Introducing the National Election Reform Platform

The wide open presidential field for 2008 presents a unique opportunity to field 468 independent congressional candidates promoting a platform calling for true election reform. We no longer question whether the electoral process is flawed; rather why American voters – and nonvoters – allow those who broke the system continue to control it. Now is our time to demand reform that includes fair ballot access, secure voting machines, and public campaign financing.

The noble civic duty of running for office should not require special political begging skills or financial riches. Fifty percent of all elections have only one name on the ballot. That is an American disgrace. Since the two-party system fails to contest every election, we urge American citizens to run for office on our National Election Reform Platform.

By getting on the ballot, you get your issues addressed. The incumbent and the media have to pay attention. As an independent you will learn firsthand the hurdles to citizen participation, from onerous ballot access laws to exclusion from debates. The Big Two decry limits on campaign fundraising as an affront to free speech, but refuse to engage in dialogue with third party candidates in order to maintain their hold on power. In 37 states where debates were held between statewide contenders in 2006, over half did not include the third party candidate that was on the ballot.

Though this is a national platform proposal, running locally will engage, excite and empower citizens to challenge every elected office. This is where we gain the experience of developing the grassroots in the field. Cyber politicking gets the blood flowing, but it does not replace “feet-on-the-street”. Real politics is local. That means we have to knock on our neighbors’ doors. We agree there is more at stake in local decisions than national ones, but having this national platform to run on creates uniformity and a sharply defined mission.

This shared platform provides a vehicle for new candidates to promote serious election reform ideas like instant runoff voting, universal voter registration and an Election Day holiday.

The main reason we need Election Reform is to infuse new voices with fresh ideas to the issues of war, immigration, health care, the environment, education, trade, net neutrality etc. Public campaign financing alone will inspire hundreds of competent Americans to get on the ballot and engage voters on these issues.

Here are the ten points of our National Election Reform Platform (NERP):

1. Uniform Ballot Access

2. Loosen Third Party Ballot Restrictions

3. Universal Voter Registration

4. Election Day Holiday

5. Equal Media Access/Debate Inclusion

6. Instant Runoff Voting (IRV)

7. Secure Voting Machines

8. Public Campaign Financing

9. Direct Popular Vote Election of the President

10. DC Congressional Representation

We are asking every presidential contender to pledge support for this platform. Several independents and third parties have already agreed.

Politics, government operations, and our electoral system can all be improved if we shake up the establishment with new ideas and new operators that are not bought and paid for by the highest bidders. By being on the ballot, we can appeal for inclusion in public debates. Given the opportunity to debate, independents can educate voters that public campaign financing would save billions of tax dollars over the present system that rewards campaign donors with government appointments and no-bid contract awards.

There is no use trying to get money out of politics; our energy needs to be focused on getting people in. By energizing the grassroots now, we can field a full slate of congressional candidates next year. If enough people take up this cause, perhaps we can encourage a billionaire to self-finance a run for president as an Independent to promote National Election Reform.