Ohio Independent Voters Protest Voting Restrictions

Independent voters across the country are protesting exclusion from party-run private primaries. In Ohio check out their website at http://independentohio.org/ or email Cynthia Carpathios at ccarpathios@independentohio.org http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2014/05/independent_voters_protest_ohi.html

Rick Robel at protest in Columbus.

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 17

INDEPENDENT VOTERS
Independent Voters of America Seeks to Reduce Gridlock (By johnschneideR, IVN) At the end of May the team at Independent Voters of America announced the launch of the most inclusive ongoing study of independent voters’ opinions with our iVoter Project. Our goal is to build the most comprehensive database of how independent voters really feel about a diverse range of political issues, and to use the analysis of this database to challenge the narrative perpetuated by the mainstream media, major polling organizations and the two mainstream political parties regarding the role of independent voters in elections and our political system.

ARIZONA

• Highly Influential registered independent latino voter – Carlos Sierra writes Arizona Rep. Ruben Gallegos (by Dee Dee Garcia Blase, Tucson Citizen) He is a registered Latino independent voter now.  He was the national campaign advisor for Independent candidate –Buddy Roemer who ran for President, too.  In addition to that, Sierra worked for Sen. John McCain for almost a decade in community outreach and made many, many friends and worked with grassroots leaders in the Democratic, Republican and Independent Party here in Arizona … which puts him in the highly influential category for the State of Arizona.
• Arizona elections may bring Democratic-majority delegation (by Rebekah L. Sanders and Dan Nowicki, Tucson Citizen) Republicans hold the voter- registration edge in Arizona, about 1.2 million to 1 million Democratic voters. Independents make up roughly another 1.2 million.

OHIO
Commenters have plenty to say about independent voting trend (By Gayle Beck, CantonRep.com opinion page editor) All of this is the reason we should have open primary elections for presidential candidates, so we can vote for the best primary candidate regardless of their party. It is criminal that a person in Ohio cannot vote in a presidential primary without choosing one party’s ballot, which then lists you as a Rep or Dem in the public voter registration lists. Then, these voter lists showing Rep or Dem with the person’s name are published online in some counties — which in effect means we have no secret vote, and we have no way of voting for the best candidate who might be of the other party. If we go “non-partisan,” then we cannot vote in the primary. It is ridiculous and un-American.  Thinkingamerican

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 Independent Voters - July 3

INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• What do independent voters want? More say in our government and an end to partisanship, gridlock (By Cynthia Carpathios, Special to The Canton Repository)
• Jacqueline Salit: What went wrong with third party movement in 2012 (By Jacqueline Salit, Sun Sentinel) In this, Ackerman and company misread independent voters, the self-declared engine for a new direction in American politics.  Independents want to root out systemic partisanship.  They don’t want to ameliorate it with appeals to centrism, bipartisanship or a better brand of candidate.
• Independent and swing voters: What’s the difference? (msnbc VIDEO aired on June 27, 2012) MSNBC’s Thomas Roberts speaks with Linda Killian, author of “The Swing Vote” about the differences between swing and independent voters, and what independent voters are looking for in 2012.
• Poll: Most Hispanics independent voters (CNN's Kevin Liptak, CNN Political Ticker) The USA Today/Gallup poll indicated 51% of Hispanics identifying as independents, compared to 32% who called themselves Democrats and 11% who said they were Republicans.
• Your voting habits have included changing, or dropping, parties (By Gayle Beck, CantonRep.com opinion page editor) Female Canton voter: “I am a lifelong independent. My main allegiance has been to supporting what’s best for our country and our communities, not to a political party.”
• This 4th of July: The dawn of a new 'independents' day - A record-high 38 percent of Americans now describe themselves as independents. Republican and Democratic party leaders ignore this growing lack of party allegiance at their peril. Whichever party shifts to accommodate more moderate voters first will survive and even thrive. (By Amy E. Black, Christian Science Monitor)

OHIO CITIZEN REDISTRICTING

• ‘Voters First’ Initiative on Redistricting Sends Mixed Signals (By Timothy Troutner, IVN) If the campaign receives 385,000 signatures by July 3, a constitutional amendment can come before Ohio voters. This campaign has correctly diagnosed the problem. When the ones being elected are allowed to draw up districts, they will do so in a way that favors their interests. Our current system allows the fox to guard the henhouse.
• Politicians don't like redistricting-commission proposal (Thomas Suddes, OPINION Columbus Dispatch) Some Ohioans see politics as just a wimpy version of the Browns-Steelers or Ohio State-Michigan rivalries. But lopsided districts have real-world consequences for real-world voters. In a Statehouse or Capitol crammed with self-righteous partisans from safe districts, debates become manhood contests. That signals who claims the most testosterone, but solves no problems.

