Hankster News of the Day for Independent Voters - June 26

VIRGINIA INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE
Howell Vows to Wear Name Tag Until Election (by Katie Pyzyk, Arlington VA Now) Howell believes part of the problem with campaigning, particularly as an independent, is the lack of name recognition. To remedy that problem, he’ll wear a name tag every time he’s in public until the election. Howell hopes he’ll get enough exposure so people will recognize his name by the time they get to the polls. He said there’s only one exception to the name tag rule: “When I’m wearing a campaign t-shirt in the gym.”

CALIFORNIA INDEPENDENTS
California GOP sinking into third-party status -- 'There's no middle,' says a longtime Santa Cruz County Republican who has joined the more than one-fifth of registered voters who have no party preference. (By George Skelton Capitol Journal, LA Times) More than one-fifth of registered voters, 21.3%, are listed with no party preference, according to the Secretary of State. That's double the 10.7% in 1996 and more than quadruple the 5% in 1972.

WASHINGTON STATE INDEPENDENTS
All eyes on Washington's independent voters -- Even though Washington state has gone Democratic for every governor since 1980 and every presidential candidate since 1988, more Washingtonians have considered themselves Independents than either Democrats or Republicans (By H. Stuart Elway, Special to The Seattle Times) Unlike in most states, voters here do not have to register by party. Nearly every month for the past 20 years, The Elway Poll has asked Washington voters what they would choose to do if they registered by party. The 20-year average is: 33 percent would register as Democrats, 28 percent as Republicans and 39 percent as Independents.

UTAH PRIMARIES
Independent voters may be shut out of GOP primaries - Lawmakers may allow law to expire, ending Election Day party switch. (By Lee Davidson, The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah law allows voters to switch party affiliations anytime, except for 30 days before an election when all voter registration temporarily ceases. So if the current law expires, unaffiliated voters wishing to vote in a GOP primary would have to register as Republicans at least 30 days before the election.

OHIO INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING
Let's take politics out of redistricting process (Mary Kirtz Van Nortwick, Cleveland Plain Dealer) Petitions are being circulated now, and 386,000 valid signatures must be gathered by July 3. For a more detailed look at the proposed constitutional amendment, go to votersfirstohio.org. Learn the facts about the consequences of partisan redistricting and find out what you can do to help change the system for the good of all voters, regardless of party affiliation.

ARIZONA PRIMARIES
Arizona Libertarian Party Opens 2012 Primary Election to Independent Voters (by Hot Off The Press, Press Release, Tucson Citizen) Libertarian Party files paperwork with the Arizona Secretary of State’s office requesting an open primary on August 28th, 2012. The Chairman and Board of the Arizona Libertarian Party have voted to open the August 28, 2012 Libertarian Primary Election to members of political parties that are not entitled to continued representation on the ballot pursuant to section ARS 16-804, and to voters who are registered as independent or no party preferred.

NY POLITICS

• New Endorsements Announced For 2012 Candidates Across The Empire State (BY James Arkin, Daily News/Daily Politics) State Sen. Toby Ann Stavisky took home two endorsements on the day - one from the Independence Party of New York State and leaders of the Working Families Party in Queens.
• As Queens Looks to Fill a Congressional Seat, the Democratic Race Is Wide Open (By DAVID W. CHEN, NY Times/ NY Region) In an interview, the low-key Ms. Meng vowed that she would be an independent force in Washington who would focus primarily on transportation, infrastructure and economic issues. “When I’m drafting or supporting legislation, no one is whispering in my ear except constituents,” she said. “I’ve never had political rabbis.”
• New York Congressional race pits ex-Black Panther vs. Obama-lite moderate (Opinion by David A. Love, NBC News/The Grio)

#1 Reform Issue for Independent Voters: Open Primaries!

