Flier at will

down in brooklyn

photo by Alice Rydel

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES FOR INDEPENDENT VOTERS 9/17/10

INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• The Backlash Myth (By DAVID BROOKS, NY Times) Most voters want a radical change in government but not a radical change in policy.
• PUNDIT RIGHT & O'Reilly: Independents Are Key to November Races? (by SodaHead Politic) The truth is there are not enough Tea Party people to put any candidate into office. As we said, Independents will make the call."
• Tea Party Puts GOP on Road to Disaster (By Morton M. Kondracke, Roll Call Executive Editor, CQ Politics)

OPEN PRIMARIES

• King: Open primaries would give edge to moderates (By BILL KING, Houston Chronicle)
• Edith Sylvester: Our primary method disenfranchises us (LETTER Wisconsin State Journal) There is no explanation good enough to mandate that in primary elections, voters must vote for one party only.

THIRD PARTY & INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES

• Time for a Third Party? (Rhodes Cook, Wall Street Journal/Capital Journal) And it is why the spotlight might shine again on the wealthy New Yorker in the year ahead. If he ran for the White House, Mr. Bloomberg – like Mr. Perot - would almost certainly be seen as a spear-carrier for the disgruntled center.
• Politics blog: The Daily Show features "NOT the 'whiteman's bitch'" candidate (By MARY SPICUZZA, Wisconsin State Journal)

DEMOCRATS

• Democrats, the Brand (Nancy Scola, Personal Democracy Forum/techPresident) The Democratic National Committee's new media team is making the case that the new Democrats.org is more than just a new website. Or is it the Democrats' new media team?

CALIFORNIA

• Third party’s over (By Cosmo Garvin, Sacramento News Review) It should be noted that the law doesn’t prohibit third parties from fielding candidates for president in November. But because those parties depend on November votes for statewide office to qualify for the ballot, including the primary ballot, third parties may soon be purged from our election system altogether.
• Changing the political climate (By Linda Piera-Avila, Santa Monica Daily Press) California took a backwards step with the passage of Proposition 14, which would raise the cost of elections and limit voter choice. But Proposition 14 was also a frustrated response to the under-representative nature of government via winner-take-all, single-seat districts. NOTE: Linda Piera-Avila is currently running as the Green Party candidate for the 41st Assembly District.
• American Independent Party's numbers growing (By Alayna Shulman, Redding Record Searchlight) But some believe the trend may be a result of voter misinterpretation of the word “independent.”

NEW YORK

• Why so many dogs didn't bark: Paladino and Rangel prevailed, despite attacks from pundits and press (ERROL LOUIS, NY Daily News) Voters, in other words, made up their minds without paying much attention to polls, pundits and the press. The biggest dog that didn't bark was the simplistic notion that the public is furious with all incumbents, everywhere, and ready to toss them all out.
• Cuomo and Schneiderman, Together? (By David Freedlander, NY Observer) There have been reports that the campaign of Republican attorney general candidate Dan Donovan has been angling for a Cuomo endorsement, and earlier Harry Wilson suggested that he and Cuomo are ticket-mates as well since they are both running on the Independence Party line.
• Political Action: Padavan says hard work leads to successes in political arena (By William Lewis, Your Nabe Queens) There is strong opposition to the Independence Party state leadership from the city party organization. They would be expected to oppose the present leadership, but MacKay seems to have a strong hold on the party organizational structure outside the city. It remains to be seen if he can maintain that hold considering the present situation.
• Charter Commission proposes two-term limits (By Sabrina Smith, the ticker - Baruch College) The referendum regarding the term limits would amend the city charter to “reduce from three to two maximum number of consecutive full terms that can be served by elected city officials; make this change in term limits applicable only to those city officials who were first elected at or after the 2010 general election; and prohibit the City Council from altering the term limits of elected city officials then serving in office,” according to the Commission's website.
• NY GOP: Gang that can't vote straight (By DAN MCLAUGHLIN, NY Post) The party has neither the strong bosses needed to force a candidate like Lazio into the right race, nor the open primaries and vibrant grassroots that might have headed off disastrous nominations like Tedisco and Scozzavafa.

