributor to Senate Republicans in New York, plans a significant push for same-sex marriage: giving at least $100,000 of his own money, hosting a fund-raiser at an Upper East Side town house, traveling to Albany to lobby lawmakers and giving a speech on the issue.
• Conservative Republicans bankrolling gay marriage campaign in New York (By Scot Kersgaard, Colorado Independent) The Colorado Independent in the past has drawn attention to the fact that Barbara Bush has cut a video supporting the measure. Turns out, though that GOP support for freedom and liberty in New York could be more than a dog bits man sort of story. It could be the story.
• Looking for independent voters in New York: New York City Organizations of the Independence Party of New York

2012
Huntsman seeks to break into GOP pack - Former Utah governor to make first N.H. swing (By Matt Viser, Boston Globe) As Huntsman edges closer to a presidential run, he shares another similarity: an early strategy that emphasizes the influential moderate and independent voters in the first-in-the-nation primary state of New Hampshire.

MEDIA & POLLS
INDEPENDENT-MINDED VOTER SAMPLE LARGELY MIA IN POST-BIN LADEN AP POLL (by Christopher A. Guzman, CAIVN)

INDEPENDENT CULTURE/ YOUTH
Ben Vereen To Attend Charity Talent Show (Look to the Stars) “The All Stars is taking the arts into the community and developing a bridge that allows us to see a better way to a future for all of us. When All Stars comes into the poor community, opportunity is built.” states Ben Vereen who was recently awarded the All Stars Project’s 2011 Bridge Building Award for Leadership in Community Relations.

Can Florida Get Open Primaries? Idaho Gov Signs Legislation Requiring Partisan Registration

OPEN PRIMARIES

• Retaking state: Floridians need to get active now (Stephen Goldstein, Sun Sentinel FL) 7. The "Open Primaries" Amendment would keep extremist candidates and party loyalists from hijacking primaries by allowing voters to take part in the process, even if they are not registered with a given party. Currently, primaries favor candidates who take radical positions to appeal to a party's base. But then, unless they lie, they can't win the general election when they need a broader, more moderate, appeal. Open primaries favor centrist, more electable, candidates.
• GOP panel nixes call for closed primaries, Sponsor: Proposal prevents Dems from swaying rivals' races (Written by ERIK SCHELZIG, Associated Press, The Leaf Chronicle) The executive committee of the state Republican Party on Saturday voted down a proposal to require party registration to vote in Tennessee primaries.  NOTE: This AP article ran widely in local papers nationally
• Eye on Boise: Otter says closed primary an imperfect compromise (Betsy Z. Russell The Spokesman-Review) Gov. Butch Otter has signed into law historic changes in Idaho’s election system, requiring, for the first time, that all Idahoans declare their party affiliation to vote in the state’s primary election. [NOTE: Independents filed appeal to the court decision in favor of Repubs closing the primary before this legislation went through.]

INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING

• Redraw N.C. districts for voters, not for politicians - Process would be much better with nonpartisan commission. (Charlotte Observer)
• A line can take funny twists in redistricting (By Jeanette Krebs, Patriot News) If history is any indicator, there will be legislative and congressional maps that protect incumbents and make it easier for one party to stay in control, and in some cases, divide up minority voters so they don’t outnumber white voters. Some hopeful signs, however, do exist that things might be done differently this time in Pennsylvania.

2012
Tea Party Reshapes New Hampshire Calculus - Movement Emerges as Wild Card for Republican Hopefuls In Presidential Primary Often Dominated by Independents (By JONATHAN WEISMAN, Wall Street Journal) A Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll this month found tea-party support at a low ebb. Some 25% of respondents said they supported the tea party, down from 29% in February and 30% in November. The highest percentage on record, 67%, said they weren't supporters.

Pennsylvania's DePasquale: Open Primaries Gives Voters a Choice

OPEN PRIMARIES FOR PENNSYLVANIA

• State lawmaker pursues big voting reform ideas (Jennifer Rizzi, WHTM - abc27 News Harrisburg) "If Independent voters would like to vote in the Democratic primary one year and the Republican primary the next, or vice versa, my legislation would give them that choice," DePasquale said. He also wants to make it easier for Independents to run for political office by equalizing their rights and options with other parties.
• Independent Pennsylvanians is an association of independent and independent-minded voters. We support issues and campaigns at the local, state and national level designed to increase the visibility and power of independent voters in Pennsylvania—now the fastest growing political force in America.

