Hankster News of the Day for Independent Voters - August 29

It's not too late: What should Obama do to appeal to independents? Step out in favor of structural political reform!

INDEPENDENTS RISING
Must-Reads for the Rabble-Rouser (By Elissa Schappell, Vanity Fair/Just My Type) Jacqueline Salit’s Independents Rising (Palgrave Macmillan) surveys the political impact of the grassroots groups stirring up trouble on both sides of the mainstream.

INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• Independent voters are a growing part of Arizona's electorate (by Rebekah L. Sanders, The Republic) From June to the most recent count on Aug. 14, voters opting for no party preference ticked up 1.5 percent, or 18,757, to nearly match Republicans' 1.25 million registered voters, according to figures from Arizona Secretary of State Ken Bennett's office. Democratic and Republican registrations grew by less than 1 percent. Jacqueline Salit, president of the independent-voter advocacy group IndependentVoting.org, said more voters are turning away from the two major parties because they don't feel their views are represented… She champions the Open Elections/Open Government initiative in Arizona as a way to get more independent voters, who historically have low primary-election turnout, to get more involved. [ALSO SEE OPEN PRIMARIES BELOW]
• Opinion: Obama’s best argument for reelection (By Lanny J. Davis, The Hill) Obama would enhance his chances to win the crucial undecided independent vote by endorsing the bipartisan recommendations of his own Simpson-Bowles Deficit Reduction Commission — increasing revenues through closing tax loopholes, cutting spending and undertaking entitlement reform.
• Romney readies final stage of campaign (By Christian Heinze, The Hill) Disgruntled, undecided independents voters are ripe for the picking, yet many haven’t made up their minds. According to the TPM aggregate, Romney is leading Obama among independents, 43 percent to 41, but he has the chance to go much higher, thanks to Obama’s low approval rating with the group.
• Floridians voted for Obama in 2008, will again in 2012 (By Dava Castillo, AllVoices) In 2008 the “no party affiliation” (NPA) outnumbered the Independents, with NPA at 1,957,049 and Independents at 272,313, which is quite a spread according to the state of Florida voter profile. While some are saying focus on the Independents, if the numbers resemble 2008 the NPA is where the undecided voters are located. This, however, is an unwieldy demographic, and Independent/no party affiliation voters swing between parties depending on which candidates they think will serve their interests. But they also don’t vote as often as people committed to a party, which is all the more reason for the Democrats to work at the grassroots level in key counties to make sure people are registered and can get to the voting booth in November.

OPEN PRIMARIES [ARIZONA]

• Open-primary suit headed for hearing (by Mary Jo Pitzl, The Republic) But in the complaint to be heard Thursday afternoon, attorneys for the Open Elections committee argue the staffers validating voter signatures made errors, such as disqualifying people for not being registered voters when they actually are. They also fault the formula elections officials used to determine if there were adequate signatures. In all, the campaign attorneys argue they have 4,900 more signatures than necessary to gain a spot on the ballot.
• Will the Open Primaries initiative be on the Nov 2012 ballot or not? (video) (by Pamela Powers Hannley, Blog for Arizona.com) As of mid-August, Open Primaries was back on the ballot, until this week, when Maricopa County said that there were an extraordinary number of bad signatures. The latest news is that the Open Primaries/Open Government folks have filed a suit to get the initiative back on the ballot. Supporters claim that Maricopa County erroneously rejected.
• Open primaries could encourage more competition (Yuma Sun) The state's high court ruled last week that the open primary system met constitutional muster. A lower court had said it was illegal because it contained two separate proposals, which is not allowed under the Arizona Constitution. The Supreme Court said that is not the case. Now it turns out the legal dispute may not matter anyway. Questions are being raised by county election officials about whether the initiative has enough signatures to be put on the ballot. The outcome will not be known until the signatures are all verified.
• Open primary would force political shift (By Today’s News-Herald - Nogales International) An open primary would make the process more straightforward. It would also tend to tone down the long primary campaigns based on party purity and force candidates to consider how best to show they can represent their whole constituency.

LAST WORD
GOP voters get 12.45 percent of Colo. letters questioning citizenship (IVAN MORENO, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, Colorado Springs Gazette) U.S citizens are among those who received letters from Colorado Secretary of State Scott Gessler questioning their right to vote, the American Civil Liberties Union said Tuesday… The vast majority of registered voters who received letters were Democrats or independent voters. Of the nearly 4,000 letters, 1,566 went to Democrats, and 1,794 went to unaffiliated voters. Another 486 letters were sent to Republicans, which equals 12.45 percent of the total.

Hankster News of the Day for Independent Voters - July 31

NATIONAL
Political parties turn to independent voters for edge in November (By Jim Angle, FoxNews.com) David Winston, a Republican strategist, said such independents made up 22 percent of voters in 2002. "In 2010, they had grown to make up about 29 percent of the electorate," he said. "So clearly as the exit polls have shown, they've grown quite a bit." And a Gallup poll recently reported that independents account for 35 percent or more of voters in most recent elections.



ARIZONA
Opponents ask court to toss out initiative on Arizona open primaries (Howard Fischer, Arizona Daily Star) A judge will hear arguments next week on whether Arizona voters get to decide if they want to scrap the current system of partisan primaries. Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Mark Brain will consider claims by foes of the open-primary initiative that it unconstitutionally asks voters to make too many changes in the law with a single vote.

FLORIDA

• Florida voter registrations: a rising tide of independence (By Christine Stapleton, Palm Beach Post) The number of independent voters has climbed steadily in Florida since 1972 — when Democrats had an overwhelming majority with 68.5 percent of voters, Republicans had 28.2 percent and independents, only 3.4 percent. But since since the infamous November 2000 election, the number of independent voters in the state has swelled more than 75 percent, from 1.5 million in 2000 to 2.7 million today, making up 23.8 percent of the statewide voting electorate.
• All voters should elect leaders (EDITORIAL News Chief) In Miami-Dade County two voters have gone to federal court in an attempt to force the Democratic primary for state attorney to be open to all voters. In their lawsuit, Republican Armando Lacasa and independent Vincent Mazilli claim that close to 700,000 Republicans, independents and third-party voters should have say in the election, not just the county's 525,890 registered Democrats. We hope they win -- and that the ruling comes down before the Aug. 14 primary.
• Judge Rules SAO Race Will Be A Closed Primary (CBS Local) A federal judge has ruled that only Democrats will be able to cast ballots in the Miami-Dade State Attorney race in the August primary. On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge William Zloch denied a motion from two voters who sought to open up the election by becoming “write in” candidates, according to CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald.
• Write-ins used to close Florida primary elections (Written by BILL KACZOR, South Florida Times) If the winner of a Democratic or Republican primary in Florida won't face opposition in the general election, then that primary is open to all voters without regard to party registration under a state constitutional amendment passed overwhelmingly in 1998.

