|
Comment on this article |
View comments |
Email this Article
|
|
News :: Elections & Legislation : Political-Economy |
|
State Board Votes 8-0 to Certify Green Candidates |
Current rating: 0 |
by Anonymous
(No verified email address) |
31 Aug 2006
|
|
Green candidates for Illinois Governor, Lt. Governor, Attorney General, Treasurer, Comptroller, and Secretary of State to be on the 2006 ballot. |
A Co-Chair of the Illinois Green Party and the Green Party's candidate for State Representative in the 88th District, Phil Huckelberry, today wrote in an email to supporters, "The Illinois State Board of Elections, operating in its capacity as the Illinois State Officers Electoral Board, has just ruled unanimously, 8-0, to place the Green Party state slate on the November, 2006 general election ballot. September 1 is the certification deadline, so our candidates will be duly certified tomorrow."
On June 26th, the Green Party filed a nominating petition containing more than 39,000 signatures, collected within a 90 day period. New parties are required to collect 25,000 signatures within this period to get onto the ballot in Illinois, while established parties need only 5,000 according to state law. The petition measured approximately 19 inches thick.
According to the State Board of Elections' website, within 2 hours, a copy of the petition was requested by Mike Kasper, General Counsel and Treasurer of the Democratic Party of Illinois, at 6:00pm. One week later, on July 3rd, an objection to the petition was filed, claiming that many of the signatures were not genuine or did not belong to registered voters.
Green Party officials stated that the objections seem to have been made at random without actual examination of any records. The objectors' petition contained objections to signatures that Greens had already crossed out and in some cases objections were made to the 11th signature of a page, even though each page contained only 10.
Today's vote represents the culmination of a weeks-long hearing, resulting from the objection. The hearing process involved as many as 12 or more election judges consistently working full-time for several weeks. Each party also provided a matching number of members to sit with the election judges, during the workday, as they examined thousands of signatures, either overruling or sustaining each objection. Objections were assumed valid, and automatically sustained, unless a Green Party representative was present before each election judge to compare signatures and present a defense.
Following the hearing, the Board's Hearing Officer, Barbara Goodman, reccomended that the Green Party's candidates be placed on the ballot and stated that the case was "extremely straightforward." The Board's examination confirmed that the Greens collected thousands more than the required number of signatures for ballot access.
Greens have accused the Democrats of wasting taxpayer money in a frivilous attempt to bog them down in legal proceedings. Green candidates also claim that they were forced to spend a significant amount of campaign funds on legal representation.
In related news, former presidential candidate Ralph Nader and his running mate must pay more than $80,000 in expenses for the lawsuit that challenged their nominating papers and kept them off the 2004 ballot, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled in a recent decision.
There was an implication of "fraud and deception" in their petition drive, the court said in its ruling. |
See also:
http://www.ilgp.org/
http://www.whitneyforgov.org/
|
Related stories on this site:
Whitney Promises to Fight for Full Employment and Bring Good Jobs to Illinois
For Real Clean and Cheaper Energy, Look to the Green Party Plan
IL Radio Network locks out Whitney
Green Party Headquarters Opens in Carbondale
Whitney's Campaign Manager Asks for Assistance
Illinois Farm Bureau Omits Rich Whitney
| 
This work is in the public domain |
Comments
|
Re: State Board Votes 8-0 to Certify Green Candidates |
by Consideration
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
31 Aug 2006
|
|
Seven out of fifteen articles on the local newswire are political propaganda about Green Party Candidates. I'm not asking you to censor what you have to say, but please show some consideration for those who want to read a variety of local news and consolidate your information into fewer posts. Thanks. |
|
Re: State Board Votes 8-0 to Certify Green Candidates |
by Anonymous
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
01 Sep 2006
|
|
Others are free to post as many stories as they want. I can't help it that there is little to no activity other than what I am posting. |
|
Re: State Board Votes 8-0 to Certify Green Candidates |
by BD
BD (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
01 Sep 2006
|
There is a great deal of activity in CU Citizens for Peace and Justice. I you read my recent post, you'll see I compiled 4 stories into one.
BTW, we would like to see more greens take an interest in criminal justice issues and grassroots civil rights actions. We have our third annual Unity March coming up, for example.
Many of us are third party proponents and vote green.