ESPADA

• Primary Night: Pedro Espada Keeps the Faith (By Ricardo Bilton, NY Observer) "Because believe it or not this man Espada did so much for the community. He was for the people. I believe he was for the people."
• Riverdale voters pick Rivera over Espada, Espaillat over Levine (Kate Pastor, Riverdale Press)
• Bummed out: Albany hacks must deliver on pledges of major reforms (EDITORIALS NY Daily News) And then, as Koch so rightly tags him, there is Enemy of Reform No. 1, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. Insulated by a supermajority of Democrats and immune to challenge in his own hand-drawn district, Silver is the man who inters reform.

Tuesday's Primary Election Results and Analysis - 9/17/10

TUESDAY PRIMARIES

• How to look at the election's prospects - As the protracted primary season finally comes to an end, a veteran political observer offers some ways for anyone to think about the trends shaping the upcoming congressional elections and what will happen when the dust settles. (By Ted Van Dyk, Crosscut - Seattle)
• Reading the tea leaves on O'Donnell vs. Coons in Delaware (By Thomas Fitzgerald, Philadelphia Inquirer) Democratic strategists hope to make the GOP seem radical and an unacceptable alternative for independent voters dissatisfied with the direction of the country.
• G.O.P. Leaders Say Delaware Upset Hurts Senate Hopes (By JEFF ZELENY, NY Times)

NEW YORK

• Espada Defiant in Confusing Concession Speech (Bronx News Network)
• The Conservative Party at a Crossroads (By Bob Hennelly, WNYC)
• Conservative and Working Families Party Sue New York State Board of Elections over Vote-Counting (Ballot Access News)
• Both Parties Are Weakening, Though Incumbents Had a Good Night in New York (By HENRY STERN, Special to the NY Sun) Democratic senate leader John Sampson of Brooklyn will presumably succeed Pedro Espada as majority leader, if the Democrats retain their senate majority. Sampson has written a letter signing on to the Koch reforms, as has Dean Skelos, the Republican leader, and all his troops.
• Michael Bloomberg Heads to D.C. to Meet Congressional Leaders (By Olivia Scheck and Jill Colvin, DNAinfo) New York's billionaire mayor sped off to Washington Wednesday for meetings with several Congressional leaders. He planned to meet with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Minority Leader John Boehner, and the moderate Republican Senator from Maine, Olympia Snowe, according to his office.
• Six lessons black politicians can learn from the Tea Party - Charles Barrons' Freedom Party has a place in the political system... and it can start in our hometowns. (By: Roland Laird, The Loop)

Bill King: open primary system allows all parties and independent candidates easier access

An open primary system would allow all parties and independent candidates to have an opportunity to more easily appear on a ballot. It would also assure that the winner is elected by a majority of the voters participating in the election with the largest turnout. (Bill King, Houston Chronicle 9/15/10, "Open primaries would give edge to moderates")

congrats joelle!!!

Photo by STEVE LEWIS/Herald

Independent Voters for Colorado

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS 9/15/10

CALIFORNIA PROP 14

• Capitol: Judge's ruling keeps Prop. 14's top-two primary system alive (Sac Bee) Judge Catherine Woolard wrote that while plaintiffs can proceed to a full trial, their arguments "fail to show a likelihood of success on the merits" to grant their motion for an injunction blocking the state from proceeding with implementing the new measure.
• California's gubernatorial candidates should read these books (BOOK REVIEWS California Watch) It's not a simple question of "can't we all get along," says Bagley. Real structural reforms will be required – modifying term limits, open primaries – to bring moderation and bipartisanship back to Sacramento.
• Prop. 14 open primary survives first challenge (Bob Egelko, San Francisco Chronicle Staff Writer)