CALIFORNIA PROP 14 - ELECTION MAY 17

• Field of 18 Competing for Vacant Congressional Seat (By Paul Chavez, Hermosa Beach Patch)
• California's Party of No Takes Center Stage, or Does It? (William Bradley - California-based Political Analyst NewWestNotes.com, Huffington Post) The Republicans hate California's new open primary even more than the Democrats. After first trying create a new rule allowing small groups of right-wing activists to name party nominees, they came up with a compromise: The Republican Party will hold a primary election before the primary election. So that Republicans will know who to vote for in the real primary election. How will this new primary be organized and, more to the point, paid for? Who knows?
• It's Time to "Change" Congress  (Independent Voice) With an historic victory for the Open Primary in June 2010, it's time to move on to our next fight - Redistricting Reform. IndependentVoice.Org is one of the Steering Committee Members of Yes on 20, No on 27. Proposition 20 takes the Redistricting Reform we passed in 2008 and applies it to Congressional Districts.  Proposition 27 is a measure put on the ballot by politicians that would return all power over the redistricting process to them.  So say it with us . .  . YES ON 20, NO ON 27!!

Open Primaries and National Popular Vote -- Reforms We Could Use

•  Coffee Party hopeful fights runoff law (By Rick Orlov, LA Daily News) Because the Coffee Party (slogan: "Wake Up and Stand Up") is so new, Chamness is not allowed to list it as his political affiliation.
• Pennsylvania lags in women officeholders (By Jeremy Roebuck, Philadelphia Inquirer) "From the perspective of society and its willingness to accept women as leaders in government, we're there," Ferman said. "The question now becomes: Why are there so few?" Balchunis-Harris and others argue that while the electorate may be ready, Pennsylvania's deck remains stacked against women. Structural factors such as the state's old political machines and closed primaries have made it difficult to break through.
• In nonpartisan mayor’s race, some candidates wave party colors (By Delen Goldberg, Las Vegas Sun) Scholars argue that nonpartisan races tend to be more democratic because they remove parties’ influence over the nomination process and reduce patronage. Studies have also shown they increase voter access, especially as the number of independent voters rises.
• A Better Way to Hold a Presidential Election (By PAUL BEDARD, US News & World Report/Washington Whispers) Welcome to the growing debate over National Popular Vote, a private, nonpartisan effort which aims to convince state legislatures to switch to a system that guarantees that the popular vote winner becomes the president.

 

 

 

Support for DePasquale Pennsylvania Bill to Include Independents in Primary Vote

Joseph Deinlein, a writer for the Sunbury PA Daily Item, writes about a "glimmer of hope for the independent voters" in Of primary concern 

 As one who has been an independent since I registered to vote, I’ve always hated not being allowed to vote in the primary. Particularly in Pennsylvania, off-year municipal elections tend to get decided in May, not November, because often there is only one party that puts forth any candidates. It gets more complicated at the local level when there are multiple people running on both sides.

State Rep. Eugene DePasquale, D-York, announced last week the introduction of a package of four bills designed to improve voter turnout and give more voters a voice on Election Day.

The first bill would allow voters registered as Independents to cast ballots in Pennsylvania primary elections.

"In an era where more and more voters are registering as Independents, we should not be denying those voters the chance to make their voices heard in a primary election," DePasquale said. "This bill would allow Independents to choose which party’s ballot they would like to vote on during the primary. Also, if those Independent voters would like to vote in the Democratic primary one year and the Republican primary the next, or vice versa, my legislation would give them that choice."

Read more about the independent movement in Pennsylvania at Independent Pennsylvanians

Pennsylvania Courts Make Third Parties Outlaws

INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• Independents decide on their candidate for Governor in the 2010 election (Baltimore Independent Examiner, Hassan Giordano) Independent voters are slowly becoming the State’s most powerful voting bloc, well behind Democrats yet barely trailing Republicans. In fact Independents have more registered voters in the City of Baltimore than do Republicans and are close to outpacing them in Montgomery County (behind by only 821 voters). As Independent voters in this state equal a little more than a half-a-million registered voters, the question still remains as to how many will actually turnout to vote this fall and to which party’s candidate they shall pull the lever for?

PENNSYLVANIA

• Some political parties remain outlaws in Pa. - The courts have effectively kept them off the ballot. (By Oliver Hall, Philadelphia Inquirer) Pennsylvanians may notice something unusual when they go to the polls in November: Their choices for governor, lieutenant governor, and U.S. Senate will be limited exclusively to Republican and Democratic candidates. Only four other states' 2010 general-election ballots are so restrictive.

