Archive for November, 2009

Petty Games Continue in Illinois

The petty games continue in Illinois.
Two Congressional candidates from the Green Party are now having to shield themselves from frivolous attempts by Democratic Party operatives to knock them off the ballot. Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan can be linked to both cases.
The petition signatures filed by Dan Kairis, running for U.S. House district 14, have [...]

Illinois Challenge Process Must Go

This week, Free and Equal, Inc. has been working overtime in Chicago, defending candidates of all three recognized parties in Illinois from challenges to knock them off the ballot.
Illinois’ challenge process is inherently corrupt. Its only purpose is to rob the voters of their choices on Election Day. Naturally, the process favors the rich and [...]

Ohio Ballot Access Bill Advances

Good news from Ohio!
A bill that would considerably improve ballot access for Independent and Third Party candidates survived a crucial vote earlier this week.
On a 7-6 party line vote, HB 260 passed the House Elections Committee Tuesday.
HB 260 is a far-reaching election reform bill that includes provisions making it easier for a new political party [...]

Recent Free & Equal Event Videos

CATO Ballot Access Forum
On October 13th, Free & Equal Founder and Chair Christina Tobin attended a forum at the CATO Institute in Washington, DC featuring two recently published books on ballot access:
Not Invited to the Party: How the Demopublicans Have Rigged the System and Left Independents Out in the Cold By James Bennett
Grand Illusion: [...]

Petition Checkers in Chicago Seek to Limit Voter Choice

The corrupt machine of Illinois politics is in full swing this week at the Chicago Board of Elections.
An army of petition checkers has descended upon boards of elections across the state, seeking to limit voter choice in the 2010 elections by invalidating signatures collected by candidates.
Operating under a veil of secrecy, the petition checkers at [...]

Moving Forward After Election Day

Tuesday’s election did not turn out nearly as well as we had hoped.
It was a tough day for Independent and Third Party candidates in nationally watched races in New York and New Jersey.
It was also a very tough day for Instant Runoff Voting.
The voters of Pierce County, Washington voted overwhelmingly to repeal Ranked Choice Voting [...]