OPEN PRIMARIES

• The Nation: Six GOP Questions (by John Nichols, NPR - John Nichols is a writer for The Nation.) 6. South Carolina held an open primary election, as compared with Iowa's caucuses and New Hampshire's relatively closed primary. While the first-caucus and first-primary states saw only marginal improvements in turnout, South Carolina's was way up. And, by all accounts, South Carolina counted the votes accurately and produced a clear result — as opposed to the Iowa mess that fostered the lie of Romnevitability. Isn't it time to create a uniform and functional system for nominating candidates? Shouldn't caucuses, which invariably draw narrower portions of the electorate, be eliminated? And shouldn't all states have open primaries where everyone who wants to vote Republican can do so? And shouldn't the rules be structured so that all serious contenders can have a place on the ballot — even in Virginia?
• Appeals court upholds Washington state's open primary system (By Carol J. Williams, Los Angeles Times) In a decision that could foreshadow survival of California's new "top two" primary system, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday upheld a similar Washington state ballot initiative that changed the way voters choose candidates in primaries.
• American Independent Party Opens its Primary to Independent Voters (Ballot Access News) On January 22, the American Independent Party of California held a meeting of party officers, and voted to tell the California Secretary of State that it will permit independents to vote in its 2012 primary. Of course, because of Proposition 14, the only partisan primaries will be for President. The American Independent Party allowed independents to vote in its primaries in 2008 and earlier years, but in 2010 it changed its rules and didn’t allow independents to vote in its primary.
• Dems Pre-Endorsements Presage Tough 2012 (Posted by John Myers, KQED/ Capital Notes) Again, these meetings and subsequent endorsements are notable because of the brave new world of party primaries, ushered in by 2010's Proposition 14 top-two system. It's a world unsettled, too, by new district maps that have left more open seats than at any time in recent history.
• Election 101: Who are Florida primary voters, and how are they different? - In Florida, only preregistered Republican Party members can vote in the GOP presidential primary. That’s different from South Carolina and New Hampshire. Here's a look at the various types of elections. (By Peter Grier, Christian Science Monitor) In Florida, only preregistered Republican Party members can vote in the GOP primary. That’s different from South Carolina, where independents and even Democrats could cross over and participate in the Republican primary if they wanted to. It’s also different from New Hampshire, where independents (but not Democrats) could go GOP.
• Skipping Florida smart for Ron Paul (By Adam C. Smith, Times Political Editor, Tampa Bay Times) There's another logical reason: Paul never had much chance of doing well in Florida, which is the first contest in the primary season where only registered Republicans can vote. Paul does best in caucuses and "open primaries" where his army of devoted, young followers can vote Republican whether or not they have any strong allegiance to the GOP.
• U.S. needs to reform elections (LETTER Greenville online) Set filing dates three months before primary elections. Schedule open primaries for all 50 states on the same day. Hold general elections three months later.
• On politics: Voting reform must be bold, far-reaching (By RAY HACKETT, Norwich Bulletin) Let’s stop the pretense that we’re “preserving the sanctity of the party” by pretending we don’t want to open primaries to unaffiliated voters while we continue to turn a blind eye to this election-related version of “don’t ask, don’t tell.”… Second, let’s give voters a real choice, a real reason to come to the polls. Let’s be bold and declare that all candidates who qualify for the ballot will be treated equally. Let’s stop the hypocrisy of pretending that public financing provides an equal playing field — because it doesn’t if you’re something other than a Democrat or Republican.
• Latina-led Movement Urges Democratic Latinos to Vote in “Open Primaries”- Anyone But Romney (Hispanically Speaking News.com) Arizona-based National Tequila Party Movement is issuing an action alert to encourage Independent and Democratic Latinos to vote in the numerous state open primary races across the country.

