Hankster News of the Day for Independent Voters - July8

ARIZONA OPEN PRIMARIES

• Brewer cancels Legislature's special session (Mary Jo Pitzl, The Republic/azcentral.com) The action, or lack thereof, means the Open Elections/Open Government initiative -- if it qualifies -- will not have to share space on the November ballot with a competing measure. Designed to draw Arizona's growing ranks of independent voters to the polls during primary elections, the measure would allow candidates to run without party labels. If a candidate decides to list a party, it would have to match his or her voter registration form. The option of not listing party affiliation troubled Brewer and some lawmakers.
• CAPE PAC Reaches Out to Independents in Arizona (PRESS RELEASE PRNewswire) "Unfortunately many of these Independent voters don't realize their rights and that they can still get out and vote for whomever they choose. Our efforts are aimed at helping to spread the word with Independents in Arizona about what a great Senator Jeff Flake will make. We hope to keep a seat in Arizona for the Republican Party, and help Flake become a strong, fiscal Conservative voice for The Grand Canyon State in the years to come," Loyd said.

OHIO REDISTRICTING
Amendment would put Ohio politics back on right path (by Joe Hallett is senior editor at The Dispatch, OPINION Columbus Dispatch) A group of advocates from the League of Women Voters, Common Cause, the Ohio Council of Churches, Citizen Action, the NAACP and other organizations appear to have gathered enough signatures to put before voters an amendment to change the way congressional and legislative districts are drawn.

CALIFORNIA INDEPENDENTS FEEL THE HEAT
California voters don't like midyear cuts targeting education, Field Poll finds (Associated Press, MERCURY NEWS) Opposition to the so-called "trigger cuts" is greatest among Democrats -- 79 percent -- but 68 percent of independent voters and 65 percent of Republicans also oppose it, according to the poll.

INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• This year, more Americans celebrate Independence Day as independents (Amy E. Black/The Christian Science Monitor in Alaska Dispatch) This July 4th, as Americans celebrate Independence Day, a different type of independence is growing in size and influence – political independents, those voters who choose not to align with either major party. A recent Pew Research Center poll captured headlines with its report that the divide between Democrats and Republicans is widening into a significant gulf. That's indeed noteworthy, but the data reveal an equally important political development that risks getting overlooked. A record-high 38 percent of Americans now describe themselves as independents.
• Gallop Poll- 50% Of US Hispanics Identify as Independent Voters (Hispanically Speaking News) A majority of U.S. Hispanics identify as political independents (51%) rather than as Democrats (32%) or Republicans (11%). However, once their partisan leanings are taken into account, most Hispanics affiliate with the Democratic Party (52%) rather than the Republican Party (23%). Both sets of numbers shift more decisively in the Democrats’ favor among the roughly half of U.S. Hispanics who are registered to vote.
• Still Waiting For That Declaration Of Independents (by Ken Rudin, NPR/Political junkie with Ken Rudin) This year a different approach was made. This time, an organization provided not a candidate but a mechanism for one to get on the ballot. Americans Elect raised millions of dollars and already attained ballot access in 28 states (on its way to all 50 states plus D.C.), asking supporters to draft a candidate online. The problem? No "big name" came forward to run, and the leading online candidate, GOP dropout Buddy Roemer, failed to get the 10,000 signatures that Americans Elect demanded. The organization and its effort folded in May. While many third parties appear on the November ballots, some states have tougher ballot access laws than others. (Check out Richard Winger's Ballot Access News for the most reliable updates.)
• Independents thrilled with neither Obama, Romney health reform plans (Posted by CNN's Gregory Wallace) Only one in four independent voters approve of Romney's plans and only two in five approve of Obama's plans, according to the ABC News/Washington Post poll released on Tuesday. It is the third major national poll conducted and released since the landmark Supreme Court ruling on Obama's law last Thursday.
• Half of Hispanic voters identify as independent rather than partisan (Posted by Kate Riley, Seattle Times) About 51 percent of Hispanic voters identified themselves as political independents in a Gallup poll released Monday. Meanwhile, about 32 percent identified themselves as Democrats and only 11 percent as Republicans.  NOTE: SEE GALLUP ABOVE
• Half of U.S. Hispanics Identify as Political Independents - But more than half identify as or lean Democratic (by Jeffrey M. Jones, Gallup.com) PRINCETON, NJ -- A majority of U.S. Hispanics identify as political independents (51%) rather than as Democrats (32%) or Republicans (11%). However, once their partisan leanings are taken into account, most Hispanics affiliate with the Democratic Party (52%) rather than the Republican Party (23%). Both sets of numbers shift more decisively in the Democrats' favor among the roughly half of U.S. Hispanics who are registered to vote.
• Independent Voters and The Legacy of 1776 (By Timothy Troutner, IVN) In the midst of Independence Day fireworks, picnics, and barbecues earlier this week, our culture celebrated our political system. Our Founding Fathers made us free, so we celebrate our current system of democracy. The implication is that the system we have now is what the Founders envisioned, and– by corollary– that those who are critical of the system are unpatriotic. The fact is that our current system is not what the men who authored the Declaration of Independence had in mind, and that independent voters are following the true legacy of 1776.