OPEN PRIMARIES

• Voters need real choice in state primary elections (Superior Telegram) Primary voting rules incorrectly assume all voters cast ballots along party lines. Many Wisconsin voters are not Republicans or Democrats, or some other party, and cast their ballot irrespective of party lines. They vote for candidates and their ideals, rather than old-horse political parties. Yet, Wisconsin primaries still align themselves with a party system.
• Hannemann: Rival should identify program funding (By HERBERT A. SAMPLE, Bloomberg Businessweek) Hannemann's criticism of the cost of Abercrombie's proposals in the days leading to Saturday's primary election could help him attract votes of conservatives and Republicans. In Hawaii's open primary, registered voters can request any party's ballot.

TUESDAY PRIMARIES

• The Morning After: Whose Party Is It? (By MICHAEL D. SHEAR, NY Times/The Caucus) Tea Party-backed insurgents in the primaries of 2010 have toppled two of the party’s incumbents and six candidates who were supported by GOP insiders in Washington – ending with the surprise ouster of Rep. Mike Castle, who had won 12 statewide campaigns in Delaware over four decades in public life.
• Voters Deliver a Reminder to Republicans (and Pundits) (By NATE SILVER, NY Times/fivethirtyeight)
• 'This Changes Everything' (By Robert Stacy McCain, American Spectator (right-wing) Of course, not all of the people have yet spoken. Turnout was unusually high in this year's primary, but O'Donnell's Tuesday total of more than 30,000 votes will have to be increased if she is to win in November. However, as one staffer said, their own polls indicate that independent voters -- who couldn't vote in the closed GOP primary -- favor O'Donnell over the Democrats' little-known nominee, Chris Coons.
• Christine O'Donnell, Tea Party Favorite, Stuns Mike Castle in Delaware (PATRICIA MURPHY, Politics Daily Capitol Hill Bureau Chief) With so much noise surrounding her candidacy, GOP guru Karl Rove predicted Tuesday night what Democrats are hoping for: that O'Donnell will lose the general election in November when Democratic and independent voters get into the voting booths. "There's just a lot of nutty things she's been saying," Rove said in an appearance on Fox News. "This is not a race we're going to be able to win."
• Tea Party favorite wins in Delaware; race close in N.H. (By Matt Viser, Boston Globe) But the GOP hopes hinge on whether conservative insurgents are able to translate their grass-roots momentum into independent votes, whether Democrats are able to motivate their base, and whether President Obama can once again be an effective campaigner.
• Senate: Ayotte, Lamontagne in tight race (By JOHN DISTASO, Senior Political Reporter, Union Leader)
• Avedisian beats back challenge from Langseth (By BARBARA POLICHETTI, Providence Journal Staff Writer)
• G.O.P. Insurgents Win in Del. and N.Y. (By JEFF ZELENY, NY Times)
• The Morning After - What's next for Fenty? (By P.J. ORVETTI, NBC Washington) Fenty did not deserve Tuesday’s result. Though Gray is an accomplished man who could be a consensus-builder as mayor, and though Fenty merited a stiff warning from voters, his rejection by a margin of about 8 points was a sad result for a mayor who has moved the city forward. The District fired Fenty after one term. It re-elected Marion Barry three times.
• Fenty vs. Gray: How I voted (Joel Achenbach, Washington Post/Achenblog) Could he still run as an independent in the general election? Wouldn't make much difference. People tend to be loyal to political parties, and there just aren't very many independents in the District of Columbia from which Fenty could rally support. This is a one-party town in which the Democratic primary is the decisive election.
• Primary Voter Turnout Stays Low, but More So for Democrats (By BRIAN J. MCCABE, NY Times/FiveThirtyEight)
• Democratic voters casting Republican ballots (WFRV News) Madison WI (an open primary state)

MIDTERMS

• NYC’s Mayor Bloomberg to campaign for Chafee Thursday (By Katherine Gregg, Providence Journal State House Bureau) “Since I’ve been one of everything in my career at one time or another, I don’t think that party matters,” he said in that interview. “What you want are people who are independent in their views. That they don’t listen to the party bosses. That they listen to the issues. They’re smart enough to analyze it.”