CALIFORNIA TOP TWO

• Voter Says 'Top Two' Law Disenfranchised Her (By MATT REYNOLDS, Courthouse News Service) A black woman claims in Federal Court that California's "Top Two" primary law has left her, unconstitutionally, with no Democratic congressional candidate to vote for in November.
• Abel Maldonado dividing point among Republicans (OPINION By STEVE BARTOWSKI, Cal Coast News.com) Until his run for Congress and even up through the primary, Maldonado was cool to even receiving his own party’s support, declaring “I’m not looking for the endorsement of any small political groups that are out there, I’m looking for the endorsement of the people of the 24th Congressional District.” Maldonado even went as to rally behind New York’s mayor Michael Bloomberg in his campaign for a “No Labels Party”, and drafted Proposition 14 intentionally in hopes of muting partisan politics and ushering in a new era of moderate politicians. It was a move that drew the ire of the California Republican Party, which unsuccessfully fought Prop 14 during the 2010 election.

OKLAHOMA CLOSED PRIMARIES
Oklahoma voters can go to polls Tuesday for state and county primary elections -- Democrats and Republicans have the same number of primary races across Oklahoma; Republicans dominate the state-level races with the most primaries, while Democrats dominate the county-level races with the most primaries. Independent voters cannot participate in Tuesday's election. (By Megan Rolland, The Oklahoman)

NEW YORK POLITICS

• Incumbents Charles Rangel*, Orrin Hatch Beat Back Primary Challenges (John Avlon, The Daily Beast) Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch easily defeated a Tea Party challenge. Left-wingnut and Mugabe-aficionado Charles Barron was decimated by New York Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries, despite the support of big labor in his Brooklyn congressional district. And in Harlem, Charles Rangel survived the most serious primary challenge of his 42-year congressional career. So much for the anti-incumbent narrative of 2012. Somewhere in exile, Nicolas Sarkozy must be feeling a bit jealous. But in the essentially one-party states of Utah and New York, the Republican and Democratic primaries produced results that reflected the strength of the establishment and the power of financial advantage.
• Familiar Face to Run Espada's Clinic (By JACOB GERSHMAN, Wall Street Journal) For Dr. Calman, the takeover of Soundview is something of a reunion. He was Soundview's first medical director when Mr. Espada opened it in 1981 and worked there until 1984, when he co-founded the Institute for Family Health.

* Breaking News: Too close to call

Hankster News of the Day for Independents - May 31

Top picks for today.

