Election Day Surprise in Indiana
Election Day Surprise
Libertarian candidates magically reappear on ballot after targeted law kicked them off
Indianapolis, IN - Nov 07, 2006 LPIN Supporters:
This is an urgent message that we need your help on! After knocking 11 of our candidates off the ballot months ago on a technicality in new law targeted at Libertarians, some are magically reappearing on the ballot today! You may say "That's great!" but without an opportunity to campaign this ploy is aimed at diminishing our presence in the public eye.
Do not let the R's and D's play this game - please report any inconsistencies on your ballots immediately. Pass this along to friends and talk to every media outlet you can. We are only 5 hours into election day and the problems are rampant. Electronic machines are failing, the ballots are not correct, even former Executive Director Brad Klopfenstein was disenfranchised at the polls this morning.
People are listening, it has already been picked up by the Muncie Free Press: http://www.munciefreepress.com/news/story/2006/11/7/155554/289.
We need supporters out there today talking about this issue. Libertarian Statehouse candidates Tom Mulcahy and Steve Keltner appeared on today’s ballots, surprising Libertarians just as much on Election Day as on the day they were unjustly kicked off the ballot.“This outrageous political ploy demonstrates how low the Old Parties will slink,” said Mark W. Rutherford, chairman of the Libertarian Party of Indiana. “They would scream about unfairness if this happened to their candidates, but they have no problem doing the same thing to Libertarians and others who challenge their political fiefdoms.”
First, the Old Parties sneaked in a dubious law that creates an impossible threshold for Libertarian candidates must clear and threw off 11 Libertarian candidates, Rutherford said. Then on Election Day, Mulcahy, District 96, and Keltner, District 86, reappeared on Marion County ballots Tuesday morning, said Kyle McDonald, LPIN executive director. In fact, the Indiana Election Division disbanded Mulcahy’s candidate committee on July 11th. This left the candidates no opportunity to campaign.
The new law requires minor parties to file within 10 days their intent to fill vacancies, which the LPIN did, Rutherford said. The State Board of Elections ruled that without specifics about the candidates, the party did not meet the rule.“There is no state form to indicate what information is required. The law also indicates that these candidates are to be selected by elected precinct committeemen. Under Indiana law, minor parties cannot participate in primaries and have no vehicle to elect precinct committeemen, so the law has no rational basis,” Rutherford said.“Voters can – and will – see through these cheap games,” Rutherford added. “Libertarians will stand up to rules that Republicans and Democrats create to reward themselves while they attempt punish anyone who stands up to them.”
Libertarian officials quickly sought answers from Doris Anne Sadler, Marion County Clerk. Sadler acknowledged the presence of the candidates on the ballot but provided no answers as to why they appeared on the Marion County ballot, despite the July removal of the candidates by the IED. The County Clerk is responsible for ensuring that candidates listed on ballots in Marion County have been certified by the Indiana Elections Division.
###
Libertarian Party of Indiana
Kyle McDonald
Executive Director
email: liberty@lpin.org
phone: 317-920-1994
Libertarian candidates magically reappear on ballot after targeted law kicked them off
Indianapolis, IN - Nov 07, 2006 LPIN Supporters:
This is an urgent message that we need your help on! After knocking 11 of our candidates off the ballot months ago on a technicality in new law targeted at Libertarians, some are magically reappearing on the ballot today! You may say "That's great!" but without an opportunity to campaign this ploy is aimed at diminishing our presence in the public eye.
Do not let the R's and D's play this game - please report any inconsistencies on your ballots immediately. Pass this along to friends and talk to every media outlet you can. We are only 5 hours into election day and the problems are rampant. Electronic machines are failing, the ballots are not correct, even former Executive Director Brad Klopfenstein was disenfranchised at the polls this morning.
People are listening, it has already been picked up by the Muncie Free Press: http://www.munciefreepress.com/news/story/2006/11/7/155554/289.
We need supporters out there today talking about this issue. Libertarian Statehouse candidates Tom Mulcahy and Steve Keltner appeared on today’s ballots, surprising Libertarians just as much on Election Day as on the day they were unjustly kicked off the ballot.“This outrageous political ploy demonstrates how low the Old Parties will slink,” said Mark W. Rutherford, chairman of the Libertarian Party of Indiana. “They would scream about unfairness if this happened to their candidates, but they have no problem doing the same thing to Libertarians and others who challenge their political fiefdoms.”
First, the Old Parties sneaked in a dubious law that creates an impossible threshold for Libertarian candidates must clear and threw off 11 Libertarian candidates, Rutherford said. Then on Election Day, Mulcahy, District 96, and Keltner, District 86, reappeared on Marion County ballots Tuesday morning, said Kyle McDonald, LPIN executive director. In fact, the Indiana Election Division disbanded Mulcahy’s candidate committee on July 11th. This left the candidates no opportunity to campaign.
The new law requires minor parties to file within 10 days their intent to fill vacancies, which the LPIN did, Rutherford said. The State Board of Elections ruled that without specifics about the candidates, the party did not meet the rule.“There is no state form to indicate what information is required. The law also indicates that these candidates are to be selected by elected precinct committeemen. Under Indiana law, minor parties cannot participate in primaries and have no vehicle to elect precinct committeemen, so the law has no rational basis,” Rutherford said.“Voters can – and will – see through these cheap games,” Rutherford added. “Libertarians will stand up to rules that Republicans and Democrats create to reward themselves while they attempt punish anyone who stands up to them.”
Libertarian officials quickly sought answers from Doris Anne Sadler, Marion County Clerk. Sadler acknowledged the presence of the candidates on the ballot but provided no answers as to why they appeared on the Marion County ballot, despite the July removal of the candidates by the IED. The County Clerk is responsible for ensuring that candidates listed on ballots in Marion County have been certified by the Indiana Elections Division.
###
Libertarian Party of Indiana
Kyle McDonald
Executive Director
email: liberty@lpin.org
phone: 317-920-1994
posted by CincinnatiLibertarian at 4:33 PM
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