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In 2006 Kim Wright (pictured left) ran as an independent for the Missouri state legislature and received over 36% of the vote. Cindy Weaver (pictured right) served as campaign manager.
The Republican incumbent Kim challenged promptly introduced legislation to make it more difficult for independents to run. This same bill has been taken up this year by a Democrat in the State House.
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HB 1310 forces independent candidates to file their nominating petitions and declare their intention to run for office in March -- 8 months prior to the election.
In 1983, Anderson vs. Celebrezze declared similar early filing deadlines for independents unconstitutional. Nonetheless, HB 1310 was pushed through the Education Committee by its chair Rep. Theodore Hoskins.
This bill was never even discussed in the Elections Committee which should have jurisdiction over election bills. Talk about playing politics!
HB 1310 will hinder independent candidates and impact voter choice. However, the 42% of Americans who have declared their independence are demanding more choices.
HB 1310 was first introduced by Senator Gary Nodler who was running unopposed last year when Kim Wright, a leader of the Independentvoting.org network in Missouri entered the race. Ms. Wright garnered 36.4% of the vote. Nodler introduced the bill to discourage any future competition. HB 1310 is nothing more than an incumbency protection measure.
Below is Kim Wright's Letter to the Editor in the St. Louis Post Dispatch.
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St. Louis Post Dispatch
February 11, 2008
Dear Editor,
Missouri is a state of diversity. That's one reason the Legislature directs urban education issues to the Special Committee for Urban Education. Members of that committee include representatives primarily from St. Louis and Kansas City. One would think that the many issues facing Missouri's urban schools would keep the committee very busy. Yet, this committee recently debated HB 1310, which affects the election process for independent candidates.
As a former independent candidate, I am puzzled why the Urban Education Committee and not the Elections Committee would entertain this bill. Not only did the Urban Education Committee review this piece of legislation, it recommended "Do Pass."
Could it be that state Rep. Theodore Hoskins, D-Berkeley, the chair of the Urban Education Committee, wanted to determine the outcome of the bill since he introduced it? I urge residents to contact their representatives and ask them to please explain the correlation between independent candidates and urban education.
This is an example of why more and more Americans are rejecting party politics and identifying as independents.
Kim Wright | Joplin, Mo. |
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Dear Representative ________:
I strongly urge you to vote against HB 1310, introduced by Rep. Theodore Hoskins. HB 1310 requires independents to file nominating petitions and a declaration of candidacies in March -- in direct violation of legal requirements established in 1983 in Anderson vs Celebrezze. Even though this is an elections issue, Rep. Hoskins has pushed this bill through the Education Committee -- which he chairs. At a time when Americans are demanding less partisanship and when 42% of Americans have declared their independence, Rep. Hoskins is attempting to write into law an incumbency protection measure. HB 1310 is nothing more than an attempt to stifle potential independent candidacies. This bill is the reason why so many Americans are demanding change. Please vote against HB 1310. Sincerely,
[your name and town]
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St. Louis Post Dispatch |
Duo announce group for independent voters: Show Me Independents |
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By Jo Mannies |
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10/03/2007 9:39 am |
Two frustrated voters formerly aligned with opposing parties and from opposite sides of the state announced this morning that they are launching a new movement for independent Missouri voters.
"We're frustrated. Our state government doesn't listen to us. Our federal government doesn't listen to us," said one of them, Barbara Woodruff of O'Fallon.
"No one seems to be able to stand up to this president and say, 'We're getting out of Iraq,' '' said Woodruff, who calls herself a former Democrat. "We've spent close to $1 trillion on this war, yet we're fighting over health care for children."
In a statement, Woodruff and Mat Clark of Neosho add, "In Missouri the frustration is just as great with scandal, partisanship and increased lobbyist influence on legislatures and legislation which affects us all. Among those frustrated with both levels of government as well as the two major political parties are a group of Missourians who have decided to organize into an independent organization and are calling themselves the Show Me Independents.
"Show Me Independents will join the battle for a more fair and equitable state tax structure, unencumbered election process, decreasing lobbyist influence on state office holders as well as House and Senate membership and increasing ethics, honesty and accountability for all elected officials.
"The purpose of Show Me Independents is to organize independent voters so that they can exercise their power as a force for democratic political reform on the national, state and local level."
However, Woodruff said the group won't get involved in endorsing candidates. Rather, it will focus on "educating citizens that they do have a voice."
So far, the group only has a dozen or so members, but hopes to grow, she added.
As she and Clark say in their statement: "We believe that the United States has been profoundly hurt by ideological and political labeling. The issues that we as a nation face today are not based in left or right, but in what will best serve the citizens of our country and our state. We believe that this is the greatest country ever created, and we will have our voice heard in our state legislature and in the federal government."
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