UTAH
h/t to Randy Miller the Utah League of Independent Voters for these:

• Now more than ever, choose the person, not the party
• I DON'T GET IT (Dave Glissmeyer for Congress 2010 website)
• What should a voter do? (Suresh Kulkarni, Standard Examiner - Ogden, Utah)

NEW YORK

• In Debate For NY Governor, Freedom Party's Barron Shines (Black Star News Reporting Staff Roundup) Barron seemed to set the pace at the debate, returning repeatedly on themes that affect Blacks and Latinos; and arguing that rather than focusing on cutting services, New York's wealthy needed to pay more in taxes. 
• Cuomo takes a group pummeling - Lesser lights do the attacking as Paladino never mentions front-runner (By Tom Precious, NEWS ALBANY BUREAU Buffalo News)
• Talespin: Debate will be a one-on-six fast break (By James V. Franco, The Troy Record) Five of the seven have no chance at winning anything — and that can probably be extended to include Paladino too after the three or so weeks his campaign had — other than promoting their narrow causes, which is fine. At least the respective "parties" are backing one of their own instead of selling out to a major party candidate like the Working Families Party and Independence Party.
• The debate stage: Cuomo next to Barron (by Jimmy Vielkind, Albany Times Union/Capitol Confidential)
• Candidates make their cases to you (By Jimmy Vielkind Capital Bureau, Albany Times Union)
• Minor Parties Eclipse Paladino at Debate, while Cuomo Enjoys the Ride (By Bob Hennelly, WNYC)
• Cuomo, Paladino Avoid Personal Attacks in 7-Way New York Governor Debate (By Henry Goldman, Bloomberg.com)
• Jimmy McMillan, Kristin Davis and other fringe candidates make mockery of gov debate (BILL HAMMOND, NY Daily News)
• Bizarro Bozos’ ‘Gong Show’ (John Podhoretz, NY Post)

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS 9/2/10

NYC NONPARTISAN ELECTIONS

• The case of the missing data (Crain's New York) Fiala: “As sad as it is that the data was not provided to the research analyst, the report wouldn't have made a difference,” he says. “The majority of these commissioners did not want to take this up.”

TEA PARTY

• Is the tea party becoming the new Grand Old Party? (By LIZ SIDOTI (AP) Some Democrats privately worry that the party risks alienating important numbers of independent voters who already are trending toward the GOP, identifying with the tea party's disgust with what it calls out-of-control spending and the growth of government under President Barack Obama.

COLORADO

• 10th Circuit Upholds Colorado Ballot Access Restriction, Even Though the Legislature has Already Repealed That Restriction Effective in 2011 (Ballot Access News)

PENNSYLVANIA

• ACLU appeals ballot ruling on Pa. House candidate - Carl Stevenson, an Independent, was seeking to challenge Doug Reichley in the 134th District. (THE MORNING CALL) "Requiring petition circulators to be residents of the election district is a serious burden on independent and minor party candidates' ability to gather the signatures necessary to get on the ballot, and there is no good reason for the requirement," Walczak, who is representing Stevenson, said in a news release.

FLORIDA

• The Role of Independent Voters (by Andy Corty, Florida Trend) But today, this other group has grown to more than 22% of the electorate, which means that 2.5 million of Florida’s 11 million voters don’t affiliate with either major party. Those 2.5 million voters are disenfranchised from our closed primaries so don’t play a role in selecting major party candidates. With these moderate citizens on the sidelines, the major parties tend to gravitate left or right to appease their hard-core voters. - Quotes John Avlon
• Florida Governor's race shake-up (WINK News - CBS) Indy candidate Chiles drops out of gov race
• Alternative political parties hold some sway in Florida (By Scott Powers, ORLANDO SENTINEL) If they voted as a bloc, Florida's third-party members could have a decisive impact on close races throughout the state, including some in Central Florida.
• Dude, you're not getting my Bud Chiles vote (By John A. Tures, Associate Professor of Political Science, LaGrange College, Southern Political Report) Democrats think the Chiles move will help them.  The governor’s mansion is in Republican hands (Crist) and Chiles will no longer split the vote among those dissatisfied with the politics of Tallahassee.

NEW YORK

• Bloomy: Only 'total incapacitation' or death would end term early (Maggie Haberman, Politico)
• Bloomberg, Shermanesque (Ben Smith, Politico)

NYC CHARTER REVISION

• Speak Out On The NYC Charter! (BY CELESTE KATZ, NY Daily News/Daily politics)

Poli-Tea: A Crisis of Democracy?