COLORADO

• Female energy permeates Girl's Night Out (Durango Herald) The finalists for the leader award were Cindy Cortese, Paulette Church, Stephanie Moran and Joelle Riddle. Riddle, who is finishing up her term as a La Plata County commissioner, was honored for her education work with Planned Parenthood, the various constituencies she has represented as a commissioner and founding the independent Voters for Colorado.
• Curry's against all odds write-in campaign (LETTER Glenwood Post Independent) Kathleen Curry, our state representative for District 61 (five counties), has recognized the deficiencies of political party influence and has had the courage to say she wants to represent us directly — to listen, look at the real problems and develop and support practical legislation based on logic, respect and doing what is best for our children and for all of us vs. what the parties dictate.

NEW YORK PRIMARIES

• Scene From Outside the Polls at Amalgamated Houses (Bronx News Network) Several yards away stood two Espada volunteers: Harry Kresky (pictured, left) of Manhattan and Kirsten Fulda (pictured, right) of New Jersey, both members of the Independence Party who said they admired Espada for his, well, independence. "He doesn't do what the parties tell him to do," said Kresky, a lawyer who, interestingly, once represented Dr. Lenora Fulani, a radical former presidential candidate, who endorsed Espada last week.
• Primary Night: Pedro Espada Keeps the Faith (By Ricardo Bilton, NY Observer)
• As the Smoke Clears After Primary Day … (By THE NEW YORK TIMES/City Room)
• The Man Who Beat Espada (by David King, Gotham Gazette) Less than an hour later Espada has conceded. The crowd at the Monte Carlo on Jerome Avenue explodes. Rivera takes the stage thanking unions left and right. "Union power," men on stage shout. Rivera gives his victory speech. The campaign confirms that Espada did not place a congratulatory call to Rivera -- they roll their eyes. Sen. Liz Krueger dances to Jay-z's "New York." She says she expects Rivera’s victory will give Democrats a boost. "Did you expect this to be over so quickly?" I ask her. She looks at her watch, "Yes!" she exclaims.
• Paladino Wins GOP Primary, Rangel, Schneiderman Also Win As Monserrate, Espada Concede (By: NY1 News)
• Bronx voters send state Sen. Pedro Espada packing; Hiram Monserrate loses Assembly bid (BY BOB KAPPSTATTER AND GLENN BLAIN, DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS)
• Paladino Sends Lazio to Sidelines (By JACOB GERSHMAN, Wall Street Journal)
• Paladino, Schneiderman Win, Espada Doesn't (by Gotham Gazette Staff)
• Newcomer Ousts Espada; Monserrate Loses Political Return (By SAM DOLNICK, NY Times)
• The Andrew Effect (By Reid Pillifant, NY Observer) It's not clear this year that voters will be inclined to vote straight party lines, but it will be up to Mr. Cuomo to draw Democrats and Democratically inclined independents to the polls, particularly in parts of the state that don't have any particularly competitive down-ballot elections happening.

WORKING FAMILIES PARTY

• WFP & Cuomo, sittin' in a tree: But there's no real love in this odd marriage (Bill Hammond, Daily News)

NY Primary - Pedro Espada, Jr.: "He doesn't do what the parties tell him to do"

From Bronx News Network:
"Scenes From Outside the Polls at Amalgamated Houses"

Several yards away stood two Espada volunteers: Harry Kresky (pictured, left) of Manhattan and Kirsten Fulda (pictured, right) of New Jersey, both members of the Independence Party who said they admired Espada for his, well, independence.

"He doesn't do what the parties tell him to do," said Kresky, a lawyer who, interestingly, once represented Dr. Lenora Fulani, a radical former presidential candidate, who endorsed Espada last week.

Both Kresky and Fulda said they were impressed with Espada's record of creating a string of health clinics in the south Bronx.