COLORADO
Former state Rep. Kathleen Curry makes HD 61 ballot as an unaffiliated candidate (By Tim Hoover, The Denver Post) Former state Rep. Kathleen Curry of Gunnison, who famously bolted from the Democratic party in 2009 to become unaffiliated, has made the ballot for House District 61, a seat that sprawls across several mountain counties, as an unaffiliated candidate.

OHIO
Redistricting overhaul would ensure that each vote counts (BY MARILOU JOHANEK, Toledo Blade) To stop the remapping by Republicans in Ohio, who gamed the system to their advantage, a coalition of nonpartisan organizations, known as Voters First Ohio, came up with a sane solution. It's a constitutional amendment that would put district mapmaking in the hands of a 12-person citizen commission.

Hankster News of the Day for Independents - July 14

"CIVIL POLITICS"
SHERMAN: Film explores civility in politics (By LOLA SHERMAN For the North County Times) Last year, the college staged a public-issues symposium on the subject of "Civility in Our Civic Discourse." It explored what often has become a lack of civility, both in politics and media. A guest speaker was former U.S. Congressman Mickey Edwards, R-Okla., who spoke to a full house at the college's Community Learning Center in Oceanside.

OBAMA AND THE INDEPENDENT VOTE

• Clear And ‘Independent’ Danger (The Note) (By MICHAEL FALCONE and AMY WALTER) Digging into the crosstabs of this week’s ABC News-Washington Post poll it’s clear that Obama has a significant problem with independent voters. On every measure, independents are significantly more disappointed with the President and more open to a Romney message.
• Obama holds ‘significant lead’ over Romney in new national poll (By Paul West, Boston Herald/Tribune) A similar shift was reflected among independent voters, a prized target for both candidates, who are now almost evenly divided on who would best improve the economy. In June, Romney enjoyed a 13-point edge among independents on that question. The latest survey, like most polling at this stage of the campaign, did not attempt to narrow the contest down to likely voters. Obama’s lead, Pew found, stemmed from the fact that more voters currently identify themselves as Democrats than Republicans, and that virtually identical proportions of each say they will back their party’s nominee. Put another way, the results of the survey are yet a further indication that voter mobilization will be crucial in determining the winner of this year’s election.

FLORIDA
Judge holds off on ruling in Miami-Dade State Attorney election write-in issue (By DAVID OVALLE, Miami Herald) A federal judge said he will decide Friday whether to force Miami-Dade County to open up the State Attorney’s Aug. 14 primary election to more than 700,000 Republican and independent voters. U.S. Judge William Zloch heard arguments Thursday, but stopped short of deciding immediately. Two voters are suing Miami-Dade’s election supervisor, saying that a “loophole” in the state’s election law that allows write-in candidates to close primary elections is disenfranchising thousands of voters.

ARIZONA
BREAKING: Independent voters surge while Democratic voters in Arizona drop by 52,000 in 2011. (by Dee Dee Garcia Blase, Tucson Citizen/Hispanic Politico) On the other hand, this is good news for the independent voters — and despite fraudulent misconceptions that are out there, indeed independent Arizona voters are able to vote and participate in the Arizona primary election process. As an independent voter, I left the Republican party for good due to their extremism, however, the Democratic Party leadership is also turning off Latino Democratic voters, too, because they are walking a dangerous line.

OHIO
Attempt to Overturn GOP Redistricting Moves Forward  - Organization submits 450,000 petition signatures to Ohio Secretary of State (City Beat - Cincinnati) On July 3, Voters First, a coalition established after HB-369's inception to combat the bill's Republican-led efforts to deliberately have congressional and legislative districts drawn in their favor, submitted 450,000 petition signatures to the Ohio Secretary of State — significantly more than the 385,000 signatures necessary to obtain a spot on the November ballot. At the end of the month, the Secretary of State will review the signatures and determine which are eligible, after which the coalition will have another set period to obtain more signatures, should the 385,000 not be met.

COLORADO
Unaffiliated candidate running for Colorado House (LETTER Snowmass Sun by Kathleen Curry) The overwhelming positive response and encouragement I received while completing the ballot petition process has energized the campaign and convinced me that voters are ready for the current political system to be reformed and improved.

Hankster News of the Day for Independents - July 10

INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• Gallop Poll- 50% Of US Hispanics Identify as Independent Voters (Hispanically Speaking News) Sixty percent of Hispanic immigrants identify as political independents, compared with 44% of first-generation Hispanic Americans and 43% of second-generation or higher Hispanics.
• Poll: Most Hispanics Independent Voters (WIBW) Both candidates have released television spots in Spanish, and both spoke in June at a major conference of Latino elected officials in Orlando. The dueling speeches came one week after Obama revealed a new immigration directive that would allow some illegal immigrants who were brought to the United States by their parents to avoid deportation.
• Century Village, long a Democratic stronghold, is changing (By Ana Veciana-Suarez, Miami Herald) Century Village — the largest condo development in Broward County — is now 60 percent Democratic, down from 77 percent in 2002. Meanwhile, registered Republicans have jumped from about 18 percent to 23.6 percent. But it’s the independent and no-party-affiliation voters who can claim the prize: They grew from 5 percent in 2002 to a hefty 16.3 percent today, according to voter registration records from the county’s Supervisor of Elections. Put another way, that’s a 17 percent shift away from the Democrats.
• Independents: Do they still believe in Obama's change? (By Matt Towery, Florida Times Union - Jacksonville) But of independent voters, according to a new ABC News/Washington Post poll, only 38 percent have a favorable view of President Barack Obama's economic plans.
• Anna in the Swing States: Colorado's Swinging Suburbs and Untapped Latino Voters (By Anna Sale, WNYC/It's a Free Country) The Colorado electorate is largely broken up in thirds among Democrats, Republicans, and independents. Since 2008, the ranks of the unaffiliated, independent voters have grown in Colorado, and Democrats and Republicans now make up a slightly smaller percentage of registered voters in Colorado than they did four years ago. Much of the registration gains for Democrats and independents has happened in congressional districts with urban areas, contributing to the Democrats' recent success there… Further north along the Wyoming border, the suburban voters in Larimer County backed Obama in 2008 but narrowly split in the 2010 midterms… Independent, unaffiliated voters have the registration edge over both Republicans and Democrats here.