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• Independent Voters of America Launches, Dumping on Both Parties (BY Micah L. Sifry, techPresident) Wait a second, isn't that what the just-failed Americans Elect said it was going to do? Actually, no. Says Hillsman, "We are building the largest online community of self-identified independent voters, with the goals of bringing fresh voices and more choices into our politics, acting as a counterweight to the two major political parties, and to reduce gridlock, force progress and bring a new accountability to Washington." Americans Elect sought to create a ballot line for an artificially-engineered "centrist" presidential ticket. The plan with IVA, he says, is "to give self-identified independent voters a gathering place" and then "see where people want to take this."
• The “2nd largest Party” in Arizona, and Russell Pearce and Joe Arpaio supporters don’t want Independents to have an “open primary” (by Dee Dee Garcia Blase, Tucson Citizen/Hispanic Politico) As an independent voter …. I DO SUPPORT THE OPEN PRIMARIES! 
• As We See It: Not-so-open primary election (Santa Cruz Sentinel) Now it appears the only way party organizations can even have a voice is by making an endorsement early, which is what happened in the U.S. Senate race.
• Linda Parks, Open Primary, Stand in Democrats' Path in California (By Scott Bland,National Journal/Hotline) Despite that, Parks has national Democrats scared that she could cost the party a much-needed seat in Congress. As a moderate independent in a crowded race, Parks is positioned perfectly to take advantage of California's new all-party, top-two primary.
• Despite Pres. Nomination SD Has Plenty On Ballot (By Ben Dunsmoor,KELO-land TV) For the first time, registered Independent voters will be able to make their voices heard in a statewide primary. "We're the only party in the state that allows, not just allows but welcomes, Independents into our party to participate in our primary to vote and take an active role in deciding who the Democrat nominee is going to be in the general election," Nesselhuf said.
• Proposal aims to let voters pick their politicians (The Advertiser-Tribune, Tiffin OH) Among eight potential statewide ballot issues this November is a constitutional amendment that would create a non-partisan, independent citizens commission which would be responsible for drawing legislative and congressional boundaries in Ohio.
• CEO In Chief? A Business Background Is Rare For Presidents (By Jim Zarroli, WBUR Boston - NPR) Former Republican Rep. Mickey Edwards says many successful CEOs are good at big-picture thinking — understanding all the component parts of a problem. But Edwards also says that business and politics are very different endeavors, and that someone who succeeds in one won't necessarily do well in another. "To run around saying we must run government like a business is really a silly idea," Edwards says. "It shows a total lack of understanding of the purposes of government."
• Koch Prefers Kelly for Mayor, But Quinn 'Capable' (By Colby Hamilton, WNYC/The Empire) “The basic problem for most people who aren't committed to the existing candidates is a fear that they're all more left than what I think the city is or should be, and the fear that we might go back to the days of [former mayors John] Lindsay and [Abe] Beame and their predecessors with the city seeking to provide benefits that it's not capable of providing financially,” Koch said. “We're fearful--people like myself--that municipal unions will come back into power.”…. Koch said he believes next year’s election will come down to a runoff between Quinn and former city comptroller Bill Thompson.
• Staten Island Sen. Savino endorsed by state Independence Party (Tom Wrobleski/Staten Island Advance) Also endorsed by the party were Ms. Savino's fellow members of the breakaway Independent Democratic Conference (IDC): Sens. Jeff Klein (D-Bronx), David Valesky (D-Oneida) and David Carlucci (D-Rockland/Orange).
• IDC loves gets Indies, loves Morse, mocks Dems (by Jimmy Vielkind, Capitol bureau, Albany Times Union/Capitol Confidential) And both Klein and Savino reacted with some schadenfreude at news of a leadership struggle in the Democratic conference, which they left behind.
• Queens GOP endorsement sets the stage for rare Republican primary - Forest Hills lawyer Juan Reyes and Councilman Eric Ulrich set to face off (By Lisa L. Colangelo / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS) But the Queens Republican Party helped set that in motion last week when it announced the endorsement of Forest Hills lawyer Juan Reyes for the 15th District seat in the state Senate. Republican City Councilman Eric Ulrich, who has been at odds with the county GOP leadership, announced last month he was running to capture the seat currently held by Democratic state Sen. Joseph Addabbo Jr. Queens GOP leaders had been eyeing Reyes for some time, while Ulrich decided whether or not to run.

Labor Showdown in Ohio

LABOR
How Progressives Won the Labor Rights Showdown in Ohio (By Amy B. Dean, United Steelworkers) “In Wisconsin the only means available to us [for opposing Gov. Scott Walker] were partisan elections,” Booth said. “In recall elections, you have to overcome the bias against recalling sitting officials. And because of the constitutional framework in Wisconsin, we could only run recalls in districts that had been won by the Republicans in 2008, not the swing districts they seized in 2010. So it was a heavier lift. In Wisconsin, a very high percentage of the people who voted for Walker voted against the recall of their state senators.” Ohio, Booth noted, presented a different situation: “Doing a ballot measure is a non-partisan exercise. So 30 percent of the people who voted for Kasich in 2010 voted ‘no’ on the referendum. While we split the independent voters in the Wisconsin recall elections, we got a solid majority of them against Senate Bill 5 [in Ohio].”