I'm an Independent Voter - Can I Vote in the Primary in Washington DC?

No! Only party registrants can vote in their party primaries (see FairVote) (Also see IndependentVoting.org)

From Washington Post 44

DC primary election 2010

The Washington, D.C. primary features a few interesting races, most notably the Democratic Mayoral primary. As Mike DeBonis, Miranda S. Spivack and Michael Laris explain: 

The main attraction in the city is a heated Democratic mayoral race pitting incumbent Adrian M. Fenty against the D.C. Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray. Also on the Democratic ticket, council member Kwame R. Brown (At Large) and former council member Vincent B. Orange Sr. are leading contenders to replace Gray. Democratic voters will also cast ballots in a citywide council race and in four ward races, as well as contested elections for congressional delegate and statehood representative.

More explanation of D.C.'s races here.

Live Updates throughout the day will be appearing on the Washington Post's DC Wire

Latest news: Gray campaign to request longer polling hours at precincts that had problems this morning; Board of Elections responds; Fenty and Gray both have voted (videos); problems held up voting at Sherwood Rec Center.

More on DC Wire. 

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)

NEW YORK Primary News of the Morning, Tuesday, September 14, 2010

NEW YORK
NOTE: New York is a closed primary state, meaning that only party registrants can vote in the primary. The NY Independence Party allows unaffiliated voters to vote in its primaries. 

• It’s a Busy Day for Voters as They Narrow the Fields (By DAVID W. CHEN, NY Times) The most anticipated race involves State Senator Pedro Espada Jr., a Bronx Democrat who is facing civil corruption charges. A wide array of groups is backing Mr. Espada’s opponent, Gustavo Rivera.... In a bitterly contested race to represent the East Side of Manhattan, Representative Carolyn B. Maloney, a nine-term Democrat, is favored against a young and well-financed hedge fund lawyer, Reshma Saujani....
• Primary Day: Paladino smells upset in GOP governor's race; Schneiderman, Rice in bitter Dem AG duel (BY KENNETH LOVETt, DAILY NEWS ALBANY BUREAU CHIEF)
• Morning Read: Zero Day (By David Freedlander, NY Observer) links online
• New Yorkers Head To The Polls On Primary Day (CBS NY )
• Affiliated voters to weigh in on county and state races in today's primaries (Saratogian)

ESPADA
NOTE: New York independents are supporting independent reformer Pedro Espada for re-election. Don't be fooled by the machine! Re-elect Pedro Espada.

• Rivera Confident of Victory, But Concerned About Espada's Campaign Tactics (Bronx News Network)
• Reports of dirty tricks in race between Senate Majority Leader Pedro Espada and Gustavo Rivera (BOB KAPPSTATTER, EXCERPT Ny Daily News)
• DC 37 Won’t Bother Embattled Espada, Opting for Neutrality (By DAVID SIMS, The Chief) [subscription only]
• Vote today to boot out scoundrels (By CARL CAMPANILE, NY Post)
• Samuels plugs away on primary day (by Rick Karlin, Albany Times Union/Capitol Confidential)
• NOTE: This is a good example of machine media cynicism and one of the reasons the independent movement is growing like wildfire - carry on, foolish ones!: Make our day: Cast your vote to start throwing the bums out and cleaning up Albany (EDITORIALS Daily News) Rivera towers over Espada in integrity and in a knowledgeable commitment to working-class issues. Major plus: Rivera also lives in the district, unlike Espada, a carpetbagger from Westchester.
• Does Breslin have to worry about challenger Martland? (WTEN, By JOHN McLOUGHLIN) Martland, however, says Breslin is part of the problem because he simply follows the Democratic leadership and does not do enough to rid the Capitol of lawmakers such as Pedro Espada, who is under investigation for alleged corruption.