THIRD PARTY CANDIDATES

• Playing field uneven for third-party hopefuls (by Paul Singer, Source: USA TODAY in Tucson Citizen) According to Richard Winger— editor of Ballot Access News and an expert in the field — there are probably fewer than a half-dozen minor parties that will qualify for the presidential ballot in more than five states: “It will be Democrats; Republicans; Libertarian; Green; Constitution; Party for Socialism and Liberation; Justice; and Socialist Workers Party and no others, probably,” he said in an e-mail. “The Socialist Party has a remote chance.”
• Goode’s third-party run: Bad news for Romney in Virginia? Ex-lawmaker: I’ll take votes from both (By David Sherfinski, The Washington Times) The latest Real Clear Politics average of polls has Mr. Obama with a two-point lead in the state over Mr. Romney — 47 percent to 45 percent. But figures released in May by the Democratic firm Public Policy Polling raised the eyebrows of many poll-watchers and pundits. Mr. Obama topped Mr. Romney by eight points in Virginia, 51 percent to 43 percent, in the PPP poll. If Mr. Goode was on the ballot, however, Mr. Obama’s lead over Mr. Romney increased to 12 points, at 50 percent to 38 percent, with Mr. Goode taking 5 percent of the vote.

Hankster First Read: Colorado Open Records Act Goes to Senate

CORA [Colorado Open Records Act] black-out bill goes to senate (Center Post Dispatch) Despite concerns voiced by election activists, a Senate committee passed a bi-partisan bill last Wednesday that will black out Colorado elections, preventing reporters and concerned citizens from viewing voted ballots and election records during the two-month election cycle... Election integrity activists Marilyn Marks of Pitkin County, Harvie Branscomb of Eagle County, Joe Richey and Mary Eberle of Boulder County, Kathleen Curry of Gunnison County and others also testified against the bill.  


INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• Make independent voting easier  and Independents don't want partisan candidates:  Independents speak out about the election process in letters to the editor, while American Prospect puts its head in the sand...
• Linda Killian, Independent Rock Star! Maine Festival of the Book: Read on! (By Bob Keyes, Press Herald) With Snowe's announcement, Cecil found herself with a hot topic and a timely talking point for the festival. On Saturday, former U.S. Rep. Tom Allen and Washington political insider Linda Killian will present a panel discussion, "Politics Today: Swing and Independent Voters, Party Divides and Ideological Convictions."

OPEN PRIMARIES
Keep open primaries in S.C. (Post and Courier - SC) The hard-core party faithful might approve of legislation to require party registration in primary elections, since eliminating open primaries could strenghten their influence over the outcome. But it would remove a moderating influence that South Carolina needs as it elects its leaders.


WFP AND ALL THINGS NEW YORK

• Working Families Party raises for Hakeem Jeffries against Towns, citing CAFTA and Issa (By Reid Pillifant, CAPITAL NEW YORK)
• Pension and redistricting dominate the Albany conversation (By STEPHON JOHNSON, Amsterdam News)
• Boro pols slam new district lines - Accuse Gov. Cuomo of retreating on promise to veto (by Anna Gustafson, Senior Editor, Queens Chronicle) Some good government groups, including Citizens Union and the League of Women Voters, have praised the constitutional amendment, though Citizens Union has emphasized it did not support the 2012 lines as drawn. "Given the long standing resistance to enacting redistricting reform, and the high stakes involved, we applaud them in finding common ground on an issue that is at the core of political power in Albany and results in the legislature giving up power in the drawing of lines," Citizens Union said in a prepared statement.
  

PARTY-ISM
Have "outside" interested PR men hijacked the Republican Party? Kevin Baker explores the outsourcing of the body and soul of the Repubs...

EDUCATION
Eva Moskowitz expands Success Charter Schools network into middle-class Manhattan and Brooklyn neighborhoods.


INDEPENDENT CULTURE
Charles E. Rogers, Amsterdam News, sez: Trust me you, your family and friends don’t want to miss the Castillo Theater’s fantastic “Sally and Tom (The American Way).”
   Full disclosure: The Hankster is a very big BIG fan of the Castillo Theatre and I could not agree more with Charles Rogers -- trust us, you do NOT want to miss this show -- and the run has been extended, so you get another chance. Watch for new dates in April/May

Colorado Discriminatory Campaign Contribution Case Riddle v Ritter Back to U.S. District Court

Colorado Case on Discriminatory Campaign Contribution Limits Returns to Federal Court (Ballot Access News) The lead plaintiff is Joelle Riddle, who wanted to give more than $200 to Kathleen Curry, an independent candidate for the Colorado legislature in 2010.

Kathleen Curry's Colorado Supreme Court Case on Campaign Finance Laws

COLORADO
Campaign-finance law argued before Colorado Supreme Court (By Sara Burnett, The Denver Post) Kathleen Curry filed a federal lawsuit: A state campaign-finance law that allows candidates who have a primary election to receive more money in donations than other candidates is unconstitutional and "totally skewed in favor of major-party candidates," an attorney told the Colorado Supreme Court on Tuesday.

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.

Independent Redistricting: Empower Voters, Not Parties

INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING

• Let's break redistricting impasse tradition - Legislature must approve map that puts voters ahead  (EDITORIAL Coloradoan) In our state, independent voters make up almost one-third of the voting bloc. Drawing districts based on political parties' whims is shortsighted and unfair to a large portion of voters.
• Race, remaps and reforms (By Jack Betts, Charlotte Observer) It's not often you hear a sitting politicians acknowledge publicly that his party will use racial demographics in order to unseat opponents - and identify the top targets. In doing so, McHenry - who was, in his first term, the youngest person elected to Congress - helped make the case that's been so obvious for so long that no one pays much attention to it anymore: An independent restricting panel ought to be redrawing districts, not the politicians in charge. That only allows the dominant party to help themselves stay in power. When politicians pick their voters rather than allowing voters to choose their politicians, you get officeholders practically salivating on ways to put the opposition at a disadvantage.

