independentsforkerry.org

Alaska - Open Primary: Parties select who may vote in their primaries. To vote in the GOPprimary, a voter must be registered as a Republican 30 days beforeElection Day.

Georgia - Open: No party affiliation required at registration. However, on ElectionDay, voters must declare an oath of intent to affiliate with theparticular party for whom they are voting on Election Day.

Idaho - Closed: Until 2011, all Idaho primaries were open. Independents intervened in a lawsuit brought by a faction of the Republican Party seeking to close their primaries. However, the GOP obtained adeclaratory judgment that mandating open primaries violated freedom ofassociation and was thus unconstitutional in Idaho Republican Party v. Ysura. Subsequently, the legislature passed a bill allowing parties to choose which type ofprimary they use. Democrats have chosen a semi-closed primary;unaffiliated voters may register a party at the polls on election day,but they are bound to that party affiliation at the next election.

Massachusetts - Semi-Closed: Affiliated voters must vote in the primary of their party; however, unaffiliated voters may vote in either primary.

North Dakota – Closed: The only state without voter registration. To vote in the Republicancaucus you must have affiliated with the Republican Party in the lastgeneral election or intend to do so in the next election.

Ohio - Closed: Voters’ right to vote in the primary may be challenged on the basisthat they are not affiliated with the party for whom they are voting inthe primary.

Oklahoma - Closed: Only voters affiliated with a particular party may vote in its primary.

Tennessee - Open: No party affiliation required at registration. 

Vermont - Open: No registration by party. For presidential primary, voters must declare which ballots they want.

Virginia - Open: No party affiliation required at registration.

source: FairVote

The Hankster

With 95% of precincts reporting, boston.com and other Massachusetts media outlets have reported NO results yet of the Massachusetts Green-Rainbow Party Presidential Primary as of 11 p.m. Eastern.
Despite the fact that Obama was on the Democratic Party ballot uncontested, and Romney was declared the Republican victor with only 3 precincts (of 2,054) reporting, Massachusetts [...]
Green Party Watch

Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein has won the Illinois primary, which was held online and open to all residents of Illinois 13 and older.  From the Green Party of Illinois:

Results are in from the Illinois Green Party’s first ever online primary. With a total of 153 ballots cast, Harvard-educated physician Jill Stein of Massachusetts has won the primary with 71% of the vote. Legendary sitcom actress Roseanne Barr, whose name was not on the official ballot but became an officially recognized candidate by the GPUS after the ILGP’s registration deadline, earned 18% of the vote as a write in. San Diego air quality inspector Kent Mesplay received 5% of the vote. Nearly 5% of the votes were cast as “Undecided” and three unrecognized write-in candidates received less than 1%.

Unlike the taxpayer-funded Republican and Democratic primaries, the Illinois Green Party cost very little and allowed any Illinois resident age 13 years or older to participate. Participants were allowed to join the party and cast their vote at the same time. Caucuses were held throughout the state to serve as a polling place for those without Internet access, and mail-in ballots were available by request.

Dr. Stein, a native of Highland Park, Ill., established a strong campaign presence in her home state. Following her campaign kick-off, Stein made several appearances in the Chicago area and at a mock election at Western Illinois University in Macomb. Her campaign also sent out several e-blasts to supporters during the course of the voting, including an e-mail endorsement from Rich Whitney, a two-time Illinois gubernatorial candidate who is well-respected within the party.

The Barr campaigned was helped by a media splash from her campaign kick-off, which happened at the beginning of the ILGP’s primary voting period. Though still in its early stages, her campaign has already brought in several members who are new to the Illinois Green Party.

“From the standpoint of party building, the primary was very successful,” said Election Administrator Patrick Kelly. “Thanks to the efforts of our candidates to reach voters, were able to grow our membership and by giving any Illinoisan who wanted to participate a chance.”