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS 9/13/10

James Madison by Gilbert Stuart

• Independence as Independents (By: Charlie Brenner, The Quad - Univ. of West Chester University) As long serving Representatives and Senators return to their home states to face a largely bitter American public, we can expect to see many incumbents joining their constituents in the unemployment line this November. Voters on both sides of the political spectrum are disenfranchised with the status quo bureaucracy of Washington, and neither Republicans nor Democrats have a solid platform from which to campaign. That is why I have proudly registered myself as an Independent voter, and remain convinced that the key to fixing our broken Washington system comes from the American public depolarizing and voting from a neutral, unpartisan perspective.   

• Few voters may be key factor on Tuesday (Ted Nesi, WPRI Providence RI) Unaffiliated voters can choose to cast a ballot in either the Democratic or Republican primary. The deadline to register for the November general election is Oct. 2. More information on where to vote is available at  rhodeisland.onpolitix.com .

• Paging Dr. House: Pro-Gustavo Rivera Docs Diagnose Espada-Itis (BY CELESTE KATZ, Daily News/Daily Politics)  Espada, who has been attacked from all sides as he tries to hold on to his office, recently received the backing of former state Independence Party chief Lenora Fulani and a group of Bronx clergy and says he's not giving up.

WFP

• With DFS Quiet In 2010, DSCC Helps Fund New WFP Campaign Account (By Edward-Isaac Dovere, City Hall News) According to the WFP Campaign Committee’s expense allocations, that money was spent so far on Suzi Oppenheimer (for $153) and primarily on Gustavo Rivera, who is trying to unseat Senate Majority Leader Pedro Espada in Tuesday’s Democratic primary. According to campaign finance disclosures, Rivera is one of the other big funders of the WFP Campaign Committee, transferring $30,000 to it from his own campaign account in August—though the campaign committee’s filings only show $20,000 received.
• Working Families Party To Endorse Andrew Cuomo For Governor, Cuomo Accepts: Updated x 3 » (BY CELESTE KATZ, Daily News/Daily Politics) "While some of our members have differed in the past on some of the specific issues in the New NY Agenda, the Executive Committee unanimously takes this position because we understand and accept Andrew's point that this is a pivotal moment in the history of this state, similar to the 1975 New York City fiscal crisis, when leaders in the labor, civic, business and political arena must put aside their individual agendas for the good of the entire state.

I'm an Independent Voter - Can I Vote in the Primary in New York?

No! Absolutely not! Why? Because the party bosses say so, that's why! -- Which is why New York independents are fighting for open primaries.

See IndependentVoting.org

From What Is an Open Primary on eHow:

The following states have closed primaries:
Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota and Wyoming.

• 2 Insurgents Could Hurt G.O.P. Chances for Senate Takeover (By NATE SILVER, NY Times/FiveThirtyEight)

Lenora Fulani is supporting Pedro Espada for State Senate - see here and here:

Pedro Espada, Jr.: Independent Reformer for New York

NOTE: Every politician and their brother is attacking Pedro Espada. That's because he's independent. The parties don't control him and he went up to that cesspool in Albany - aka the New York State Assembly - as a real reformer. The Hankster, for one, will be volunteering for Pedro's campaign this weekend. 

I'm an Independent Voter - Can I Vote in the Primary in Maryland?

No! You have to be affiliated with a party. From About Baltimore:

Maryland's primary elections are usually closed, meaning that only voters affiliated with a party may vote in that party's primary. So independent voters and voters registered in a party that does not have a primary may not vote in another party's primary. However, in 2000 the Maryland Republican Party held an open primary.
The deadline to change from one party to another or to change to or from unaffiliated or independent status is 9 p.m. on the Monday 12 weeks prior to the primary election. This does not apply to voters who have moved from one Maryland jurisdiction to another since the last general election. These voters have until three weeks before the primary.

See IndependentVoting.org

• Many candidates but few fireworks in Maryland's congressional primaries (By Ben Pershing, Washington Post) "Regardless of who wins the Republican primary, we are confident voters will agree that the only way to fix Washington is to elect representatives with the independence to make decisions based on facts and common sense, not on politics," said Kratovil campaign manager Jessica Klonsky.