California Top Two Open Primary: Now You're in a New World!

California's first top two open primary results (and lest we forget, the activity and the hard-fought grassroots movement that spoke to our national increasingly independent political dismay over the past 15 years, the people who gathered thousands upon thousands of signatures to get on the ballot and engineered a win by referendum (California Proposition 14) in a partisan primary in the state of California, to allow independents to vote in primaries -- INDEED, let's try to be straight here -- to include all voters and attempt to do away with partisan primaries and party privilege altogether, AND which WON at the ballot box in June 2010, has now seen its first practical results last week.

And not surprisingly, made some select headlines this week, notably: "Now you're in a new world..." and "leading the people in the purple T-shirts to push the Republican Party to the middle..." Note to Dan Morain and Ben Tulchin -- good luck gaming Top Two for Dems, Repubs and ideologues (aka "moderates"...)

Word to the wise:  Talk with some independents who are building the real on-the-ground movement of serious political independents who don't so much cotton to "moving" any political party anywhere. That's a partisan fantasy. We're looking to take over the political means of production. We're talking to each other and making plans. We're grassroots and gathering numbers, strategy, strength and, frankly, a national moral high ground. Pay attention! Look!


CALIFORNIA TOP TWO OPEN PRIMARY

• Analysis: Brown returns to inside game of wooing Republicans (By Steven Harmon, Contra Costa Times) "There might be some protection money to protect a moderate vote," said Ben Tulchin, a Democratic pollster. "Before, with a closed primary in a conservative district, you couldn't do anything to dislodge them. But you're in a new world now. We'll have new districts and with open primaries, the threat from the right is smaller ---- you won't get taken out in a primary. If you're a moderate, you'll have a better chance of winning."
• Dan Morain: SEIU leader wants to prod GOP to the center (By Dan Morain, Sac Bee) Although the 2012 primary is a year away, Kieffer is focusing on new open primary rules, understanding that the system can be gamed in ways that could force conservatives into losing fights with moderates... For 20 years, the SEIU has played almost exclusively in Democratic politics. More than any other interest group, the union drove the party hard to the left. Now Kieffer is leading the people in the purple T-shirts to push the Republican Party to the middle, understanding, as he does, purple is a combination of red and blue, the colors of the two parties.

And in the meantime, below is the usual negative commentary from Richard Winger's anti-Top Two campaign which he promotes on his otherwise excellent round-up of practical, legislative and media sources that might fuel a movement to turn the country around and open up the political system... Too bad...