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS 8/18/10

INDEPENDENT VOTERS, The Press & OBAMA

• The Undoing of a Legislative President (By MATT BAI, NY Times) “Once you became a legislative president, which is arguably what you needed to do, you couldn’t deliver on the nonpartisanship promise,” Mr. Podesta said. “And it’s something people wanted.”
• Roger Simon: Barack Obama, one-term President (Union Leader)

OPEN PRIMARIES

• Proposition 14 Supporters Seek to Intervene in California Lawsuit (Ballot Access News) Field v Bowen, has a hearing on the substantive issues on September 14.  However, a preliminary skirmish in that lawsuit will occur on August 24, when a Superior Court in San Francisco will hold a hearing on whether three supporters of Proposition 14 may intervene in the lawsuit.
• PROPOSITION 14 (Sac Bee/Capitol Alert) Plaintiff Richard Winger, publisher of Ballot Access news, and Stop Top Two founder Christina Tobin will be on hand for the 10:30 a.m. news conference at the Capitol's south steps (Tuesday)
• Let independents vote (BY JOSEPH FOX, ORMOND BEACH, LETTER Daytona Beach News Journal) These are the voters who are in the best position to put country ahead of party.
• Arizona boasts over 3 million voters in time for primary elections (By: Imani Randolph, ABC 15) The Independent Party saw the largest gain in registered voters. It grew by 25,674 members, all of whom are able to vote in the primary election.... Independent and unaffiliated voters are permitted to participate in Arizona's Primary Election, provided that they choose a ballot of the party of their choice: Republican, Democratic or Green. Selecting a party's ballot does not automatically re-register an Independent with that political party.
• Independents' ranks grow as Arizona voter signup spikes (Howard Fischer, Capitol Media Services, East Valley Tribune) The disdain for organized parties seems to have taken roughly equal bites out of both the Democrats and the Republicans. At the 2000 primary, Democrats comprised 39 percent of those registered. That figure is now down to 32.3 percent. And Republicans saw their share of registered voters drop from 44.3 percent a decade ago to just 36.1 percent now. The change has occurred during the time when Arizona law was changed to give independent voters a voice in primaries.
• Colorado voters should consider a Top Two Open Primary (By Bill Grant, Grand Junction Sentinel)
• What’s wrong with party primaries (The Tonawanda News)
• Welcome to the 'Jungle' Primary in Washington (The Atlantic) Washington is the only state to conduct its federal primaries this way, except for California, which passed a ballot measure in June enacting the "top-two" or "open" primary system in future election cycles. Louisiana holds "top-two" primaries for its state and local candidates, but did away with the practice for federal elections after 2006.

NEW YORK

• Como Submits Signatures for "Tax Cuts Now" Line (By Chris Bragg, City Hall News) Como sought to create the new line after his failure to win the Independence Party line, which instead went to Addabbo after a dispute over Como’s use of signature gatherers from the rival Independence Party of New York City.
• Members Project® from American Express: Philanthropy Charges Ahead (by Caroline Stanley, FlavorWire.com) This week we’re focusing on All Stars Project, Inc., a non-profit that creates outside of school, educational, and performing arts activities for thousands of poor and minority young people.

BLOOMBERG ENDORSEMENTS

• Bloomberg Stretches Afar (By MICHAEL HOWARD SAUL, Wall Street Journal) Mr. Bloomberg, who contemplated an Oval Office bid in 2008, will spend a whirlwind day, traveling to Philadelphia and Washington to offer endorsements and help raise money for candidates outside of New York. In addition to Messrs. Sestak and Castle, the mayor will be endorsing and headlining a fund-raiser for Democratic Washington Mayor Adrian Fenty.
• A Tale of Two Mayors: How Bloomberg, Fenty Gain From Alliance (By Devlin Barrett, Wall Street Journal/Metropolis) Bloomberg does not easily line up with either political party, but strong ties to governors and other mayors like Fenty give him added political heft. For the younger Fenty, getting Bloomberg’s seal of approval has meant increased credibility for his fights to change D.C.’s city agencies and schools.
• N.Y.’s Bloomberg Coming to Stump for Fenty Tomorrow (Alan Suderman, Washington city Paper/LooseLips) The endorsement could help shore up one part of Fenty’s base—the good government-loving type of voters who admire the way Bloomberg has made his city’s administration work better.
• Bloomberg's not Democrat and doesn't live in D.C., but Fenty to get his endorsement (By Sarah Larimer, TBD)
• Will Mayor Bloomberg switch from Kirk to Giannoulias in the Illinois Senate race — fallout from the mosque? (By Carol Felsenthal, The Hill/Pundits Blog)
• Bloomberg Is Supporting Sestak in Pennyslvania (By BERNIE BECKER, NY Times/The Caucus)

