Friday, May 29, 2009

NY City Resists State on Voting-Machine Program

This comes from an article from The New York times By Jennifer Lee.

"A long-delayed effort by New York State to comply with the federal Help America Vote Act, enacted after the 2000 election debacle, is encountering resistance in New York City, where officials insist on keeping the mechanical-lever voting machines that have been a mainstay of local elections since 1962.

Most of the counties have agreed to take part in the project, and 16 will switch entirely to the optical-scan machines, according to a list that was released on May 12 as part of the commission’s vote on the proposal. But there are notable holdouts: the five boroughs of New York City, Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester and Rockland Counties in the downstate suburbs. (Other counties that are not taking part include Clinton, Columbia, Essex, Washington and Warren.)"

Use the above link to read the entire article.

Michael H. Drucker
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Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Political Dissatisfaction Swelling Independent Ranks


This is from "Glenn Beck," May 22, 2009 interview with John Avlon. He's the author of "Independent Nation" discussing the growth of the independent voter. Some are now saying the Hispanic vote is now the swing vote.

Michael H. Drucker
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Wednesday, May 20, 2009

New Yorkers Rally For True Independents!

If you are in New York City on June 4th, you are invited to this rally.



Use the above link for more information.

Michael H. Drucker
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Monday, May 18, 2009

NYC Citizens Union Wants Non-Partisan Elections Board

The New York City Citizens Union held a press conference today in Albany to propose overhauling the New York State Board of Elections and making it easier for New Yorkers to vote.

The good government group is lobbying to see the creation of a new nonpartisan system to end the two-party management of elections. In doing this, the group argues, needed accountability and stronger integrity will be brought to the administration of elections.

Use the above link to read the entire article by T.J. RAPHAEL, Legislative Gazette staff writer.

Michael H. Drucker
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Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Jackie Salit's XM Radio Interview

Jackie Salit on XM Satellite radio show "Urban Journal" with host Keith Murphy on May 13, 2009, to talk about her new DVD "How the Independent Movement Went Left by Going Right" and how independents are changing the culture of American politics.




The Ben and Joel Podcast: Viva la Independencia!
With Jackie Salit on Wed, 05/13/2009


Ben Boychuk and guest host Robb Leatherwood talk "post-partisanship" with Jackie Salit, an activist, political consultant, executive editor of the Neo-Independent and spokeswoman for IndependentVoting.org.

Among the issues Ben and Robb discuss with Jackie Salit:
• Just who are these independent voters, anyway?

• Is there an independent agenda?

• Is the independent movement left, right or center?

• How did 19 million independents end up voting for Barack Obama?

• What are the most important policy changes needed for an independent voting bloc to grow and thrive?

• Is "post-partisanship" possible, let alone desireable?




Use the above link to view and purchase the DVD.

Michael H. Drucker
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NYS Voting Machines Update

It looks like New York State will not complete testing and certification in time for the new voting machines for 2009. So they have come up with the idea of a Pilot Project that looks like it will get Justice approval.

Around 70 of the 150 counties will use either the Sequioa/Dominion Image Cast or ES&S DS200 + Automark, Optical Scanning machines, and the rest will still use the old Lever machines.

Then all counties will use Optical Scanning machines starting in 2010.

Michael H. Drucker
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Saturday, May 9, 2009

Status of Ballot Access Lawsuits

Here is a list of all known pending lawsuits from Ballot Access News in which a minor party or independent candidate is challenging the constitutionality of a state’s ballot access laws.

Use the above link to view the list.

Michael H. Drucker
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Friday, May 8, 2009

THE BIG READ


I've just added my name to the Big Read book to show my support for a good quality, free education for every child, and to ask President Obama to contribute $2 billion to a Global Fund for Education.

I joined Queen Rania, Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, Natalie Portman and others in adding my name to The Big Read book. We will deliver the book to President Obama, on June 16.

Use the above link to join me by adding your name to the book, as well.

Together as ONE, we can make a difference!

Michael H. Drucker
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A New Coalition: Independents & Moderate Republicans?

Change came to Northern Virginia yesterday with the electoral victories of two little known candidates. The first was Alicia R. Hughes, a black female candidate running as an Independent and Frank Fannon who ran as a moderate Republican. Both ran as a team seeking to wrestle power from the powerful Democrat controlled Alexandria City Council. What makes this story even more interesting is that both candidates were backed by the local Republican Party, in what appears to be a new strategy being adopted by Republican candidates in urban/cosmopolitan areas.

This type of fusion reflects what has been happening in New York City's Independence Party Organizations and the independent voter with both parties. Here we look for candidates who understand the need for changing the political structure and make it more open.

Use the above link to read the entire article by Richard Ivory on the Hip Hop Republican website.

Michael H. Drucker
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Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Ga. follows Ariz. on citizenship proof for voters

Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue signed a law Tuesday making the state only the second after Arizona to require prospective voters to prove their U.S. citizenship, a practice opponents say would keep the poor, elderly and minorities away from the ballot box.

To take effect, the law must obtain clearance from the U.S. Justice Department under the Voting Rights Act. And legal challenges appeared likely despite supporters who insist the measure would safeguard the integrity of the voting process.

Starting Jan. 1, 2010 if Justice approves, the Georgia law would require all applying for voter registration to provide documented proof of U.S. citizenship. Those who stay on active voter rolls and have already registered before then would not have to submit such documents as a U.S. passport, naturalization documents or driver's license or birth certificate.

Use the above link to read the entire article.

Michael H. Drucker
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Tuesday, May 5, 2009

CEOs Endorse 2009 All Stars Project-DSY Summer Internship Program

James Turley, Chairman & CEO of Ernst & Young, and Steve W. Alesio, Chairman & CEO of D&B - Dun & Bradstreet, call on the corporate community to hire 285 inner-city high school students who have graduated from the Development School for Youth in New Jersey, New York and Chicago.



The All Stars Project, Inc. (ASP) is a non-partisan, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting human development through the use of an innovative performance-based model. The ASP creates outside of school, educational and performing arts activities for thousands of poor and minority young people. It sponsors community and experimental theatre, develops leadership training and pursues volunteer initiatives that build and strengthen communities.

The ASP actively promotes supplementary education and the performance learning model in academic and civic areas.

Use the above link for more information about ASP.

Michael H. Drucker
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Sunday, May 3, 2009

Politics for the People Class


On Saturday May 9th, Dr. Omar Ali will be joining us for our spring Politics for the People Class. He will be presenting a class entitled "A Brief History of How Independents Have Expanded American Democracy - The Tensions, Turmoil's and Triumphs of Independent Movement Building."

For those of you who don't know Omar, he is a professor at Vanderbilt University and the author of a book about the history of independent politics in the African American community entitled, In the Balance of Power: Independent Black Politics and Third-Party Movements in the United States. Dr. Ali is a long time political independent and one of the country's leading scholars on independent politics.

After the class Dr. Ali will be doing a book signing of his book. We are offering a special promotion for class participants, a copy of Omar's book and the CUIP DVD, "How the Independent Movement Went Left by Going Right" for $35. This is a great opportunity to mingle and meet new members.

It is going to be a great class! If you are in the NYC area, please join us.

Call 212-962-1699 for more information.

Michael H. Drucker
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