In solidarity, BD |
|
Re: State Board Votes 8-0 to Certify Green Candidates |
by Anonymous
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
01 Sep 2006
|
I'm posting the news as it breaks. I don't want to hold anything back that can be reported right away.
Are you aware that Rich Whitney, the Green Party's candidate for Illinois Governor, is a Civil Rights Attorney in Carbondale? He's very actively involved. I'll bet that if you sent Whitney an invitation he would join your Unity March! |
|
Re: State Board Votes 8-0 to Certify Green Candidates |
by Anonymous
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
01 Sep 2006
|
I'm posting the news as it breaks. I don't want to hold anything back that can be reported right away.
Are you aware that Rich Whitney, the Green Party's candidate for Illinois Governor, is a Civil Rights Attorney in Carbondale? He's very actively involved. I'll bet that if you sent Whitney an invitation he would join your Unity March! |
|
More Reporting Please |
by regular reader
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
01 Sep 2006
|
I enjoy reading the different posts on the struggle of the Green Party to mkae democrcay actually work for the people, instead of making things easy for a few party bosses. 7 or 8 posts over the last few days as they were actively engaged in getting on the ballot seems appropriate and they all have actual news content.
There is plenty of room for more reporting and announcements, etc here. I am constantly amazed at the failure of many local organizations to better utilize the IMC to get their message out. This failure usually comes up in the context of a discussion I may be having with someone about how their group is trying to get a better turnout, more members, or some news that isn't covered in the News-Gazette. UC IMC is a great and often underutilized resource.
And having more news from everyone might keep people from being so concerned that some people actually have figured out how useful it is. |
|
Re: State Board Votes 8-0 to Certify Green Candidates |
by Consideration
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
01 Sep 2006
|
You call press releases with titles like "Whitney Promises to Fight for Full Employment and Bring Good Jobs to Illinois" and "For Real Clean and Cheaper Energy, Look to the Green Party Plan" news? It's political propanda, plain and simple. Nothing inherently wrong with it--it's just tacky and takes up space.
Anonymous writes: "Others are free to post as many stories as they want. I can't help it that there is little to no activity other than what I am posting." I hope that your candidate Whitney isn't as selfish, self-important, and arrogant as you are.
I agree with regular reader that we do need more news from everyone. That would make the spam easier to ignore. |
|
Re: State Board Votes 8-0 to Certify Green Candidates |
by babs
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
01 Sep 2006
|
|
Anonymous, why don't you go to the Unity March? I mean its great that Rich Whitney is a civil rights lawyer, but he's in Carbondale. Since you're posting to the C-U newswire, I'm assuming you're here. If you want local people to take the Greens seriously, you've got to show up at local events, and not just talk about how great your candidate is on the newswire. Otherwise you have no credibilty, even if you candidate does. |
|
Re: State Board Votes 8-0 to Certify Green Candidates |
by Anonymous
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
02 Sep 2006
|
I am not in CU. I'm near Chicago. I attend as many local events as possible. As you no doubt already know; however, there will likely be a good deal of local Greens at the march.
Call me names if you want, Consideration; but I feel this is news, and others seem to enjoy reading it, so if you don't agree, then please skip those stories you don't want to read. I'm just balancing our what the major media doesn't cover. |
|
Re: State Board Votes 8-0 to Certify Green Candidates |
by Anonymous
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
02 Sep 2006
|
|
Oh, one other thing: I suspect that a local Democratic organization may have gotten wind of my postings, which explains all the sudden negative feedback. |
|
Re: State Board Votes 8-0 to Certify Green Candidates |
by babs
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
02 Sep 2006
|
No, you're getting constructive criticsm because your behaviour is bothering people.
And if you're near Chicago, then why do you get to decide what's local news for us? We can decide that for ourselves, thanks. It makes you look more and more like a spammer, whatever your motivations are. If the local Greens want to post local news and events, they will, and they have. |
|
Re: State Board Votes 8-0 to Certify Green Candidates |
by Consideration
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
02 Sep 2006
|
|
I don't have any affiliation with the Democratic Party. In fact, I voted for Ralph Nader in the last Presidential election, despite being harangued that a vote for Nader is a vote for Bush. (Remember all the pressure to vote for the lesser of two evils?) I would hope that the Democratic Party (and all other political parties, for that matter) would also choose not to put their press releases on the local newswire. All self-serving political propaganda is spam in my book. |
|
Re: State Board Votes 8-0 to Certify Green Candidates |
by Anonymous
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
02 Sep 2006
|
The criticism isn't constructive babs, and it certainly isn't universal. I would rather ensure that those people who want to get this news can, rather than catering to an inability to selectively read stories.