NYC CHARTER REVISION

• Term-Limits Plan in New York City Is Criticized (By JAVIER C. HERNANDEZ, NY Times) “It waters down the good work we did on term limits,” said Anthony Perez Cassino, a lawyer on the commission. “People will feel, ‘It comes into effect so far into the future that I really didn’t get back what I thought I was getting back, which is the opportunity to have my say in how government should work.’ ”
• A Little Light Reading: Proposed Amendments To The City Charter (BY CELESTE KATZ, Daily News/Daily Politics) "The Grapes of Wrath" it's not...
• ‘Inexpicable Blunder’ Marks Report on Term Limits in City (By HENRY STERN, Special to the NY Sun) If the people are to regain the right to limit Councilmembers' terms, their decision should be put into effect at the next Council election, which may be in 2011 or 2013, depending on when census data is reported.

LAST WORD

• The Secret Campaign of Mayor Mike (By Aram Roston, NY Observer/Politicker) Mr. Ognibene, who has since made peace with Mr. Haggerty, says he thinks the DA's case is based on a flawed premise. "I believe the mayor was trying to get money to John for the services he rendered," Mr. Ognibene told The Observer. "And that the mayor was aware that John had needs concerning buying his father's estate, and this was the mayor's way of funneling money to him."

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• CALIFORNIA: Low turnout as most vote by mail (Contra Costa Times) The growing ranks of independent voters who eschew party registration has also drained interest in primaries, where parties select their nominees, Alexander said. "Almost 20 percent of the state's voters are decline-to-state and they literally didn't have a dog in this fight," Alexander added.
• IDAHO: Demos could storm GOP primary (Deseret News) And 56 percent of all Utah voters are officially unaffiliated

REFORM
R.I. poll: Most favor scrapping Electoral College, electing presidents directly (Providence Journal)

MEDIA
Voters Give Media Failing Grades in Objectivity for Election 2008 (Rasmussen Reports)


OPEN PRIMARIES

WASHINGTON:

• BIAW's paid media attack campaign against Governor Gregoire has begun (NW Progressive Institute Official Blog) One ad even attempted to blame Gregoire for the open (or pick a party) primary system first used by the state in 2004.
• Washington State Primary Has No Function in 3/4ths of Legislative Races (Ballot Access News)

FLORIDA: Kenric Ward: Gaming the system through one-party rule (Treasure Coast Palm) There are ways to get around this disenfranchisement. Many states hold open primaries, allowing voters to decide which contests they want to cast ballots in. An even cleaner alternative would be to make county offices nonpartisan (as they are for cities and school boards).

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

CAMPAIGN

• Clinton 'storms' into Vermillion to support Hillary (Sioux City Journal) Some, like Vermillion resident Gretchen Burbach, are independent voters who are still trying to make up their minds.
• Obama angles for showcase win in Montana (AP Google) The primary is open to all voters, and the Democratic race is expected to attract crossover Republicans and independent voters.
• Poll: Wash. voters favor any Dem over McCain (Seattle Post Intelligencer) Obama had a higher proportion of Independent voters than both McCain and Clinton.

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• Primary elections should allow more choices between candidates (Cincinnati Enquirer LETTER)
• Superdelegates: Whiners or Deciders? (By Bob Beckel, RealClearPolitics) Beckel thinks independent voters who have been with Obama in the primaries will likely go to McCain, given Clinton's high negatives, should Clinton win the Dem nomination
• Hagel says America needs new direction (Bellevue Leader NE)

OBAMA
CBS Poll: Pastor's Remarks Hurt Obama-While Most Are Unaffected By Controversy, A Third Of Those Who Have Heard About It View Obama Less Favorably (CBS) Independent support for Obama remains the same


WASHINGTON TOP-TWO PRIMARY DECISION
The US Supreme Court ruled yesterday in favor of voters in the state of Washington. In 2004, voters created an open primary where voters can participate regardless of party registration or "allegiance" and where the top two vote-getters would participate in a run-off election to determine the winner. The Republican Party had tried to stop the ballot initiative, saying it violated their right of association.