• Commentary on California’s Experience with “Top-Two” in Recent Congressional Election (Ballot Access News) SEE following 3 articles linked to BAN
• California’s Open Primary: An Open Can of Worms? (BILL WHALEN, Advancing a Free Society, Hoover Institution/Stanford University) Judging by the results, Californians might want to take a mulligan on last year’s Prop 14 vote. In a district where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by 18%, the surprise outcome was a July runoff between . . . a Democrat and a Republican. Not a principled Democrat who ran on health care or foreign policy, mind you, but one whose strategy was to purposely dilute the progressive vote. As for the Republican, he’s a little-known advertising exec whose stem-the-tidal-wave-of-red-ink ad was music to the Tea Partiers’ ears: two kids at a lemonade stand, getting socked by a $427,000 tax bill (each kid’s share of the $14 trillion national debt). In other words, a runoff between two pols not to be mistaken for a couple of holier-than-thou moderates.
• Open primary in CA: adios, democracy (T.A. Barnhart, Blue Oregon) I have been unstinting in my criticism of “open primaries”. I voted against a Portland School District candidate because he had been endorsed by Phil Kiesling, who keeps trying to flog this anti-democratic idea in Portland. I have argued against “open primaries” (which can take various forms but all have the same outcomes) for two reasons: political parties should be free to select their nominees for public office without intrusion from non-members, and small “third” parties will be obliterated./
• Legal case against Top Two Primaries, Proposition 14 and SB 6 - Richard Winger and Gautam Dutta (Green Party of California co-spokesperson Michael Feinstein YouTube Channel)

UTAH OPEN PRIMARY VS. CAUCUS
OUR VIEW: Voters should choose candidates (By Standard-Examiner Editorial Board) Utah's political parties should move to a primary system to select candidates for office. A state convention that allows a tiny percentage of party members to select candidates is exclusionary. An open primary winner would better represent the values and beliefs of the voters he represents.

ARIZONA OPEN PRIMARY
Arizona's political center yet to find a voice (DAILY SUN EDITORIAL BOARD) In other words, at least two-thirds of the lawmakers in the next session are likely to come from districts where the outcome is not only decided in the primary but decided in favor of a party ideologue -- moderate candidates just can't seem to turn out enough supporters in August to finish any better than second. That's why we continue to push for an open primary for all parties, with the top two finishers going on to the general election in November. That way, the second-place finisher in a primary in a lopsided district -- the norm in Arizona -- at least gets a chance to appeal to a broader electorate not once but twice -- in the primary and the general election.

NEW YORK

• NY-26: At T - 3 Days, Poll Says Hochul Leads (BY CELESTE KATZ, Daily News/Daily Politics) Siena: "Viewed more favorably than Corwin or independent Jack Davis, Hochul has moved  from trailing Corwin by five points, 36 to 31% in Siena’s April 29 poll to having a lead three days  before the election. Davis has dropped as the choice of likely voters from 23 to only 12%." Green Party candidate Ian Murphy registers 1% support, with 7% of respondents undecided.
• Analysis: Gay marriage in NY hits stumbling blocks (by Michael Gormley, AP, Seattle Post Intelligencer) Frank MacKay, the influential chairman of the state Independence Party, told The Associated Press last week that he personally supports gay marriage. He noted the state's third largest party opposes "discrimination and prejudice in all its myriad forms." That could counter pressure from state Conservative Party Chairman Michael Long, who said lawmakers voting for gay marriage won't carry his line.

California "Top Two" to Encounter First Real Test

California's "Top Two" will likely face its first real test on May 17th when two democratic candidates, Los Angeles City Councilwoman Janice Hahn and California Secretary of State Debra Bowen vie for a congressional seat.