Joelle Riddle: Popular La Plata County Colorado Elected Official Becomes Independent Grassroots Organizer

Democratic-turned independent La Plata County Colorado Commissioner-turned independent activist (indeed a glorious journey!) Joelle Riddle completed her last day as an elected official this past week and shared this personal note with her supporters and other independent activists around the country. Joelle kindly agreed to share her thoughts with The Hankster:

Hello Everyone,

Yesterday [January 10, 2011] was my last day as an elected official and so now I'm jumping right into my new job as a grassroots organizer and I couldn't be more excited!

I know some of you as friends and others I hope to get to know better, as you were some of the first people who signed up to be involved with Independent Voters for Colorado (IVC). Thank You!! 

I have great expectations for IVC and the people of Colorado and will let you know about the upcoming Ballot Initiative on Open Primaries that we hope to have ready to go for 2012 as well as other things we will be working on, including a more dynamic and up to date website to keep you informed and connected.

I will be attending an important national conference of independents in NY next month (there's still time for you to register!) sponsored by Independentvoting.org. I am hoping to network, connect and be inspired by what many other organizations across the nation are doing to support political reform in independent ways.

Thanks and I look forward to working with you this year,

Joelle Riddle, Founder - Independent Voters for Colorado (IVC)

Thanks Joelle! On behalf of Hankster readers: Likewise -- see you there!

Joelle Riddle: Independent Leader in Colorado Report from the Field, E-Day 2010

Joelle Riddle was one of three full-time La Plata County Colorado Commissioners since winning the election in 2006. Not a newcomer to the political arena and policy making, Riddle was a Young Democrat and then chair of the La Plata County Democratic Party prior to changing her affiliation to "independent" to better serve the people of La Plata County. She was prevented from running for re-election by Colorado state law which imposes a 17-month waiting period for candidates who disaffiliate, a law that she and other nonpartisans challenged in the courts. Riddle was honored this year with an Extraordinary Leader Award during the Women’s Resource Center’s Girls Night Out for her education work with Planned Parenthood, the various constituencies she has represented as a commissioner and founding the independent Voters for Colorado.

Joelle Riddle

E-Day

by JOELLE RIDDLE

Election Day November 2, 2010, turned out to be a very personal experience for me. I knew that this day more than any other would be the beginning of the end as far as my current capacity to serve as an elected official.

It was clear several months ago that I was not going to be on the ballot, having discovered the inequities in Colorado law immediately after changing my affiliation from Democrat to independent (or unaffiliated). It was further affirmed I wasn’t going to be on the ballot after a federal court judge ruled that there would be no changes to the rules set in place by the parties to blatantly advance their candidates and discourage others.

I knew it, but on Election Day I felt it.

Being on the “inside” allowed me to experience the consequences of a broken system and how it fails the people and the issues that are most important to us on a regular basis, day after frustrating day. Until the system changes we won’t have qualified candidates, we won’t solve problems and we won’t regain the public trust. 

It was sobering in a way that I hadn’t imagined as I looked at the list of candidates on the ballot and didn’t see my name, as I had four years earlier. To not win an election is one thing, but to be prevented from even running is another -- very frustrating -- experience all together.

Although I experienced this intense feeling of injustice and frustration (as most independents do at one time or another, I imagine) it was juxtaposed with a very deep sense of relief, a relief that I would no longer have to work within a broken, dysfunctional system. The effects of our partisan politics are felt at every level, and if you are someone that thinks it only affects our elected officials in DC, then think again—it’s thought, felt and ingrained into all levels of our political process, even in our small rural communities, and that’s exactly where we need to start the reform.

I spent the last four years learning and understanding countless processes, participating in numerous local and state boards to advocate for my community, studied issues I had never even heard of prior to taking office. I built relationships based on trust in order to continue to do the best job I could for my community. And really all of that didn’t amount to much in the end as far as the "system" was concerned. Everything boiled down to the fact that I didn’t want to play for just one team; I wanted to work for all of the people, with no biased party labels or preconceived notions. For me it was a natural evolution and a product of my observations and learning.

Being on the “inside” allowed me to experience the consequences of a broken system and how it fails the people and the issues that are most important to us on a regular basis, day after frustrating day. Until the system changes we won’t have qualified candidates, we won’t solve problems and we won’t regain the public trust.

I knew when I made the decision to become an independent that there would be consequences, some rather predictable and others I couldn’t have imagined.

One thing was for certain, independence was the only way forward that would allow me to do the best job I could for the people I was elected to represent.

I have never regretted that decision and it has proven to not only affirm my passion for democracy, it has elevated it to a level that will inspire my work as a grassroots organizer for “Independent Voters for Colorado”.

Although I wasn’t re-elected to office, I know that my commitment to the people in my community is deeper and I am even more determined to help change our government. In the future I want to contribute to a more authentic expression of our democracy; a productive political process and not just a power game for political parties who seem to be concerned for their own “win” as opposed to genuine gains for those whom they purport to serve. I would venture to say that my next Election Day report won’t be fraught with so much frustration, but more of a sense of accomplishment in working with other independents to organize and demand a better democratic process.

Happy Holidays,
Joelle

Joelle Riddle can be reached at UPDATED!! joelleriddle@hotmail.com or (970)799-3720

Education Reform, Open Primaries, Nonpartisan Redistricting -- What Independent Voters Want

INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• Voices & Viewpoints Fridays at 1 p.m. & 6 p.m. (Denise Franklin, NPR WFDD 88.5) Dr. Omar Ali describes the internal and cultural struggles of Muslim Americans post 911 through observation and personal experiences. In addition, CNN, Telemundo, C-Span 2 and other news outlets frequently seek Dr. Omar Ali as a national expert about the growing movement of people choosing to be Independent voters.
• 
  

  host Denise Franklin
  
  Voices & Viewpoints
  Fridays at 1 p.m. & 6 p.m.
  
  
  Join 88.5 WFDD and host Denise Franklin for conversations with local residents who are making or have made an impact nationally - or internationally.
  