The Partisan Prism: Ohio Voters' Defeat of SB5

2012
Following SB5 vote, GOP and Dems begin decoding Ohio voters ahead of 2012 (By David S. Lewis, The American Independent) But the Governor was elected in 2010, when Democrats were purged nationwide, the result of a massive effort by the Republican Party to place blame on the Obama administration and cast every Democrat as guilty by association.  Even so, Kasich was only elected by a 2-percent margin, or roughly 77,000 votes, over incumbent Ted Strickland, who was elected by nearly 50 percent more votes than his Republican challenger J. Kenneth Blackwell in 2006.

Threat to Collective Bargaining Right Rejected by Ohio Voters

OHIO ELECTION RESULTS

• Ohio repeals law restricting unions; Miss. blocks ‘personhood’ amendment (By Aaron Blake and Rachel Weiner, Washington Post) Ohioans voted Tuesday to repeal a Republican-backed law that restricted collective bargaining for public workers, while Mississippi voters blocked an amendment that would have defined a fertilized egg as a person.
• Ohio Voters Reject Law Limiting Public Unions (By Caitlin Huey-Burns, Real Clear Politics) Ohio voters on Tuesday gave Democrats and President Obama a welcome shot of the arm in the key battleground state by rejecting Republican Gov. John Kasich's signature achievement: a law that curbs collective bargaining rights for public employees. Voters resoundingly defeated the measure, 63 percent to 37 percent.
• Ohio voters reject Republican-backed union limits (AP - CBS News) The state's new collective bargaining law was defeated Tuesday after an expensive union-backed campaign that pitted firefighters, police officers and teachers against the Republican establishment. In a political blow to GOP Gov. John Kasich, voters handily rejected the law, which would have limited the bargaining abilities of 350,000 unionized public workers. With nearly 95 percent of the votes counted late Tuesday, about 61 percent were to reject the law.
• Elections may signal a pause in conservative trend (By Paul West, Washington Bureau, LA Times) AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, in Columbus, Ohio, to cheer a badly needed victory for organized labor and its Democratic allies, called the results a defeat for "those who spend their time scapegoating workers and pushing a partisan agenda."

Voters should be given the option to vote on whether Newark OH should eliminate political labels

NONPARTISAN ELECTIONS
Election is important to Newark, Ohio (Written by Marc Guthrie, Newark OH Advocate) A few words about nonpartisan local elections: Well more than 50 percent of Newark voters are registered "independents." The majority of Ohio's charter communities have eliminated partisan labels from local elections. Voters should be given the option to vote on whether Newark should eliminate political labels. Council doesn't need a majority leader and a minority leader because Ohio's sunshine law prohibits political caucusing about legislation, outside of public view. Newark needs eleven council members who are committed to serve citizens, without regard to partisanship or personalities.

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• Non-affiliated W.Va. voters invited to Dems' party (Herald Mail)
• Daniel Weintraub: Governor gets another shot at redistricting reform (Sac Bee)
• Mazzaglia: Pelosi or Gore plan for superdelegates? (Metrowest Daily News)
• Analysis: John McCain, Party Of One (CBSNews.com)
• Clinton's best hope is "Bubba" white men in North Carolina (Charlotte News Observer)
• Clinton speech struck a nerve on economy in western North Carolina (Asheville Citizen Times)
• Ohio counties treat crossover voters differently (Ohio.com)
• Editorial: Power players can end politics of dysfunction (Mercury News)
• AL CALLOWAY SAYS: It’s time for blacks to jump ship! (South Florida Times)

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

INDEPENDENT VOTERS: Democrats Making Big Inroads In Party Identification (CQ Politics)

OPEN PRIMARIES: Ohio crossover voters not at fault; fix rules (Columbus Dispatch) **** Phil Keisling's 'Blanket' primary bid in Oregon (Statesman Journal)

ALASKA INDEPENDENCE PARTY: Alaskan Independence Party Will Choose a Presidential Nominee (Ballot Access News)

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• Clinton Stakes Claim To 'Electability' (Forbes) The party has a self-sabotaging affinity for "identity politics," which is anathema to U.S. moderate and independent voters.
• Crist: DNC should accept Florida delegates (Tallahassee Democrat) advocates for quick "do-over" mailed balloting — or risk losing independent swing voters in November.
• Counties see spike in party registration before primary (Standard Speaker - Hazelton PA) “It’s akin to taxation without representation,” Stephen Bouikidis, chairman of Independent Pennsylvanians
• Independent vote might benefit Barack Obama (Rapid City Journal - ND)
• Did Republicans give Hillary her victory in Ohio? (The Free Press) Likely shift of independents to Democratic candidate in general election
• Obama wins in Wyoming, adds 7 delegates (Kansas City Star) Plouffe cites independents