• Washington voters win a huge victory (Tri City Herald)
• Top-two system will change face of local politics (The Olympian)
• A surprise resurrection of the Top Two primary (THE NEWS TRIBUNE)
• Top two primary OK with justices (News Tribune)
• Voters’ will rules in decision keeping 'top two' primary (Yakima Herald-Republic)
• Victory for voters (Seattle Times)
• Push for top-2 primary gets lift (The Oregonian)
• In Our View: People over parties (The Columbian)
• Discussion Topic: Supremes and the Top 2 (Spokesman Review blog)
• Supreme Court Rejects Washington State Primary Challenge (CQ Politics)
• Sam Reed: Washington victory in Supreme Court ruling on primary (Seattle Post Intelligencer)

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• Washington state voters want a primary (Seattel Post Intelligencer blog)
• Democrats Abroad makes voting accessible-Organization works to enfranchise thousands of Americans (The Daily Evergreen)
• Rock the Vote's Post-Super Tuesday Poll (Fox Business) poll says 16% independent --- NOTE: I've seen polls where youth come in more around 40-45% independent, so watch for a disconnect with Rock the Vote's analysis..... -NH
• Gerrymandering robbery (Salt Lake City Tribune)

OHIO:

• Clinton courts county Independents on wife Hillary's behalf (Lancaster OH Eagle-Gazette)
• Grassroots grow deep in Ohio (Politico)

RALPH NADER:

Ralph Nader announced his intention to run for president as an independent on Meet the Press on Sunday:

• LINK TO MEET THE PRESS TRANSCRIPT ON COUNTERPUNCH HERE
• Give it up, Nader (Concord Monitor editorial)
• Independent candidates offer option for dismayed voters (Elmira Star Gazette)
• Nader could make Oregon ticket (The Register-Guard)
• Editorial: Nader again? Why? (Worthington MN Daily Globe)
• Nader vs. the Democrats (Boston Globe)
• Nader to Run, Citing Events of 2004 Race (New York Times)
• Nader Enters Presidential Race, Addresses the 'Spoiler' Concern (US News & World Report)

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

HANKSTER LEDE: Black Presidential Candidates Before Obama (US News & World Report)


WASHINGTON INDEPENDENT VOTERS:

• Nation's two-party vice leads to needless frustration (Kate Riley, Seattle Times)
• Only hardliners will make 'oath' (HeraldNet Letter)
• Protests, ‘oops’ letters follow voting (Takoma News Tribune)
• Sound Off: Caucus numbers not so great (Whidbey News Times)
• Ballots roll in for primary race (The Olympian)
• Presidential primary too frustrating and confusing (By the Editorial Board of the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin)
• Disaffected voters will decide (Douglas E. Schoen, Inside Bay Area)
• Primary confuses, interests state voters (Seattle Times)

ARIZONA INDEPENDENTS: BACK ON THE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN TRAIL (Dunning Letter)

PENNSYLVANIA INDEPENDENTS: Primary election laws unfair to independents (Morning Call - Allentown PA)

MARYLAND INDEPENDENTS: Fix the Maryland Primary to include indpendent voters (Diamondback Online (Univ of MD)


WISCONSIN INDEPENDENTS:

• Independents have clout, if not cohesion (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) WiGIV: Independents aren't just prevalent, moreover. They're powerful.
• How Wisconsin's historic open primary was temporarily closed (Wisconsin Technology Network)

THE CAMPAIGN: Hillary Clinton and neocons use the same playbook against Barack Obama (Michael Goodwin, NY Daily News)

BLOOMBERG: The establishment's stooge (By David Sirota, Seattle Times)