  The Health & Medicine Report keeps you up-to-date on cutting-edge research.
  
  And you'll hear the viewpoints of our commentators on movies, books, life, and more.
  
  Voices & Viewpoints is a half hour of radio
  you won't hear anywhere else!

• Obama Makes Beeline For Independent Voters (FRANK JAMES, NPR) The White House push is on for the hearts and minds of independent voters.
• You've Got Them All Wrong, Mr. President - Obama's misguided view of the independent voter. (John B. Judis, The New Republic)

OPEN PRIMARIES

• Idaho Open Primary: The People v. The Parties (The Moderate Voice) Yesterday attorney Harry Kresky reported on his recent trip to Idaho to help defend independents there facing attack from a faction of the Idaho Republican Party hoping to close the primaries in order to control the electorate.
• Phil Power: Open primary would offer advantages (Livingston Daily)

ELECTION REFORM

• Drawing the lines (Salt Lake City Tribune) The best way to avoid political gerrymandering would be for Utah to create an independent redistricting commission, but Utah legislators have rejected repeated attempts to do that. An initiative petition by a group called the Fair Boundaries Coalition failed this year to get enough signatures to put its proposal for an independent commission before the voters.

BLOOMBERG 2012

• Michael Bloomberg: Independent can't win White House (By DAN HIRSCHHORN, Politico) On Monday, The Huffington Post's Howard Fineman floated the possibility that Bloomberg and MSNBC commentator Joe Scarborough, who is also a POLITICO contributor, could form an independent ticket for the White House.
• Bloomberg Denies Presidential Rumors. Again. (By Sumathi Reddy, Wall Street Journal/Metropolis)

COLORADO

• Curry concedes to Wilson in HD-61 race (by Curtis Wackerle, Aspen Daily News)

NEW YORK

• WE ARE ALL MUMIA! (By Betsey Piette, Workers World) Abu-Jamal’s supporters included a delegation from the Transport Workers Union Local 100; Charles Barron, the New York Freedom Party gubernatorial candidate; Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Coalition, NYC; International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal; and the International Action Center.
• The Godfather - With the UWS-WFP-NYT axis dominating local politics, this is Jerry Nadler’s New York (By Edward-Isaac Dovere, City Hall News)

EDUCATION REFORM

• A to-do list for N.Y.C. Schools Chancellor Cathie Black: Eva Moskowitz lays out her priorities (BY EVA MOSKOWITZ, Daily News)

LAST WORD

• Soros: Obama shouldn't compromise (By KENNETH P. VOGEL, Politico)

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS 9/14/10

INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• Independent Voters In N.C. Hold The Power (Written by Bruce Ferrell, North Carolina News Network)
• Crist appeals to Democrats, independents in new ads (From CNN Political Producer Peter Hamby) For Crist to win in November, he must win something close to a majority of independent voters while also peeling off substantial portions of Democratic votes from Rep. Kendrick Meek and GOP votes from former House Speaker Marco Rubio.

OPEN PRIMARIES

• Delaware politics: State's elections can get quirky - From late primaries to arcane laws, Del.'s process is unique (By J.L. MILLER, The News Journal) Delaware's closed primary system gives a boost to motivated voters. Democrats vote in Democratic primaries, Republicans vote in Republican primaries, and the 146,212 voters who aren't Democrats or Republicans -- 23.5 percent of the electorate -- are shut out of the primary process. That might seem odd to people from Texas, South Carolina and the 22 other states with open primaries, where all voters have a say in who winds up on the ballot in November. Delaware State University political science professor Sam Hoff said the closed primary "may seem strange to some," but that it shows Delaware has "a pretty strong, durable party system."

TUESDAY PRIMARIES

• Delaware not the only Tea Party vs. GOP battle Tuesday (By Paul Steinhauser, CNN Deputy Political Director) Palin's endorsement earlier this summer and Ayotte's support by many national Republicans may have backfired in fiercely independent New Hampshire. The moves have drawn repeated criticism by the Union Leader.
• Bill Clinton in Minneapolis For Dayton Fundraiser (by Tom Halden / FOX 9 News) While it’s possible another Independent could win the race outright, at least one analyst doesn’t see this as a repeat of 1992, when Independent Ross Perot took votes from President George H.W. Bush, launching then-Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton into the White House. "More of the Democrats, the moderate Democrats, they're going to tilt more toward Horner,” University of Minnesota Prof. Larry Jacobs said. “And if Horner was not in the race, they'd be voting for Dayton.”
•  http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/dpp/news/politics/bill-clinton-dayton-fundraiser-minneapolis-sept-14-2010
• * Granite Status: Polls show Republican U.S. Senate primary race dead heat (By JOHN DISTASO, Senior Political Reporter, Union Leader) Lamontagne's show of strength among independents counters conventional wisdom that in New Hampshire, such voters are generally more moderate than traditional Republican voters.It appears that in this election, independents are in fact conservatives who appear to have been disenfranchised from a GOP they apparently see as part of the problem in Washington.
• Time to vote - Anger aside, voters should seek character (EDITORIAL Worcester News Telegram) Independent voters hold the balance of power in their hands, both today and on Nov. 2. However angry they may be at incumbents, or however dismissive of a political newcomer, we think democracy is best served when voters cast their ballots on the basis of qualifications, not party affiliation.
• Candidates Eschewing Party Labels in New Hampshire's U.S. Senate Campaign (By Tom Moroney, Bloomberg News) In New Hampshire, the preponderance of undeclared or independent voters offers another reason for candidates to play down their party affiliation, Hodes said. Undeclared voters number 388,220, compared with 267,725 Democrats and 266,077 Republicans, according to Secretary of State Bill Gardner’s website. The unaffiliated voters can vote in the primary of their choice.
• Tea Party primary wins in Delaware and New Hampshire could ruin GOP chances of Senate takeover (BY ALIYAH SHAHID, DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER)
• Primary Day in Rhode Island: How to vote, get results (Providence Journal/Newsblog) The largest slice of Rhode Island voters is made up of independents -- or "unaffiliated" voters -- and they can vote in either the Democratic or Republican primaries Tuesday.
• A ‘Shoo-In’ Struggles in Massachusetts Race (By ABBY GOODNOUGH, NY Times) One theory is that Mr. Baker, a Harvard graduate who seems most comfortable talking policy, lacks the populist touch that came naturally to the truck-driving Mr. Brown and that independent voters, who make up 51 percent of the electorate here, seem to crave.
• A primer on today's primary (By LaCross Tribune - WI) This is an open primary, meaning voters are not required to declare a party before voting. What is the most common error voters make when voting in the primary? Cross voting. For instance, you choose to vote Republican and then down on the ballot you vote for an individual Democrat. Voters may only vote for candidates of one party.
• Primary Election Day: Please Vote! (Bostonist (blog) Barney Frank has a primary opponent, who he chose to debate, you might have heard of in the 4th District Race. Rachel Brown once clashed with Frank after she compared health care reform to Naziism.