CALIFORNIA PROP 14, REPUBS & INDIES

• Process issue will define CA GOP (Ben Smith, Politico) The conservative party leadership, led by outgoing party Chairman Ron Nehring, has proposed that the party choose and designate a candidate despite the changed system, and that only the party choice be able to benefit from -- among other things -- crucial state party financial support.
• Thomas D. Elias: Congress race may be first true test of 'top 2' primary (By Thomas D. Elias, LA Daily News) But if Hahn or Bowen, both proven vote-getters with enduring popularity at opposite ends of the district, can pull large numbers of independent voters, it's possible this district could see the first-ever Democrat vs. Democrat runoff race at midsummer. There is, however, a wild card here. Leftist Democrat Marcy Winograd, a self-described "progressive" and a high school teacher who twice gave Harman stiff primary challenges (she won 37 percent of the Democratic vote in 2006 and 41 percent in 2010), could sneak into the runoff if she hangs on to most of the voters who previously went for her.
• Independent voters surge in California (Central Valley Business Times) A new all-time high percentage of California voters, 20.4 percent, have no party preference, according to the latest Report of Registration from Secretary of State Debra Bowen. The previous record for the proportion of unaffiliated voters was 20.25 percent of all registered voters, reported in October 2010.

California: special alert -- Recount for independent voters

Registrar spokesman Paul Drugan said 48,525 Democratic primary votes cast by independents were added to the county total. Clinton won 51 percent of the vote, while Sen. Barack Obama collected 42 percent. With the recount, Clinton maintained her overall lead in the state's most populous county. (Monterey County Herald)

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

FLORIDA

• Robust turnout suggests GOP has no lock on state (Herald Tribune - Sarasota) But the key challenge for the Democratic nominee is winning over independents. One in five voters in Florida is not affiliated with either party, meaning they will form a substantial swing vote.
• Fla. win cements McCain's front-runner status (By Jill Lawrence, USA TODAY) Among voters who were registered GOP but called themselves independents, McCain won 2-1.
• For McCain, Momentum That May Be Hard to Stop (By Dan Balz, Washington Post) While not the darling of the conservative establishment, McCain is seen by many rank-and-file Republicans, and some party leaders, as their most electable nominee. They also consider him the one with the greatest opportunity to reach beyond the party's base to draw independent voters, who have swung toward Democrats in the past two years.
• Large Turnout But Few Problems (WFTV Orlando) The biggest problem, Browning said, was voters who had not declared a party affiliation showing up expecting to vote for a presidential candidate and being told they could not.
• Sarasota County voters head to the polls (WWSB ABC 7 Sarasota) Another problem: irate Independent voters. "There have been several people come out disgusted. They were all registered Independents. They came here thinking they would be able to vote and it's voter confusion," said voter Ken Wingate.
• Democrats shut out of Florida (By Mark Potter, NBC Field Notes) For local Democrats there was the sickening realization they may have just shot themselves in the foot with many of the state's famously independent voters come November.
• Leon doesn't follow state voting trends (By Julian Pecquet, Tallahassee Democrat) Carlos Verney, a member of the College Democrats. He called for the state to adopt open primaries.

MISSOURI

• Hulshof joins governor race (By Virginia Young, St. Louis Post Dispatch) Hulshof projects himself as an outsider; his district is a "haven for independents" ...

ARIZONA

• Independent voters: A force that should be recognized (Arizona Republic)

CALIFORNIA

• California Independents Like Obama, But Will Have Trouble Voting For Him (Max Follmer, The Huffington Post) "Independent voters are making an unprecedented impact on primary elections across America this year. But in California, if you don't know to ask for a Democratic ballot, you don't get to vote for President," said Rick Jacobs, founder of the Courage Campaign, a progressive grass-roots organization in California that has launched an effort to inform independent voters about voting in the presidential primary.
• Calif. Independents Barred from GOP Primary (by Ina Jaffe, NPR)
• Commentary: You May Have Your Ballot, But You May Not Be Able to Vote (By Constance M. Piesinger, Berkeley Daily Planet)

SUPER TUESDAY

• Obama Team Sets Sights On Post-Super Tuesday Prizes (Huffington Post ) ..among the 22 Super Tuesday states are 16 "where decent attendance from undeclared and independent voters" would favor Obama. This is the conventional wisdom. This is why that massive phone bank for Obama last Saturday in the California field offices (220,000 calls made) targeted those voters.
• Useful Brennan Center Article about Deadlines for Independent Voters to Re-Register, if they Want to Vote in Presidential Primaries (Ballot Access News) SEE REFERENCED ARTICLE BELOW
• Shhh, Or Independents Might Actually Get to Vote (By Renée Paradis, Brennan Center blog)
• INDEPENDENTS GO HOME-Open Primaries Are Killing Democracy (Ted Rall, Yahoo News) NOTE: Ted thinks polarization is good for democracy...... he's a real fighter, but he's on the wrong side of the issue...