This isn't a popularity contest. UCIMC can censor me if it wants, but the simple fact is that the news is going to upset some people and delight others. It's not like anyone's forcing you to read anything.
Also, in a traditional media outlet there would be someone to receive a press release and make a story out of it. Is there a function like that here at UCIMC? I think it would be silly, considering that propaganda wouldn't have much effect in a forum like this because, as you can see, we all have the ability to comment, debate, and point out facts. |
|
Re: State Board Votes 8-0 to Certify Green Candidates |
by Anonymous
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
02 Sep 2006
|
|
Oh, and by the way, a MAJORITY of what I have posted were NOT press releases. In fact, while a supporter of the Whitney campaign, I currently hold no official position with the campaign. Now, that may change--as I think that I might like to take on a role. |
|
Some Considerations |
by ML
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
02 Sep 2006
|
Press releases, etc should just be posted to the appropriate Newswire. If you send them to one of our lists, it may or may not get posted, as we typically assume that people should post their own stuff here. As was also noted, the readers have the ability to comment on stories and evaluate for themselves their value and veracity.
I don't see a problem with this. As was already mentioned, the problem isn't with the Greens using the board, it's the relative lack of other news, but this varies, too. Sometimes, if there are multiple, related posts from the same poster on the Newswire, the editors will consolidate them into a thread. However, regualar users of the site don't have this ability, so if you feel we editors should consolidate, send an email to imc-web (at) ucimc.org. |
|
Re: State Board Votes 8-0 to Certify Green Candidates |
by Consideration
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
02 Sep 2006
|
So, anonymous, you didn't post this on the newswire?:
Whitney's Campaign Manager Asks for Assistance
by Anonymous
Email: campaignmanager (nospam) whitneyforgov.org (verified)
Phone: (618) 528-VOTE 29 Aug 2006
Jen Rose, Rich Whitney's Campaign Manager, has made the following request of the public:
[..]
You say, "In fact, while a supporter of the Whitney campaign, I currently hold no official position with the campaign. Now, that may change--as I think that I might like to take on a role." That comment was posted from a verified email address, campaignmanager (nospam) whitneyforgov.org . How do you explain that, or did someone else post it? |
|
Re: State Board Votes 8-0 to Certify Green Candidates |
by Anonymous
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
03 Sep 2006
|
|
Yes, I posted that. I also wrote it myself (i.e. it didn't come from the campaign.) The verification part is easy to explain--I went to the campagin website, where Whitney's campaign manager's email address is listed; and I entered that into the address field. Jen Rose, Whitney's campaign manager, obviously liked the story and confirmed it via email. I was told to post this, nor did I ask for permission to do so. In any case, if you don't like a story, then don't read it; but you're not going to convince me to prevent other people from getting news that they want to get. |
|
Re: State Board Votes 8-0 to Certify Green Candidates |
by Anonymous
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
03 Sep 2006
|
|
The second from last sentence should read, "I was NOT told to post this, nor did I ask for permission to do so." |
|
Tidied Up a Bit |
by ML
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
03 Sep 2006
|
I consolidated things some. Also note that we try to link to related stories, so things shouldn't be hard to find.
Consolidating stories is always a judgment call. If things are obviously linked and closely related, it makes sense. There are times, like with the different themes of the Green articles lately where it could also lead to two or three discussions going on at the same time in the comments. This can be confusing for the readers, so there is only so much that can be reasonably lumped together.
Keep posting all the news, whoever or whatever it is about. There is plenty of room for everything here and everything is archived, even if not right on the front page. Posting news is what this site is for. |
|
Re: State Board Votes 8-0 to Certify Green Candidates |
by Consideration
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
03 Sep 2006
|
|
Okay, Anonymous, thanks for the explanation--you shouldn't be posting under other peoples' email addresses, though. And the fact that a political campaign endorses what are supposed to be independently written articles by using the verified email address of a campaign manager is also disturbing. That would be true if any political party did it, but I'd expect the Greens to have a higher standard. That said, I'm happy with ML's reply. Keep on posting, and people will be able to draw their own conclusions and make comments if they disagree with something, as I have done. |
|