COLORADO

• Incumbents in local contests lead early money race (John Stroud, Post Independent) Curry, who left the Democratic Party last December to become an independent, lost a legal challenge to have her name included on the Nov. 2 ballot. Curry reported $16,715 in new campaign funds during the most recent reporting period from July 29 through Sept. 1, including a $10,000 loan, and $6,715 in contributions.
• Independent Voters for Colorado A statewide strategy, communications, and organizing center working to connect and empower those in the state of Colorado who identify themselves as independent or unaffiliated voters. 

NYC CHARTER REVISION

• Term Limits in New York (LETTER NY Times by Matthew Goldstein)

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)

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS 8/27/10

INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• Time for Obama to Pull a Clinton (By DOUGLAS E. SCHOEN, Wall Street Journal) The independent voters who hold the fate of the Democrats in their hands are looking for candidates who champion, in a bipartisan context, fiscal discipline, limited government, deficit reduction and a free market, pro-growth agenda. If Democrats don't offer this, they will be branded liberal tax-and-spenders.

OPEN PRIMARIES

• VT: Primary process limits choices (LETTER Rutland VT Herald) I am writing this letter to draw your attention to the injustice that is experienced by ‘independent’ voters during primary elections, which are held year after year.
• LA: Election is historic, so go and vote (EDITORIAL St. Tammany News) Last closed primary - this will be the last closed primary election for Congressional candidates. The Legislature passed, and the governor signed into law that after the general election in November, all primaries will be open. Currently under the closed primary system, a Republican voter has to vote for a Republican candidate, Democrats for Democrats and so forth.
• FL: Lawmakers need to write off the write-in loophole - THE ISSUE: Undemocratic fixture remains in elections laws. (EDITORIAL Sun Sentinel FL)
• DC: DC primaries should be scrapped (by Topher Mathews, Greater Washington.org) But nonetheless, DC's primary election system has no legitimate purpose and should be scrapped in favor of an instant run-off voting system for the general election.

THIRD PARTIES

• If traditional politics bore you, consider the Toga Party (by Ry Rivard, Daily Mail Capitol Reporter WV) The Democrat, Republican and Mountain parties all have open primaries, which allow voters who are not affiliated with one of the other three major parties to vote for their primary candidates. Among the 130 parties are established if little-known minor parties, like the Constitution Party, a national conservative party that claims about 70 members in West Virginia. There are 1,300 self-identified Libertarian Party members.... There are also 185,000 voters with no party affiliation and 12,200 declared Independents.
• Delaware politics: Minor parties add candidates to ballot - House, Senate hopefuls slated by Blue Enigma, Independent Party and Working Families groups (By GINGER GIBSON, The News Journal DE)

COLORADO

• Ballot-bound HD-61 hopefuls weigh in (Gunnison Times) Then there is incumbent Kathleen Curry of Gunnison. During her three-term stint in the Colorado House of Representatives, Curry has risen to become one of the state's most well-known and popular political leaders. Yet her chances of winning re-election this November hinge on being successful as a write-in candidate -- which would be a nearly unprecedented feat for a statewide office-holder.

ARIZONA

• Post-primary election analysis (by Three Sonorans, Tucson Citizen) Why would so many Independents have chosen to vote in the Republican primary? I think the answer is very simple. The most popular race in the nation for Tuesday’s primary was taking place in Arizona, and JD Hayworth scared the bejeezus out of the Independents, and they decided to vote in the Republican primary for McCain.
• David Freddoso: McCain's easy win undercuts Democrats' story line (By: DAVID FREDDOSO, Washington Examiner) Here's a tip for gamblers: Most or all of the "unelectable" conservatives will win in November 2010. It will come as a surprise only to liberal pundits, who view most Americans' opinions as outside of the mainstream because they remain stubbornly unlike the opinions of President Obama.

NEW YORK

• Suffolk’s Ethics Probe Enigma Consumes All - Levy, legislature, DA and Newsday all caught in ethics feud (By Timothy Bolger, Long Island Press) As for the man chosen to wade into the firestorm and report his findings within the next three months, the legislature voted 13-5 to hire Joseph Conway, a Mineola-based criminal defense attorney, former federal prosecutor in the Eastern District of New York and member of the Independence Party.
• The Unrepentant Republican Party (By Sam Foster, American Thinker) While the September primaries will likely resolve the Republicans' mistake in NY-1, the damage has already been done in the case of NY-23. Given NY's proclivity for third-party ballot lines, Matt's name will appear on the Independence Party ticket, and Doug Hoffman on the Conservative line, despite the Republican primary outcome. The flagrant hatred exhibited by Republican leaders for Hoffman makes it hard to believe that party bosses could unite under Doug Hoffman's potential candidacy. Thus, another three-way race is brewing in NY-23, and the possibility for the district to shed its sickly shade of blue is quickly slipping out of reach.

NYC CHARTER REVISION

• Do-over on term limits: Charter commission must fix the botch it made of its mandate (EDITORIAL NY Daily News)

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."