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

OPEN PRIMARIES: House panel rejects open-primary plan (Springfield State Journal Register)

SUPER TUESDAY II:

• Exit Polls Reveal Obama's Weaknesses (The Plank/The New Republic) Obama won independents in Ohio by 54 to 46 percent--nothing like his two-to-one margins in other states.
• Change Trumps Experience . . . For the Moment (By Tobin Harshaw, Opinionator/New York Times)

OHIO:

• Shortage of ballots leads to extended voting hours in Ohio (TOLEDO BLADE)
• Ohio Primary: Exit Poll Results & Election Coverage - The Independent Effect (WSAZ - WV)
• McCain, Clinton dominate Ohio, area (Central Ohio Gazette) Lanning said she believes many Republicans went to the polls to vote against Obama because race is still an issue.
• Crossovers use all the ballots-Some are told to wait - or come back later (Cincinnati Enquirer)

TEXAS:

• How Bell County voted: Obama has the numbers (Temple Daily Telegram)
• Upset in the Lone Star State (Trail Watch/Forbes) Republicans, knowing that McCain’s comfortable lead in the delegate count gives him a lock on the Republican nomination, may very well cross over to the Democratic primary and vote for the candidate against whom they think McCain has a better chance of winning in November.

VERMONT: Obama Wins the Green Mountains (The Trail/Washington Post)

NADER: Nader simply doesn't see two-party value (Sac Bee)

WASHINGTON DC: Catania Wants to Give Independents Primary Vote (Washington City Paper)

Live-blogging CNN and msnbc coverage of Super Tuesday II for independent voters

Hi everyone. I'll be live-blogging the coverage tonight of the primaries in Texas, Ohio, Rhode Island and Vermont. All four primaries are "open primaries" and allow independent voters to have a say. I'm mostly watching CNN and MSNBC commentary. I'm watching for how independent voters are impacting and how the media is relating to us.

The most current post will be at the top of the blog, so you'll have to scroll down to see what I said earlier in the evening.... (It's a blog thing.....) Thanks for tuning in!
The Hankster (Call me Nancy)

9:07pm: Texas Two-Step still in motion.... more party party talk.... Now 59% Clinton in Ohio, 56% Obama in Texas.... So the pundits are talking about what that means, the endlessness of this campaign bec. Hillary intends to go on.... the superdelegates.... the convention.... etc. etc. etc.

It's clear that there will be no clear outcome tonight.

9:00pm: Texas is too close to call, as is Rhode Island, as is Ohio, with Hillary ahead but with little results in... Vermont called for Obama....

8:53pm: Well, I have to say, the results from Super Tuesday in February, and the other primaries have been called really early. Not so this Super Tuesday II. The pundits are yacking... The pundits are endlessly facinating to themselves...

Texas totals now show a closer Obama/Hillary outcome: 55/43..

8:28pm: Texas -- Suzanne Malveauex is reporting from the floor of a Texas caucus where voters are gathering after voting in the primary... The lines in Texas are phenomenal... A long night.... Clinton is winning the Ohio primary by 62% to Obama's 36%.... What's happening in Ohio?

As Wolf Blitzer reminds us, you can to to CNN.com and get all this info! Good idea!

As well, go to msnbc to get voting results....

8:22pm: It appear that Barack Obama will win the Texas primary (though the networks have not called it!). This could change throughout the night, however, The Hankster is calling Texas for Obama. (Oh, I just bought The Man's game... ooops!)

8:14PM: Texas Obama 60%, Clinton 39% with one percent of the vote in.

8:10:pm: Obama seems to have a good lead in Texas with 61% to Clinton's 39%... INDEPENDENTS NO DOUBT MAKE A DIFFERENCE...

8:01pm: Ohio projections 42% for Obama and 56% for Hillary, very very early, not an indication... Here is the ABC News article.