Playing off Stein’s success in the WIU mock election, the Illinois Green Party will convene it state membership meeting, March 2-4, at WIU in Macomb to select delegates to the Green Party’s Presidential Nominating Convention in Baltimore, Md. in July. If an apportionment plan is approved by the Green Party of the United States, Illinois would be awarded 31 delegates to the national convention who would be pledged accordingly: Stein would receive 22 delegates, Barr 5, Mesplay 2, and 2 would be unbound.

These results are unofficial pending approval of the Illinois Green Party Executive Committee.

FULL RESULTS

Independent Political Report

(Madison, WI) – The Wisconsin Green Party is conducting a Presidential Primary by mail, with ballots sent to all dues paying members of the Party this week. Mailed ballots must be returned by March 2nd, the day before the WIGP State Nominating Convention and Spring Membership Meeting.
The Primary ballot includes four candidates. Roseanne Barr (CA) [...]
Green Party Watch

From the Illinois Green Party:

In conjunction with our online Presidential Primary, Greens will be hosting presidential caucuses around the state in February. These caucuses will be opportunities for people to learn more about the presidential candidates and to confer with other Greens.
This list of caucuses will continue to be updated as [...]
Green Party Watch

The following is an e-mail sent to IPR by Darcy Richardson*:

FWIW, I qualified for the February 7th Democratic presidential primary in
Missouri yesterday. An “illegal immigrant” — I detest that term — from Iowa
traveled to Jefferson City to pick up my receipt for the qualifying fee from
the Democratic State Committee’s headquarters and delivered it to the
Secretary of State’s office! How cool is that?

By the way, it looks like anti-abortion activist Randall Terry also filed
for the primary.

Hope all is well.

With best wishes,

Darcy

*Because of Darcy’s past association with IPR and because of his status as one of the premier chroniclers of third party history, there is general agreement among IPR writers that we should cover Darcy’s primary challenge of Obama. I would like to do so in the future without always having to use this disclaimer. Speak now or forever hold your peace.

Independent Political Report

Anita Rios is running for Toledo City Council. On Tuesday she finished second of three candidates. Although the race is non-partisan, Rios proudly portrays herself as a Green, and the other two candidates are well known as a Democrat and a Republican. From the Lucas County Green Party:
Friends and family of Anita Rios and [...]
Green Party Watch

OPEN PRIMARIES

• Voter group disapproves of Utah’s closed primary elections (By Jennie Christensen, Cache Valley Daily) When it comes to politics, 54 percent of Utahns call themselves Independents. But Nancy Ross, national director for IndependentVoting.org, says the state of Utah is anything but Independent. She says four years ago 93 percent of the people voted for Mitt Romney.
• If you are a voter you’ll want to read this (By KMVT News) Before July 1st, the state of Idaho never required party registration. But because of the federal court decision in Idaho republican party versus Ysursa, the law’s changed. Only registered voters of a political party may vote to select their party’s nominee.
• Political Booths At County Fair Offer Friendly Alternative to Heated Debates (By Ben Botkin, Magic Valley Times News) There’s also voting information at the fair that doesn’t seek to sway your political views. The Twin Falls County Clerk’s office has a booth that explains the state’s switch to a closed primary system. It will require voters to declare a party affiliation before voting in the 2012 primaries, unless party leaders opt to allow unaffiliated voters to cast ballots.

The Hankster

Is Mike Gravel the challenger Ralph Nader was alluding to? Gravel says he will challenge Obama if he can raise 1 million dollars.

Despite speculation that President Barack Obama will face a primary challenge from disaffected liberals in 2012, no candidate has emerged. That may be about to change.

“Somebody should challenge Obama, there’s no question about it. He is what he is, and it’s not what we want,” former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel said in an interview with The Daily Caller. “I’d be happy to do it, but it takes money. Without enough money to be heard, you come off as somewhat foolish.”

Gravel said he will challenge Obama if there is sufficient financial backing.

“If [supporters] would put up million, I probably would run. And that would at least fund enough activity to get a message out,” Gravel said.

Read more…

Independent Political Report

Ken Beingenheimer has been running a series on Top Two. The debate continues here:

The Hankster