News Headlines for Independent Voters: Today's Primaries Elections in Georgia, Colorado, Minnesota and Connecticut

 TODAY'S PRIMARIES

• What to Watch on Primary Day: Primary elections in Georgia, Colorado, Minnesota and Connecticut (Politico) NOTE: 

   Independents can vote in primaries in GEORGIA.
   Independents can vote in COLORADO, but you have to pick a party, and then you have to switch back...
   Indies can vote in MINNESOTA, but you have to pick a party...
   Independent voters cannot participate in primaries in CONNECTICUT.
     [See The Hankster Open Primaries page]

• GOP Strategist: Election to Be Won in the Middle (CBS News)
• Voters line up to cast ballots early (Fox News Tampa Bay) Florida is a closed primary state, meaning voters can only cast ballots for candidates in their registered party; independent voters can still vote in non-partisan races.
• Primary sprint to the finish: Bennet, Romanoff make Monday visits to Springs (WAYNE HEILMAN, The Gazette Colorado Springs) Colorado holds closed primaries, meaning only voters affiliated with political parties can vote in them. However, independent voters can jump in at the last minute by claiming a party affiliation at the polls.
• Linda McMahon widens lead in Connecticut GOP Senate race (HULIQ) The latest Quinnipiac University poll shows McMahon narrowly leading Blumenthal, 46 to 44 percent, among independent voters; three weeks ago, Blumenthal enjoyed a 19-point lead over McMahon among this group.
• On primary eve, Margaret Anderson Kelliher revs up election buzz before, during and after final debate (by Doug Grow, MinnPost) Kelliher also made her appeal to potential voters, saying she would be the party's strongest candidate in November because only she can appeal to independent voters and even moderate Republicans.

COLORADO

• Curry files lawsuit over finance rules (Aspen Times) Gunnison Rep. Kathleen Curry, whose district includes Aspen and Pitkin County, argues in the lawsuit that the state's campaign finance rules are unconstitutional and restrict how unaffiliated candidates raise money. That's because the major party candidates can collect the maximum contributions twice — once for a primary and again for the general election — but unaffiliated candidates can receive the maximum contribution once for the general election because they don't stand in primaries, according to the lawsuit.
• Write in the independents (LETTER Glenwood Springs Post Independent)

NEW YORK

• Independence Party chairman Dote indicted (By ROCCO LaDUCA, Observer-Dispatch) Independence Party chairman Dote indicted
• MALTESE FOR ELECTION BOARD (Queens Courier) Endorsement
• Morano Strikes Back (YNN/Capital Tonght) It wasn’t enough for longtime Independence Party activist and ex-state committee member Frank Morano to quit the party and publicly lambaste it on his way out the door, now he’s trying to get the organization investigated by the Board of Elections, claiming its coffers have served as a sort of piggy bank for the personal interests of its leaders.

NYC CHARTER REVISION

• Charter panel won't address local control (Peter N. Spencer, SI Advance) Non-partisan elections -- a pet issue for Bloomberg -- still has a chance on the ballot. Nonpartisan elections eliminate party primaries and let anyone run for city office in an open September election, with the top two finishers facing off in a November election.
• Mayor Bloomberg to end nonpartisan election push - $7 million later (BY ADAM LISBERG, DAILY NEWS CITY HALL BUREAU CHIEF)
• Mayor Bloomberg + Nonpartisan-Elections Push = Splitsville (BY CELESTE KATZ, Daily News/Daily Politcs)
• NY1 Exclusive: Bloomberg Won't Seek To Eliminate Political Primaries (By: NY1 News)
• Independent Report on Nonpartisan Elections from New York City: The Media, the Mayor and the Message (POSTED BY NANCY HANKS, The Moderate Voice)

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS 8/9/10

OPEN PRIMARIES

• State primary system needs to change (BY ROCHELLE RILEY, DETROIT FREE PRESS) For frustrated independent voters, Tuesday's primary forced them to temporarily join parties they didn't want to belong to in the first place... It's time to put people's rights above parties' rights. 

COLORADO

• Colorado Independents Can Still Vote in Primary Election (Brian Larson, NPR - KUNC) This voting bloc helped Democrats elect Barack Obama in 2008....  Dumm says the law allows unaffiliated voters to sign up with a party, even on primary election day, cast a ballot - and then switch back to their independent status. Nearly a third of Colorado voters are unaffiliated with either of the major political parties.
• Lawsuit challenges contribution limits for third-party and unaffiliated candidates in Colorado (By Jessica Fender, The Denver Post)
• Curry embodies the real spirit of democracy (LETTER Glenwood Springs Post Independent)
• Curry Files Lawsuit Over Campaign Finance Rules (CBS4 Denver)

ILLINOIS

• Our Opinion: Time is not right for citizen initiative (THE STATE JOURNAL-REGISTER) His amendment would allow voters to propose bills related to ethics and campaign finance.

NEW YORK

• Dem leader John Sampson gets a nasty earful from disgruntled LGBT activists (ELIZABETH BENJAMIN, NY Daily News) Former Bronx Borough President Freddy Ferrer is reigniting an old fight against his former nemesis, Mayor Bloomberg, saying the mayor is again pushing nonpartisan elections so he can handpick his successor.
• Ex-Independence Party Officer Frank Morano Files Scathing Elections Complaint (BY CELESTE KATZ, NY Daily News/Daily Politics)

NYC CHARTER REVISION

• No Easy Answers In Charter Review (By DOMENICK RAFTER, Queens Tribune) On non-partisan elections, most commissioners agreed that the current process is unfair to most voters. Commissioner Fiala said that there were more than three quarters of a million voters in New York City not registered in a party, thus meaning they could not vote in partisan primaries, which is where most elections in the city are decided.
• Kresky: Race Relations, Nonpartisan Elections, and … (Written by jamiemoffett, LINK at You May Not Spit On Black People in 2010)

LAST WORD

• America Goes Dark (By PAUL KRUGMAN, NY Times) In effect, a large part of our political class is showing its priorities: given the choice between asking the richest 2 percent or so of Americans to go back to paying the tax rates they paid during the Clinton-era boom, or allowing the nation’s foundations to crumble — literally in the case of roads, figuratively in the case of education — they’re choosing the latter.

