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Independents will be key to upcoming California elections (Jason Olson LETTER Sac Bee) In 2012 — for the first time in living memory — independent voters will play a major role in all of California’s elections.

Re “Democrats go at GOP, each other” (Capitol & California, Feb. 13): In 2012 — for the first time in living memory — independent voters will play a major role in all of California’s elections.

Thanks to open primaries and redistricting reform passed by voters in previous elections, all candidates now must run against each other in an open field, where all voters can participate. To get elected, candidates now need to win the support of independent voters. Independent voters have no intention of giving that support away for free.

Independents are deeply concerned about a political dialogue dominated by what’s best for the parties rather than what’s best for the American people. Independents want critical reforms to our political process to shift that balance of power away from the parties and towards the voters. Candidates looking to win their elections should take note of the independent movement for nonpartisan reform.

– Jason Olson, San Francisco

The Hankster

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and Federal Transit Administration Administrator Peter Rogoff are in Arvada today to announce a major funding agreement for the RTD FasTracks lines to Denver International Airport and to Arvada and Wheat Ridge.

The grant is expected to be in the range of billion, as first reported in The Colorado Independent in July. Also attending the ceremony will be Gov. John Hickenlooper, Congresswoman Diana DeGette, Congressman Ed Perlmutter, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock and various RTD and city and county representatives.

“It’s estimated that every invested in transit infrastructure translates into a return on investment in the local economy over a 20-year period. That’s an investment we all benefit from for years to come. Rebuilding and expanding America’s transportation infrastructure is a key element to our nation’s economic recovery. And with this unique long-term public-private partnership, the Denver region will continue to lead the nation with innovative and outside-the-box solutions to meet our transportation needs,” Perlmutter said in a prepared statement.

The grant is expected to be the largest transit grant yet awarded by the Obama administration. Festivities in Olde Town Arvada will begin at around 2:30.

The Colorado Independent

from Ballot Access News
Two Major Parties Now Have 73.5% of Registration, Perhaps Their Lowest Ever
November 18th, 2010

The twentynine states with registration by party, plus the District of Columbia, reported in October or November 2010 that 73.5% of all voters are registered Democrats or registered Republicans.  This is the lowest percentage for the two major parties since before 1980, and probably the lowest ever.  There was no such thing as registration into political parties, on voter registration forms, before the 1910′s decade.  The idea that people should be asked to choose a party on a voter registration form did not arise until after the start of direct primary elections.

At the spring 2010 tallies, the two major parties had 73.8% of the registration.  In October 1992, the two major parties had 80.7% of the registration.  The December 1 2010 printed Ballot Access News will contain registration data by party and by state.

Independent Political Report