Campbell Brown at CNN: Gloria Borger, pivot, no the people need to decide....

Obama is holding at 60% in Vermont; in Ohio, Clinton has 56% and Obama has 42%

Donna Brazille is talking about superdelegates needing to commit...

7:53pm: Here's what Wonkette is saying, who is also live-blogging this event. She's a clever one.... And just to back the whole thing up is Marc Ambinder.... Hmmm.... I getting the feeling that this has now become a desperate intra-partisan fight. Fortunately the voters in Ohio and Texas (and Rhode Island) will have a voice. Independent voters are still voting. Texans are going to the caucuses... Life is good!

7:49pm: 22% independents aligning with Hillary (Chris Matthews)

7:42pm: Ron Paul has 4% of the Vermont vote, which has been concluded by the media... msnbc is running polls as if it's news.... did the 3 am ad have an impact? Obama is seen as having a lower negative impact index than Hillary.... hmmmm.... huh????

7:39pm: Ok, we're back -- if you haven't already, please check out Linda Curtis of Independent Texans on this pro-Obama video. Good luck to you guys in Texas!!

7:24pm: Well, CNN and msnbc are really chompin' at the bit, but cannot make predictions bec. it's such a close race, but here's something from KXMC North Dakota: Early exit polls show independents are a big chunk of the electorate in today's presidential primaries in Ohio, Texas, Rhode Island and Vermont. Surveys find that self-described independents were about one in five voters in Ohio's Democratic primary, one in four in Texas, a third in Rhode Island and four in 10 in Vermont. Thanks, KXMC!

7:10pm: msnbc with Joe Scarborough has Eugene Robinson, Pat Buchanan, and a woman I'm not familiar with....

Ok, here's some kind of exit poll from Vermont: 74% of anti-war vote went to Obama...

On CNN, The Map! where we've come to expect John King drawing on a map and showing us all kinds of demographic information... Everyone wants to talk about what will happen if Hillary, if Democrats, if Obama... Pennsylvania will also be critical for working people's vote....

Polls will remain open in Sandusky County OHIO until 9pm because of bad weather.

7:03pm: Polls close in Ohio at 7:30pm. CNN is doing a sort of man-on-the-street exit poll, but they're not showing us anything yet...

Back to msnbc -- Hillary didn't expect to win Vermont -- they're too liberal up there, too many anti-war votes.... (this is being reported by Andrea Mitchell in the field and Keith Olberman in the office)

Chris Matthews on the spot with more speculation on Hillary in Texas and Ohio....

7:00pm: msnbc just announced Obama as winner in Vermont; McCain in the Repub contest...

6:51pm: John Kerry, the last Dem presidential candidate is on MSNBC repsponding to the attacks on Obama about his "lack" of experience vs. Hillary's ... ummm... experience....

At this moment, we're looking for people to talk about the insider/outsider dynamic. Kerry is talking about Obama's ability to win delegates.

There's also the issue of spin -- Joe Scarborough (of Morning Joe) is posing the question of at what point does Hillary get out of the race. Pat Buchanan thinks Hillary should keep going. He says the superdelegates will freeze if Hillary wins Ohio and Texas....

6:31pm: Michelle Bernard, a black conservative and president of the Washington, DC-based Independent Women’s Voice, is a John McCain supporter, saying that McCain doesn't mean that we will be at war in Iraq for 100 years....

[Incidentally, many independent voters are Ron Paul supporters. Independent Texans endorsed Ron Paul in the Repub primary there. There's almost no media coverage, and certainly no MSM coverage of Ron Paul's campaign, which has been an outspoken anti-war campaign and deserves more attention.]

6:22pm: Fortunately there are a lot of commercial breaks, so just as in sports, we have a chance to get a snack, go to the bathroom, call a friend, etc. Come to think of it, politics IS a sport.

CNN -- Wolf Blitzer is already getting exit poll results.... Huh? Do they know something we don't know???
MSNBC is parsing the Obama/Clinton contest over and over, but I can't tear myself away.... Chris Matthews is holding forth. Lots of in-depth reporting with black leaders..... Oooops they also have exit polling....