I'm an Independent Voter - Can I Vote in the Primary in Delaware?

No! Only partisans can vote in the first round of voting... (Wikipedia)

• Delaware, New Hampshire Primaries Test Tea Party's National Strength - Insurgent Christine O'Donnell could upset establishment pick Mike Castle as Kelly Ayotte tries to hold off Ovide Lamontagne (By JESSICA RETTIG, US News & World Report)

See IndependentVoting.org

I'm an Independent Voter - Can I Vote in the Primary in Rhode Island?

Yes you can! From FairVote:

'

If you are registered as "unaffiliated" you may vote in the primary of any party you choose. Once you vote in a primary, however, you are considered a member of that party until and unless you "disaffiliate".

Also see IndependentVoting.org

• Few voters may be key factor on Tuesday -  Campaigns prepare as low turnout forecast (Ted Nesi, WPRI - Providence)

I'm an Independent Voter - Can I Vote in the Primary in Wisconsin?

Yes you can! Welcome to Wisconsin's “open” primary. It's one of the few presidential contests in which voters are actually encouraged to color outside the partisan lines. From "How Wisconsin's historic open primary was temporarily closed" by Tom Still in Wisconsin Technology Network News)

Also see IndependentVoting.org

• Will voters cross over? Some Republicans are worried that Democrats will vote in the GOP primary tomorrow to muck up the results of a heated race for governor. (By: Shawn Johnson, WPR, Rivertowns.net)

I'm an Independent Voter - Can I Vote in the Primary in Massachusetts?

Yes you can! From FairVote:  Registered Democrats and Republicans can only vote for their own party in the primary but independent voters may decide which party they would like to vote for. (Also see IndependentVoting.org)

• Bump, Glodis produce some bruises (By Shaun Sutner Worcester TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF) Democrats lost ground, dropping from 31 percent in 2006 to 30 percent this year, while Republicans saw their ranks reduced even more markedly, shrinking from 13.9 percent four years ago to 12.8 percent today. As it stands, independents continue by far outnumbering Democrats and Republicans combined in Worcester County. 
• Dogfight in 10th - District features tough primary races as GOP aims for control of House (By Brian C. Mooney, Boston Globe Staff)
• Clerks predict 20 percent voter turnout in Massachusetts primary (Dan Ring, The Republican) Top election leaders in Western Massachusetts are predicting a low voter turnout for Tuesday’s statewide primary, citing the lack of a governor’s contest, long-standing apathy about preliminary elections and a growing number of independent voters. 

I'm an Independent Voter - Can I Vote in the Primary in New Hampshire?

Yes you can! Undeclared voters — those not registered with any party — can vote in either party primary.  In 2009, partisans unsuccessfully tried to make changes to this rule. (Also see IndependentVoting.org for more info and connections for independents in New Hampshire)

From Steve Peoples at CQ Politics, Ayotte's Lead Narrows in N.H. GOP Senate Primary:


Ayotte led 37 percent to Lamontagne's 30 percent among likely Republican primary voters. Deep-pocketed businessman Bill Binnie garnered just 13 percent, despite having spent nearly $6 million out of his own pocket, while another conservative favorite, Jim Bender, finished last with 12 percent.

The survey of 1,134 likely Republican primary voters (New Hampshire's open primary system allows voters of all political affiliations to participate in the contest) was conducted Saturday and Sunday. The margin of error was 2.9 points.

NY Daily News: Lenora Fulani Endorses Sen. Pedro Espada, Jr.

Lenora Fulani Endorses Sen. Pedro Espada, Jr. For Re-Election »

BY CELESTE KATZ

Who says everyone's running to endorse Gustavo Rivera in The Bronx's 33rd SD? State Senate Majority Leader Pedro Espada, Jr. now has the public backing of Lenora Fulani....


Read the full text of Fulani's endorsement here.