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS 8/4/10

OPEN PRIMARIES

• TOP TWO OPEN PRIMARY FACES FIRST LEGAL CHALLENGE (by Damon Eris, CAIVN) The lawsuit argues that SB6 is unconstitutional because, if implemented, candidates who “identify with a ‘minor’ party will be censored and discriminated against on the ballot,” and because votes cast for any “write-in candidate in the general election will not be counted.”  (Full copies of the complaint and brief can be found at Ballot Access News, a site authored by Richard Winger, who is one of the plaintiffs in the suit) 

BALLOT ACCESS

• Filing Fee Alternative to Primary Petitions in Illinois, New York (Ballot Access News)

COLORADO

• Kathleen Curry Will Sue Against Discriminatory Campaign Contribution Limits (Ballot Access News)

KANSAS

• Steady stream of voters turn out at polls (KSN) So far, there have been a few reports of problems at certain polling places. Several involve independent voters telling KSN they were turned away. Election workers told them the Republican Primary is closed and therefore they cannot vote. But according to state law, unaffiliated voters can cast a ballot as long as they’re willing to declare a party.
• Lots of independent voters switching to GOP for today’s primary (Wichita Eagle/Insider Dispatches)
• Record 25 percent vote in Sedgwick County (By STAN FINGER and BECCY TANNER, The Wichita Eagle) “Based off what we saw, at least 5 percent were unaffiliated voters,” he said. “That’s 2,500 or 3,000 unaffiliated voters, roughly three times the number we normally see in an August primary. That’s a pretty big increase.”

MICHIGAN

• Bernero has to tweak his fall message (BY STEPHEN HENDERSON, DETROIT FREE PRESS) And with Rick Snyder on the Republican ticket, that challenge looks even greater. Snyder won his primary by reaching out to independents and Democrats, luring them into the GOP primary to defeat much more conservative candidates.
• The Tea Party's Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Night - Moderates rule a series of high-profile primaries (Newsweek)

KENTUCKY

• Rand Paul's Crucible - How does a radical libertarian win in deep-purple Kentucky? (Adam de Jong, The New Republic) It's often forgotten, but Kentucky's political environment is not tailor-made for Republican landslides. The state has roughly 600,000 more registered Democrats than members of the GOP, and only a small pool of independent voters, forcing Kentucky Republicans to make their careers out of winning a sizeable portion of the Democratic base.

NEW YORK

• Scandal-scarred state Sen. Pedro Espada demands federal probe of chief rival Gustavo Rivera (BY KENNETH LOVETT, DAILY NEWS ALBANY BUREAU CHIEF)

NYC CHARTER REVISION

• Charter Commission May Put Nonpartisan Elections on the Ballot (By Jill Colvin, DNAinfo Reporter/Producer)
• Citizens Union special report
• Williams: I want a pension (Gotham Gazette/Wonkster) Councilmember Jumaane Williams wants to extend term limits to to 3 terms...

Colorado Independents Fight for Their Rights!

INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• Coming up, not your average midterms (By John P. Avlon, CNN)
• WASHINGTON POST-ABC NEWS POLL: 40% INDEPENDENTS, 31% DEMOCRATS, 24% REPUBLICANS (by Damon Eris, CAIVN)

ILLINOIS OPEN PRIMARIES

• Don't force voters to declare a party (BY PHIL KADNER, Southtown Star )
• Governor Quinn backs open primaries despite increased costs (Illinois Political Buzz Examiner, Dennis Brennan)
• Quinn, Brady tussle on crime issues (Chicago Tribune/Clout Street)
• Weighing The Pros And Cons Of An "Open Primary" (Progress Illinois)
• Polling place privacy -- a good idea, long overdue (Eric Zorn, Chicago Tribune/Change of Subject)

CALIFORNIA PROP 14

• Free And Equal: Media Ignores Ethic of Balanced Reporting in Effort to Push Agenda (Independent Political Report)

COLORADO

• The Right to be Independent is at Issue (Jacqueline Salit, Huffington Post) There are a lot of people in this country who are very unhappy with the political parties and their intense partisanship . Some are voters and some are officeholders. But whatever their status, they should have the right to leave a political party and become an independent without being penalized. The parties shouldn't be allowed to run the political process to suit their own purposes. The bottom line here is democracy, and that's what Kathleen, Joelle and I are asking the court to see.
• INDEPENDENTS FIGHT FOR A VOICE (BY PAMELA WHITE, Boulder Weekly) The number of independent voters is growing nationwide, and as their numbers increase, so does their desire to be full participants in elections that are currently dominated by two parties.
• Riddle continues to push election suit (Durango Telegraph/Quick & Dirty)
• Drew Munro — It's almost time to vote: Do you know where your candidate is? (Sky-Hi News) Wow. Democracy freed from the surly bonds of party politics. What a concept.

Poll- GO TO THE BOULDER WEEKLY TO TAKE THIS POLL BY CLICKING HERE
Do you think Colorado’s voting laws should be changed so that independent voters have the same rights as Democrats and Republicans?

 Yes! Our current laws are biased in favor of the two main parties.

 No! Our laws exist for a reason, even if I don´t know what it is.

 Not sure. I´d have to learn more about it.

 Don´t vote. Don´t care.

  

OREGON INDEPENDENT PARTY

• Editorial: Independents get no help (Democrat Herald)

TEA PARTY

• Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton downplay NAACP Tea Party resolution, push jobs, DC march (HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH, Associated Press, Cleveland Plain Dealer) Sharpton was a little more direct, saying issues surrounding the Tea Party go beyond claims of racism. He said the civil rights movement sought to pressure the federal government to step in when states were enforcing segregation laws, and the tea party's focus on states' rights puts people at risk.
• What if the Tea Party Were Black? (Mirror on America) Blogger, Professor, & author Christopher Chambers discusses the Tea Party on the RT network.

NEW YORK

• Questions Arise About Ciafone Residency In 36th AD (Queens Gazette/Political Page)
• Threatening the GOP’s “Independence”? Republican Pols Could Be Denied Independence Party Lines This Fall (by John Galt, Atlas Shrugs in Brooklyn blog)
• Party to Return Disputed Cash To Bloomberg (By MICHAEL HOWARD SAUL, Wall Street Journal) In a letter sent to the party's attorney on June 14, Assistant District Attorney Eric Seidel, chief of the rackets bureau, wrote that the party received about $350,000 in "stolen money" and is currently in possession of "some or all" of those funds. Mr. Seidel demanded the party send the money to the DA's office so that it could be returned to Mr. Bloomberg. [NOTE: The NY State Independence Party is run by Frank MacKay)

NYC CHARTER REVISION

• Term Limits Could Throw Out Council Members (by Courtney Gross, Gotham Gazette)
• Term Limits Appear Headed for Fall Ballot (By JAVIER C. HERNANDEZ, NY Times/City Room)
• City Agencies Uneven On Voter Registration Push (By Chris Giblin, City Limits)