Houston Corporate Bigwig, Bill King Spreads Disinformation about Top Two Primary Systems
HOUSTON – Houston corporate bigwig Bill King recently wrote an article for the Houston Tribune which repeated much of the disinformation about Top Two primary systems. King’s first misrepresentation is his claim that third party candidates are unlikely to place first or second in a primary and “would rarely be represented on the November ballot.” [...]
California Superior Court Judge Upheld Key Parts of State Senate Bill 6, Maintaining Voter Disenfranchisement
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – On the heels of Lisa Murkowski’s declared write-in candidacy for re-election to U.S. Senate, a California judge interpreted state law to mean that write-in space should be removed from the ballot. Superior Court Judge Charlotte Woolard rejected a challenge to state Senate Bill 6, the “enabling legislation” for Proposition 14, the Top [...]
Ralph Nader to Promote Ballot Access Reform at Oklahoma City Rally
Oklahoma City, Okla. – Ralph Nader will speak in support of ballot access reform at an Oklahoma City rally on Wednesday, September 8, 2010, from 7 pm to 9 pm. The event will be hosted in the Marriott Hotel Grand Ballroom at 3233 Northwest Expressway. Representatives of Oklahomans for Ballot Access Reform, the Green Party [...]
Pennsylvania Political Insiders Intimidate Third Party and Independent Candidates to Drop Out of Races on Threat of Extensive Challenge Fees
HARRISBURG, Pa. – Every third party or independent candidate who filed for statewide office this year has been removed from the ballot in a blatant display of intimidation. Organizers from several political parties and voter rights organizations held a press conference, August 23, to explain what happened and why. Attending were: state Sen. Mike Folmer; [...]
Christina on Illinois Radio Network
Christina gave an interview August 4, 2010 on the Illinois Radio Network show “Eye on Illinois”. The 25 minute interview focused on implementing a filing fee in lieu of signatures, Instant Runoff Voting, Proportional Representation and California’s Top Two primary. You can listen to it here: You need to install or upgrade Flash Player to [...]
NY gubernatorial race offers corruption disguised as reform
New York’s dysfunctional system never fails to disappoint. Just when you think it can’t get any more deceptive and corrupt, it’s proven once again why New York has the most dysfunctional government two years running, and is by all accounts headed for a third. Recent comments by Rochester Tea Party leader Chris Edes make the [...]
Free & Equal Radio – 7/27/10
Free & Equal Radio Tuesday Night. Dan Reale is our guest tonight. On July 23, 2010 Dan Reale lodged a formal complaint against Connecticut Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz with the Office of State Ethics, the State Elections Enforcement Commission and the Federal Election Commission. The complaint charges that the “Affiliate and Particiapte” awareness campaign [...]
We Appreciate Your Support!
Dear Supporter, American democracy is under threat like never before. California’s ‘Top Two’ system, which excludes all but the two most well-funded candidates from the general election ballot, threatens to spread across the nation. Powerful lobbyists are convincing state legislatures to make the petitioning process even more restrictive and the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in [...]
Watch our Third IL Gubernatorial Debate
Watch our third Illinois Gubernatorial Debate here: You need to install or upgrade Flash Player to view this content, install or upgrade by clicking here. // This debate was covered by dozens of media outlets, including public radio stations WBEZ in Chicago, WSIU in Carbondale, and WILL in Champaign, along with the Chicago Sun-Times, Southtown [...]
Media Ignores Ethic of Balanced Reporting in Effort to Push Agenda
SAN FRANCISCO – The recently finished campaign surrounding Proposition 14 in California has revealed startling insights into the way media outlets cover essential issues facing voters. Since the proposition passed June 8, Free and Equal Elections staff have continued to follow media coverage of Proposition 14 in California and the spread of the Top Two [...]
Happy Independence Day!
This July 4th, Free & Equal celebrates Independence Day. Two hundred and thirty-four years ago our nation was born, promising a country with liberty and justice for all. Today as we watch the fireworks, we ask ourselves if this promise still rings true. A recent Rasmussen telephone poll found that 54% of Americans still believe [...]
Free & Equal to host third Illinois gubernatorial debate
Chicago (July 2, 2010) – The Free & Equal Elections Foundation announces their third Illinois Gubernatorial Debate at Chicago State University in Chicago, Illinois. Free & Equal previously held two gubernatorial debates during the Illinois primary season. The debate will be held from 7pm to 9pm on Thursday, July 8th. The debate will take place [...]