Voter Turnout in the Pennsylvania and Kentucky Primary Elections

Is the non-vote a vote of no confidence in the two-party state and duopoly system of government? We are told that yesterday's two most closely watched US Senate primary elections represent a significant defeat for theDemocratic-Republican political establishment: Democrat Joe Sestak defeated career politician Arlen Specter in Pennsylvania (54% to 46%), while Republican Rand Paul routed Trey Grayson in Kentucky (59% to 35%). (ViaMemeorandum.) Yet, these results are not nearly as impressive as they may seem when one considers them in the context of overall voter turnout numbers, which hovered around 30% in both states... Read more

Demand for Open Primaries Picks Up Steam

KENTUCKY

• Senate passes bill to allow independents to vote in primaries (By RONNIE ELLIS, McCreary County Record)
• Kentucky Senate Passes Bill to Require Parties to Let Independents Vote in their Primaries (Ballot Access News)
• Bill to open primaries to Independents passes KY Senate (By Elizabeth Donatelli, WAVE 3 Frankfurt)
•  NOTE: VIDEO includes interview of Michael Lewis
• Senate OKs Independent Voters In Primaries (Jessica Noll, KY Post) SB 53
• Ky. Senate Approves Open Primaries-Measure Expected To Die In Democratic House (WLWT Cincinnati)
• Senate Votes to Open KY Primaries to Independents (WBKO)
• Pushing for the Independent Vote (WTVQ ABC News 36 Lexington) Michael Lewis wants to overturn the state’s closed primary system...

ILLINOIS

• Tribal wins blunt democracy in Illinois feudal election (By Burt Constable | Daily Herald Columnist) "I understand the premise of primary elections - to determine a candidate for a party - but for independent voters such as myself, who frequently cross party lines during elections, we are effectively being discriminated against and not able to vote freely and fairly."
• Low voter turnout likely played role in election turmoil-Close races for Illinois governor nominees have yet to be decided (By JOHN SHARP AND KAREN McDONALD, Peoria Journal Star) "In my opinion, it will depend . . . on whether they are taking stances that will appeal to independents and some Democratic leaners," Hall said. "If (the Republican candidates) insist on a hard line, really conservative position, I think they make that prophecy harder to come to a realization."
• Our Opinion: Open primary would boost participation (THE STATE JOURNAL-REGISTER)
• Quinn declares victory but Hynes won't concede in Democratic governor's race (Chicago Tribune/Clout Street)

COLORADO

• Bill seeks easier path to ballot for independent candidates-Lawmaker who broke with Democratic Party says measure allows parties to set own deadlines (by Katie Burford, Durango Herald Staff Writer)
• Curry's re-election hopes tied to lawsuit in La Plata County (John Colson, Aspen Times)
• Colorado Bill to Legalize Fusion (Ballot Access News)

FLORIDA

• Maurice Ferre pushing poll results-2010 U.S. Senate race, Kendrick Meek, Maurice Ferre (jim stratton, Orlando Sentinel/Central Florida Political Pulse)

MASSACHUSETTS

• Mass. Republicans Eager To Follow In Brown’s Footsteps (By FRED THYS, WBUR NPR )

RHODE ISLAND

• Raptakis Proposes Ban on Closed Primaries (Chris Boardman, ABC 6) Raptakis said that no political party in the state should expect taxpayers to pay the bill for a party primary which shuts out 335,288 unaffiliated voters.

PENNSYLVANIA

• We, not party bosses, deserve the right to choose candidates (LETTER Allentown Morning Call)

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

OPEN PRIMARIES
Party elite punishes Sen. Kurita (The Leaf Chronicle) In effect, the party elite selfishly used questionable evidence and flimsy excuses to disenfranchise 4,477 voters who wanted Kurita to continue to represent them.

CAMPAIGN

• PA: Whose county will it be Nov. 4? Independent voters will tip the scale (Lancaster Eagle Gazette)
• NC: New voter registrations could shift balance (Fay Observer) “What really jumps out at me is the unaffiliateds,” Woodcox said. “The independents are registering at a higher pace than Democrats or Republicans.”
• WV: Independent voters on the rise in state (REGISTER-HERALD REPORTER) Since the 2004 general election, Democrats have witnessed a 15,230 drop in their ranks and there are 1,433 fewer Republicans registered, but the non-affiliated, or so-called “independents,” have soared by 27,205.
• The GOP's New Love: Bi-Post-Non-Partisanship (BuzzFlash.org - IL) Oh, and they are Republicans, by the way. But you wouldn't know that to hear them talk … and talk, and talk -- and in some cases actually blame that party without reference to their own irresponsible membership, as though they'd been living some sort of out-of-body, existential misunderstanding for the last few years.