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

SOUTH CAROLINA

• The Mac is back (Orangeburg Times and Democrat)
• Cold, wet weather keeps many at home (The State)
• McCain Defeats Huckabee, Wins S.C. Primary (CBS/AP)
• POLL SUMMARY: South Carolina Democratic Primary Saturday, January 26 (RealClearPolitics)

NEVADA

• Potentially troubling news in Clinton's Nevada win (CNN Political Ticker)
• SKY-HIGH TURNOUT: Clinton hails win in the West-Candidate also tops Obama at controversial Strip precincts (Las Vegas Review-Journal)
• Clinton wins Nevada (By Las Vegas Sun)

CALIFORNIA

• California independents an election enigma (Mark Baldassare, San Francisco Chronicle)
• Barred by GOP, independents may be key to Calif. Democratic race (Mercury News)

MINNESOTA

• Caucus locations listed on Internet (The Fergus Falls Daily Journal)

NEW YORK

• Some of the ins, outs of the flurry of parties' primaries (Rochester Democrat and Chronicle)
• In Harlem, tough choice: Clinton or Obama? (by Elaine Rivera, WNYC)
• Supreme task for Silver (NY Daily News)

GENERAL

• The Coalitions Form (Politics Blog, Matt Cooper, Conde Nast Capital Portfolio)
• Organizing matters: the lesson from Hillary's NV win (Zack Exley, Huffington Post)
• Racial Politics, Clinton Style (Ari Berman , The Nation)
• In blacks, Obama seeks untapped well of support-Get-out-vote push paying off, polls suggest (By Scott Helman, Boston Globe)
• New Clarity, for Both Parties (By David S. Broder, Washington Post The Trail)
• African American candidates in presidential race give voters chance to make history (Augusta GA Chronicle)

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• Washington: Party ties mean less as voters shift their allegiance (By David Postman, Seattle Times) NOTE: Somebody should tell Mr. Postman that independents are independent because they don't like the parties.....
• California: Some voters temporarily switch parties (North County Times) NOTE: Indies can vote in the Dem primary, but not the Repub.....
• Independents' Day (Washington Post LETTER)
• South Carolina: Independents’ impact key (The State) NOTE: The Repub primary in South Carolina is today.... as is the Nevada caucus

Independent voters in Arizona and California

Thousands of Arizona independent voters changed their registrations in time to participate in the state's Feb. 5 presidential primary, with more becoming Democrats than Republicans. (AP - Arizona Family)

On Feb. 5, some California independent voters (officially known as "Decline-to-State") will be in for an unpleasant surprise. They'll go to their polling place expecting to vote in the primary of their choice - as New Hampshire and Michigan independents were able to do - only to find out that they can vote only in the Democratic or American Independent Party primaries, but they can't vote in the Republican presidential primary. (San Francisco Chronicle)

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• Good time for voters to think for themselves (Nashua Telegraph)
• California politicians can't reform themselves-Editorials about the SCHIP veto and City Hall lobbying point to the need for third-party reform. (LA Times)
• New Louisiana governor targets ethics (Philadelphia Inquirer)

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• New Oregon Independent Party is state's fastest-growing (Statesman Journal)
• 1994 Redux: The Consequences of Dems' New NAFTA (David Sirota-Huffington Post)
• Clinton's Familiar Third Rail-AARP debate report (Washington Post)
• Schwarzenegger says independent voters are key (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE)
• Schwarzenegger tells GOP faithful to court independents (KGET - San Diego)
• Polls look bad for Kinky Dem run (Waco Tribune)
• Minnesota stands out in the Midwest for the strong showings third party candidates (Hometown Source)
• Ohio Court Ducks Issue of Who Can Circulate Petitions (Ballot Access News)