David Swartout is an independent candidate for U.S. House from Michigan’s 7th district. Michigan law does not permit independent candidates to use any ballot label other than “No party affiliation.” Swartout is campaigning as an independent candidate and he filed a federal lawsuit on July 11 to obtain that label. He has a hearing in U.S. District Court in Detroit on September 24. The case is Swartout v Johnson, 2:14cv-12768. U.S. District Court Judge Bernard Friedman has the case.
Ballot Access News
Edited By Richard Winger
1. Gee – why are the Donkey/Elephant oligarch gerrymander gangsters so afraid of *independent* — See the 4 July 1776 DOI perhaps.
2. One more case filed too late ???- See LACHES in the LAW.
3. Ballots being printed to be sent overseas for the troopers fighting ANTI-Democracy barbarians in various regimes ??? — i.e. the 45 day stuff for Federal ballots.
“Independent” is the oldest and best recognized label of opposition to Democrats and Republicans since labels ever began to appear on election ballots. It is a respected label and does not scare voters away like some other labels do. The major party hacks know this, and this is why in some states they attempt to make true Independents run under such labels as “Other,” “Unaffiliated,” or “No Party.”
Even in Florida, where there is an organized Independent Party of Florida, the election officials will not allow Independents to use the historical abbreviation of “IND” while it allow Republicans to use “REP” and Democrats to use “DEM.” They know exactly what they are doing.
I hope through some miracle, Mr. Swartout will win his case, but we must remember most of the judges came up through the partisan system, and are “Democrats” or “Republicans” at heart. Both Democrats and Republicans fear Independents, and the greater fear we can create, the better opportunity we will have in electing other Independents who will keep this nation from becoming Nazi America.
This post has nothing to do with the story, but the politics1.com website appears to show that Vic Kohring, the Alaskan Independence nominee for U.S. Senator has withdrawn from that race. At least it does not list a website for Mr. Kohring. I’m sure there may be a good reason for his withdrawal (if he has indeed withdrawn)but as I understand it, this leaves the AIP without a statewide candidate.
Mr. Kohring had defeated a Mr. Kyle in Alaska’s Open Primary for the AIP nomination, but now I think the deadline is past for replacing candidates who have withdrawn. Whether or not Mr. Kohring’s name will remain on the ballot also remains to be seen.
Until Richard or someone can find out more about the situation there, it is best to defer from future comments, only to say it is sad that this party with its legacy may not have a candidate for statewide office after having gone through a primary election,where a Mr. Kyle would have been willing to have been that nominee.