Free & Equal on Blog Talk Radio – Illinois challenge edition
Tonight 10pm-12am Eastern: Challenged Illinois candidates William Dock Walls (Independent for Governor), Randall C. Stufflebeam (Constitution Party candidate for US Senate), Lex Green (Libertarian for Governor), Julie Fox (Libertarian for Controller) and more tonight! Not to mention Free & Equal doyenne Christina Tobin! Challengers Sharon Ann Meroni and Sherman also invited! Call in 347-633-9636. Listen [...]
Christina Tobin issues statement on passage of Proposition 14 in California
San Francisco, CA (June 17, 2010) – In April of this year, the Town of Port Chester, NY adopted cumulative voting. New York is again making progress with electoral reform, with the introduction of a bill to allow Instant Runoff Voting for municipal and county offices. As usual with IRV, after each round the lowest [...]
Proposition 14 Opponents Schedule Election Night Press Availability in Sacramento and Oakland
Listen to a live stream of election night events here: Call in and join the show at (347) 633-9636, from 7pm-9pm Pacific Time. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Opponents of Proposition 14, the June 8 ballot measure that would limit the number of candidates in general elections to only two, will hold two election night events: Sacramento: [...]
Moderates Cause Dysfunction and Gridlock Too; Proposition 14 Proves That!
MILL VALLEY, Calif (May 20, 2010) – StopTopTwo.org’s Christina Tobin today released a statement in response to Lt. Governor Abel Maldonado’s recent remarks on KABC-TV promoting Proposition 14. “I agree with Abel that we need politicians in Sacramento willing to work together to find solutions for the problems this state faces. But Abel is wrong [...]
Voters from All Six Qualified Political Parties to Hold Press Conference and Anti-Proposition 14 Protest on Tuesday
WHAT A press conference uniting leaders and voters across the political spectrum will be held in Los Angeles. Speakers will discuss their opposition to Proposition 14, the Top Two Primaries Act. Gov. Schwarzenegger and Lt. Gov. Abel Maldonado are marketing Proposition 14, the Top Two Primaries Act, as a win for democracy. Proposition 14 would [...]
Stop Top Two Press Conference
Opponents of California’s Proposition 14, also known as the Top Two Primary, held a press conference declaring their opposition. Free & Equal hosted the event. Representatives from the Green, Libertarian, American Independent, Peace & Freedom, Democratic and Republican parties were present. Proposition 14 would effectively deny third parties and independents the right to appear on [...]
Top Two Debate: Winger vs. Maldonado
On the morning of May 10, KQED (the National Public Radio Station in San Francisco) held an hour-long discussion of California’s Proposition 14. The host was Michael Krasny. The first 12 minutes consist of an interview with political scientist Eric McGhee. The remaining 48 minutes is the debate between California’s Lieutenant Governor Abel Maldonado, who [...]
Christina Tobin on Fox News & Sheehan’s Soapbox
Christina Tobin continued her mission of bringing people together for true electoral reform this week, appearing on Cindy Sheehan’s Soapbox on Sunday, May 2nd and Fox News with Judge Napolitano on Tuesday, May 4th. You can download the interview on Cindy Sheehan’s Soapbox here. The Fox News video is below. You need to install or [...]
Only Free & Equal can stop corporate special interests from buying California’s elections
We’ve got our work cut out for us if we are going to Stop Top Two in California. A recent poll conducted by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) states that 56% of likely voters are in favor of Proposition 14, the Top Two Primaries Act. Meanwhile, only 27% claimed to be opposed, while [...]
Christina Speaks at SSDP Conference
Christina spoke at the International Conference of Students for a Sensible Drug Policy in San Francisco on March 12th. Watch the video below. You need to install or upgrade Flash Player to view this content, install or upgrade by clicking here. //
California’s Top Two is Far Worse that Washington’s Top Two
We’ve found that many people see California’s Proposition 14, the “Top Two Primaries Act,” as a rather simple concept. Unfortunately, the devil is in the details. For example, even for people who like the Washington State Top Two system, there are plenty of reasons to oppose Proposition 14 on the June 8, 2010 ballot. Unlike [...]
A snapshot of politics in IL
Just another day in the life of a political machine. Your support of Free & Equal has and will continue to frustrate politicians like these. Someone has to! This photo and editorial was published in the Southtown Star.
