Donate. "I'm a donor because I refuse to be labeled and patronized by the ruling parties. The time is here for Independents to assist in the evolution of the two party system into something that resembles what people really want from their politicians." Margarita Garcia (Los Angeles, CA)
August Video Message to Independents. CUIP president Jackie Salit has this video message for independent leaders and activists in the national IndependentVoting.org networks about what's next for indies in the post-primary season.
Idaho Independents Fight to Keep Primaries Open. Mitch Campbell, founder of the American Independent Movement of Idaho, is the initiator of a legal action on behalf of independent voters in his state whose ability to vote in open primaries has been threatened by a Republican Party lawsuit seeking to force the state of Idaho to close its primaries and institute partisan voter registration.
Kim Wright, Founder of South Dakota Voice of Independents. "Independent voters are not allowed to vote in our state's primary election. South Dakota is one of 18 states that does not offer open primaries. According to national polls, 32 to 40 percent of America's voters consider themselves independent and do not identify with either of the two major parties." Read more
NC Independents For Change Launch Radio Ad Campaign. Listen live to Tyra Cohen, leader of NC Indies for Change, Saturday, April 26th from 9:00 - 10:00 am on the Tamlin Henry Radio Show. NC is an open primary state and an early voting period has begun with same-day-voter-registration in effect. A group of independents led by Tyra are reaching out to fellow indie's with a statewide radio ad campaign. Read more
Pennsylvania Independents Speak Out. "It's akin to taxation without representation" Stephen Bouikidis, chairman of Independent Pennsylvanians, said Friday. "The primaries are paid for with taxpayer money. It isn't fair, you're leaving people out."
Missouri Independents. In 2006 Kim Wright (on right) ran as an independent for the Missouri state legislature and received 36% of the vote. The Republican incumbent she challenged promptly introduced legislation to make it more difficult for independents to run. This same bill has now been taken up by a Democrat in the State House. Send your State Senator a letter today!
New Hampshire Independents Make Their Voices Heard. Activists with the NH Committee for an Independent Voice ("NH-CIV") hosted a forum for independents on Sunday, October 14, 2007 at Alpine Groves in Hollis, NH. CUIP President Jackie Salit - a leading strategist for the independent political movement - was the featured speaker. Presidential candidates Rep. Dennis Kucinich and former Senator Mike Gravel also addressed the gathering. Read coverage in the Nashua Telegraph.
Independents at Claim Democracy Conference. Harry Kresky (pictured on right with US Term Limits and Initiative & Referendum champion Paul Jacob) led a workshop on the subject of fusion-voting and the Independence Party experience in NY at a conference on political reform sponsored by FairVote and 60 other organizations. Read more.
Oregon Open Primary Initiative Relaunches for 2008. Opening up partisan primaries to independent voters is a litmus test issue on the political reform front and now Phil Keisling, a former Oregon Secretary of State, is planning an effort to put an open primary initiative on the ballot in November 2008. Read more.
Independents Meet with Kucinich. A team of New Hampshire independents met with presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich Saturday night (8/25) in Bedford, NH at the office of Russ Ouellette, a leader of The Committee for an Independent Voice (NH-CIV). Ouellette and CIV-NH leaders Betty Ward and Andre Gibeau sat down with the candidate and his wife Elizabeth to lay out their concerns about partisan control of the political process and to discuss the aims of the independent movement. Kucinich presented his record as one of having fought the political machine of his own party, notably on the Iraq war policy. The candidate accepted an invitation to participate in an upcoming forum organized by CIV-NH at Alpine Grove in Hollis in mid-October.The meeting with the three New Hampshire independents was arranged by California's IndependentVoice.org co-chair Jim Mangia (pictured), a longtime figure in the independent political movement, who has helped Kucinich shape the pro-democracy, pro-independent thrust of his candidacy. Mangia is guiding Kucinich through a series of sit-downs with independent leaders to better acquaint him with the concerns and political reform agenda of independent voters. Mangia has been influential in persuading Kucinich to reach out to independent voters in open primary states. Last week, the Kucinich campaign issued a press release stating he intends to seek the support of independent voters. The former national secretary of the Reform Party and current President and CEO of St. John's Well Child Center, Mangia hosted a forum on healthcare in mid-August attended by 250 social service professionals and Kucinich at the acclaimed health clinic in Los Angeles. See excerpts from the gathering on YouTube .
Support the Voting Rights of Independents. Lobby Congress and the US Justice Department. Write to Congress and the Justice Department and urge them to open an investigation into violations to independent voters rights by the New York State Independence Party.
2007 National Conference of Independents. Hosted by CUIP political director Jackie Salit, 500 independents from 31 states gathered in New York City for a day long event featuring an in-depth look at how independents can increase visibility and influence in the political process.
Monthly phon-a-thon at the offices of CUIP.
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Paul & Kathleen Ellis
Connecticut
"Senator Joe Leiberman's latest political move is adding insult to injury for many Independent voters in CT. By endorsing John McCain, the staunchest defender of the war in Iraq, Lieberman is once again repudiating the position of the majority of Independent voters who want to end the war. But Lieberman is no Independent-he grabbed the Independent lifeline to save his career after losing the Democratic primary. Independents are a mixed bag, but we do come together on a few major issues-ending the war, fighting political corruption, and creating a voice for the 35% of American voters who are sick and tired of the partisan politics of both parties. In our opinion, Lieberman does not represent this constituency."
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