First of all, having been Jill Stein’s running mate in 2002, our vote total would NOT have been enough to change the outcome of the election. Shanon O’Brien blew that election all on her own. Second, the “spoiler” argument assumes that votes “belong” to Democrats, when in reality votes belong to voters and to cast a vote for the candidate one thinks is the best candidate is the essence of democracy.
Third, bills introducing Instant Run Off or rank choice voting, have been introduced in the last two legistlative sessions on Beacon Hill. If Democrats are AFRAID of real democracy, all they have to do is pass real election reform, ask John Bonifaz about it, he’s one of you (I don’t know why). You have over an 80% control of the legislature, we can have IRV next week and for the next election cylce (if not this one), so any fear of “spoilers” is your own fault. Fourth, in 2002 most of our (the Stein-Lorenzen ticket) supporters were not people who would have otherwise voted for O’Brien, they were people, who had we not been running, would have otherwise not voted, because there were no other candidates running to vote FOR.
Fifth, please learn how your own system works. I’m reading comments on this blog from folks who think because the Green Rainbow Party didn’t get enough votes (3%) in the last statewide election, we are not allowed to be on the ballot. Well, anyone can run for office, and in MA party status comes with 1% of the registered voters registering in your party (and by the way membership in both the Democratic Party and Republican parties continues to shrink nationally and the Greens continue to grow) or by getting 3% of the vote in a statewide election. The 3% determines legal status as a political party, but anyone can run for office. Sixth, make sure your Democratic candidate has the guts to include our Green Rainbow candidate in all major televised debates and forums. Remeber Jill Stein was credited as the winner of the debates she participated in. There’s reason to want to lock us out, but democracy is about letting the people decide, not big money or those having the power of invitation, which are you about Democrats? Also, there will soon be a virtual debate among YOUR Lt. Gov. candidates on www.saintkermit.com. We recorded Sam Kelly this past Sunday.
david says
ask John Bonifaz about it, he’s one of you (I don’t know why
any fear of “spoilers” is your own fault
please learn how your own system works
which are you about Democrats?
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The attitude, not so much. A good place for the GRP to start looking for more than a tiny percentage of votes in every election is places like this blog, where a good number of the readers are likely sympathetic to your positions. We want to like you. Don’t make it harder than it has to be.
charley-on-the-mta says
Cute, isn’t it? “You’re all a bunch of IDIOTS for not joining our movement!”
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Now there’s persuasion for you.
greg says
I agree with all your comments, especially the need for instant runoff voting, except for your dismissal of the “spoiler” argument.
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As we know, the “spoiler” phenomenon is a real, mathematical phenomenon, not just a derisive epithet. When it occurs, it causes a candidate who does not best represent the wishes of the voters to be elected. That is obviously a horrible, anti-democratic occurrence, and precisely why we need IRV to put an end to it.
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The “spoiler” phenomenon has occurred in countless elections, but not always due to third-party candidates. Sure, it happened in the 2000 presidential race due to Ralph Nader’s candidacy. I believe it also occurred in the 2002 Mass Democratic gubernatorial primary, where the left-of-Shannon-O’Brien vote exceeded the Shannon O’Brien vote, but O’Brien got elected regardless. Remember when Brian Joyce “spoiled” the Democratic primary for Cheryl Jacques against Stephen Lynch? Or how about when Pat Buchanan won the Republican presidential primary in New Hampshire with a measly 25% of the vote?
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Our plurality voting system has the same effect as rampant, illegal voter fraud: it often causes the wrong candidate to be elected — the candidate that does not best represent our interests as indicated on the ballot.
congamondem says
I was not aware that IRV bills have been introduced in the state legislature. Who have been the sponsors? Have they ever gotten out of committee? What committees do they get referred to? Do they even get hearing in committee? Is there such legislation pending currently?
greg says
Common Cause has helped to refile them every year, but no, I don’t believe they’ve ever gotten out of committee. In 2005, the main sponsor was Rep. Frank Smizik from Brookline. You can read the Common Cause press release for that filing here. In the past, Alice Wolf, Ellen Story, and Jay Kaufmann have been co-sponsors as well. More info on the bills can be found at MassIRV.org.
george-phillies says
http://www.cmlc.org/onballot.htm gives fairly complete details.
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You can be a major party candidate, a party designation candidate, or an independent (in which case you may have up to three words with certain sensible limitations as your ballot line.)
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However, to get onto the primary ballot (D,R) or the November ballot (L, G, and lots of others), no matter who you are you need the same number of signatures. Only the list of people allowed to sign your nominating papers changes.
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With respect to ease of ballot access, remember, Massachusetts roughly ties Mississippi in some years in the fraction of legislative candidates running unopposed.