6:20pm
AT THE GATE:
Texas has nonpartisan registration so everyone votes for whoever they want to and Democrats have early voting (people have voted for the past 30 days in droves!) and will also hold caucuses tonight which will be worth a third of the vote. So if you voted in the Dem primary, be sure to go to your local caucus to make your vote worth more.... (Independent voters in Texas should call Linda Curtis for help at (512) 535-0989.)

Ohio independent voters need to ASK for a party ballot to vote for presidential candidates. If you want to vote for Barack Obama, you will need to ask for a Democratic Party ballot.

Ohio Votes

Mayors in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus, Youngstown and other Ohio cities have endorsed Obama -- from African American (Black) Opinion

From New York Newsday's Spin Cycle:
Clinton is expected to do well in southeast Ohio -- which commentators have take to calling the state's "Appalachia" -- economically down, culturally conservative, with ties to West Virginia, and a growing pocket of evangelical strength. But Obama could get a boost from Ohio University, in CD18.
Obama's strongholds are the cities, where most of Ohio's 12-percent African-American population reside -- including Cleveland's 11th CD and its close-in eastern suburbs, Columbus (the city's African-American Mayor Michael Coleman backs him) and Cincinnati. The cities also feature large student populations.


Polls from The New Republic:
Rassmussen: (2/28) Clinton 47; Obama 45
SurveyUSA poll: (2/25) Clinton 50; Obama 44
Ohio Poll: (2/24) Clinton 47; Obama 39


From Ohio Daily Blog: Here is a Get Out The Vote appeal airing in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton, Toledo, and Youngstown. It is produced and paid for by the United Food and Commerical Workers International Union, which endorsed Barack Obama about two weeks ago.

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• DEMOCRATIC TOSSUP: Ohio polls differ on possible winner. Obama on rise, but seniors, women a plus for Clinton (Akron Beacon Journal)
• A guide to primary day (Providence Journal)
• Presidential Hopefuls Not Courting the Muslim Vote (Crosswalk - VA) The survey of 1,000 registered American Muslim voters showed that 49 percent consider themselves Democrats and 36 percent said they are independent.
• Democrats expect no knockouts (Houston Chronicle)
• Clinton, Obama face crucial test (Detroit News)
• Early voters line up (Tribune Chronicle) 52% turnout expected in Ohio
• Shifting weekend polls prompt sudden pro-Clinton Texas ad buy (LA Times blog)
• Mike and Barack: The winning ticket? (Staten Island Advance)
• Editorial: Blue vote in Collin County? (Dallas Morning News) "Something is happening"

Ohio Primary: I'm an independent. Can I vote?

The Hankster has gotten so many hits over the past 48 hours from independents in Ohio, I thought it might be worth another mention that YES, independents CAN VOTE tomorrow in the primary.

In case you're just tuning in, The Hankster is an independent political blog, started in 2006. I hope you like it!

A little-known fact: I used to live in Ohio -- Cleveland, to be exact -- where I helped raise matching funds for Lenora Fulani's independent presidential campaign in 1992...

Cleveland's cool! (Just so you know, if I wasn't living happily in New York City, I'd be in Cleveland...) Cleveland is also the home of Dennis Kucinich, one of the most independent Democratic presidential candidates. The Cleveland Plain Dealer is the major paper, they endorsed Obama, and then Hearst didn't like it.... that's some food for thought...

Kinda stokes the Midwestern embers of my heart.... Ahhh, The Heartland... Let's do it!
Love you, Ohio!
The Hankster

Independents can vote in the Ohio primary on March 4

Yes, it's true -- and organized labor seems to be coming out for Obama:

Obama's support in the Buckeye State seems to be increasing, though Clinton appears to be holding a lead, however tenuous. Two Ohio labor unions, with a combined membership of about a 100,000, switched their backing from former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards to Obama. The Illinois senator also has received the national backing of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which represents more than 1 million truck drivers and warehouse workers. (NPR)

Seven national unions, including the United Food and Commercial Workers, Unite HERE and the five-million member Change To Win coalition of unions — which includes the powerful Service Employees International and Teamsters unions — have all thrown their support behind Obama. (Time)

What do New Yorkers think about the Obama/Clinton contest?

45 percent of New Yorkers think Clinton should shut down her historic effort if she's running behind Obama after Democratic primaries that include contests in Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas and Vermont.... (Capital News 9)