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

CONROY V. STATE COMMITTEE of the INDEPENDENCE PARTY OF NEW YORK

• Indy Party Control Lawsuit Decided (Elizabeth Benjamin, Daily News/Daily Politics)
• Top NY court says state party committees have authority (AP/CBS 6 Albany)
• Highest State Court in New York Rules in Favor of State Political Parties and Against Their Local Organizations (Ballot Access News)
• New York City Independence Party: Voters, not courts, will decide future of the party (The Hankster) Statement by county chairs of NYC Independence Party

OREGON
John Frohnmayer quits the race for U.S. Senate, cites lack of support (The Oregonian)

MINNESOTA Independence Party
Fore! Could a Ventura Senate candidacy hang on Wednesday's golf game? (Minnesota Post)

CAMPAIGN
Independent voters seen as crucial for victory (San Diego Union-Tribune)

OTHER REFORM

• UTAH: Referendum limits law sent to Utah high court (The Salt Lake Tribune)
• PENNSYLVANIA: Bogus reasons block redistricting reform (Allentown Morning Call)

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

* America’s Third Party starts here (Jessie Stensland/ Whidbey News-Times) They created a new, centrist political party, which they call America’s Third Party. They are trying to strike a balance between the Democratic and Republican philosophies, often taking the best ideas from each camp and marrying them with technological innovations.

CAMPAIGN

• Primary poses more questions than answers (The Citizens Voice - PA) In earlier states, Obama has shown an ability that Clinton lacks — attracting Republicans and independent voters. They couldn’t vote in Pennsylvania’s closed primary, but independents and third-party members represent one of 10 state voters.
• For national Democrats, no clear path forward (Syracuse Post Standard) Idealistic first-time participants and independent voters were inspired by the promise of a campaign more honest, authentic and inclusive.
• Rifts Mend, Unless Identity Politics Is a Different Stripe (New York Times) Much turns on what the superdelegates decide to do. In a Gallup poll in mid-March, before the Pennsylvania primary, 7 percent of Democrats and Democrat-leaning independent voters said they would not vote at all in November if superdelegates gave the nomination to Mrs. Clinton, and 2 percent indicated a third-party choice. In addition, 11 percent said they would vote for a Republican.
• Media Conventional Wisdom Shifting Towards Belief Clinton Could Defeat Obama? (by JOE GANDELMAN, The Moderate Voice) But you can’t hope to change the political culture unless you’re in a position to change the political culture.

WEST VIRGINIA:

• Presidential politics: State has influence-Clinton-Obama race most significant since JFK’s ’60 primary battle (Times West Virginian) But the percentage of independents has climbed from 6.83 percent in the 1996 general election to 13.2 percent for this primary.
• Real contest-A matter of voting (Charleston Gazette) a high-stakes contest still exists for West Virginia's 660,000 Democrats and 150,000 independents

NORTH CAROLINA* About one-stop early voting (Burlington Times-News) Independents and unaffiliatated voters CAN vote in the Democratic primary in North Carolina.

POLLS* McCain leads (Fairbanks Daily News Miner) However, Obama had a two-to-one lead over McCain among unaffiliated voters. McCain leads Clinton by eight percentage points among unaffiliated voters.

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• Polls: Clinton, Obama in tight race in Indiana (CNN) Obama owes his victories throughout the nomination battle to African-Americans, young voters, upscale whites and independent voters.
• GOP Seeds Of Dissent? (The Bulletin, Philadelphia's Family Newspaper) Mr. Huckabee and Dr. Paul collected 11 percent (91,423 votes) and 16 percent (128,467 votes), of the vote, respectively, at a time the GOP race is all but over.
• Obama Plans May General Election Organizing Launch (Washington Post/The Trail) New registrations have hit 165,000 in North Carolina and topped 150,000 in Indiana -- and unlike in Pennsylvania, both of those May 6 states open the primaries to unaffiliated voters (and Republicans too in Indiana)
• North Carolina: By The Numbers (RealClearPolitics) There are more than 2.6 million Democrats and 1.2 million unaffiliated registered voters in the state
• FOX TV Rasmussen Reports: Obama Trails McCain by 1 Point (RasmussenReports.com) Among unaffiliated voters in the state, McCain leads Clinton by twelve and Obama by five.