Both Gary Nodler, R-Joplin, and Delbert Scott, R-Lowry City, were forced to dip into their campaign treasuries to fight off independent candidates who criticized everything about the way they conducted their official duties.
While Nodler and Scott won handily, they apparently are the type of legislators who hold grudges. SB 409 would prevent the recurrence of the type of independent challenges that were mounted by Kim Wright and Mike Holzknecht. Both candidates filed as independents, following the procedure outlined in state statutes, after no Democrats filed to run against the incumbents. Ms. Wright and Holzknecht believed that people should have a choice and if that choice was not going to be offered by the Democratic party, it would have to be provided by independent candidates.
Now Nodler and Scott want to keep that from ever happening again. According to the bill:
Any person desiring to be an independent candidate in a general election for any office to be filled by voters throughout the state, or for any congressional district, state senate district, state representative district, or circuit judge district shall file a written declaration of intent to be an independent candidate with the secretary of state not later than 5 p.m. on the last Tuesday in March immediately preceding the general election in which the person intends to be an independent candidate.
My question to Sen. Nodler and Sen. Scott: What is the logic behind this? Republican, Democratic, and Libertarian candidates must file by the March deadline because those parties have August primaries. An independent candidate has no primary, only the general election, so what is the purpose of an earlier deadline other than to perpetuate the power of these spoiled incumbents?
The bill text says it has been introduced by "Senators Nodler and Scott." Even worse, it has been placed in the Senate Financial & Governmental Organizations and Elections Committee, where it will be handled by the committee's chairman...Sen. Delbert Scott.
This bill is petty and vindictive. In other words, it's business as usual.
Exactly...I couldn't have said it better myself. One still must ask, "why are they so worried?" If local voters want to have only ONE candidate on the ballot every election cycle, they will do nothing--everyone else--SPEAK OUT. Write or call everyone on the senate committee reviewing this legislation. Make a difference.
ReplyDeletePlease give us names and numbers to contact, Independent values. I want to make my voice known on this stupid issue, but I'm not sure whom to contact.
ReplyDeleteWhy should an Independent candidate be treated differently than any other candidate? Why special treatment for any candidate.
ReplyDeleteWhat's good for one is good for the other....regardless of which ticket a candidate choose to run on.
Special favors and treatment to no one!...unless of course it's someone running against a candidate you don't like!!
There are several differences...Independent candidates are not able to participate in the primary. Independent candidates must go through a lengthy process of a petition drive to gather sufficient signatures and then getting them validated. In addition, Independent candidates do not the financial support of a political party to assist in the campaign process. So you see, there are already significant differences....unless Mr. Nodler finds more ways to complicate the process.
ReplyDeleteI fail to understand your logic....you act as if running on a traditional ticket is a walk in the park....it's no one's fault if an Independent has no primary - that was his/her choice...it's not anyone's fault that an Independent MAY have less money (and certainly that is not always the case) and an Independent has many advantages, some of which are just the things you pointed out...no expenses for a primary run thus no use of money until the general...and no traditional party to support...
ReplyDeleteSorry- I don't think Independents should be cut any slack...it's a choice they make and they should be held to the same expectations as anyone else.
I think our little "nodler lover" is back! Of course there is a difference between Independents and the other parties! Turning your logic around on you: Party people should have little or no funding like the MAJORITY of the Independent candidates. It is ridiculous to think LOGICALLY that they are all equal, because they aren't, which you already agreed to. The funding isn't there for for an Independent primary, it just isn't. The bottom line is that you don't like Independent candidates (threatened?) and this would be a "possibly" unconstitutional way to stop independent candidates from running. Democracy in Missouri is being threatened with this bill, fact.
ReplyDeleteWhat looney-toone comments. This legislation doesn't change any of the requirements for an independent candidate to get on the ballot. They still have the same amount of time to circulate petitions and the same deadline to submit them to the same place at the same cost. The only requirement change is that they declare themselves to be candidates at the same time as everybody else. The petition deadline is about the same time as the primary so the independent candidate would have about the same time to go through the independent process as the party candidates do for their primary. The real benefit here is that it prevents mischief by the parties so political operatives won’t be able to field stalking horse candidates after the filing deadline to try to affect the turnout for one party’s candidate or the other. This will lead to more honest elections. Why all the silly carping about a good idea?
ReplyDeleteDuhhhh, cause it is not a good idea. It never ceases to amaze how overworked the rich politicians get over an independent candidate. Say there is a vote and several people hate the proposed apples and oranges, but that is all that is being offered. Then someone thinks "there are so many people who hate the apples and oranges, I will offer them a banana to choose from as well". The banana (Independent Party) may not win, but it a choice and that is what makes the independent party so great and so American. I'm sure you will put me down, you always do, but I tried to keep it simple so that, even you, could get it. It is about choice. Americans will ALWAYS fight for their right of choice.
ReplyDeleteThis Anonymous loves bananas and certainly think everyone who is eligible has a right to run for office on any platform or ticket he or she chooses. I applaud any serious person who runs for office, but choosing to run as an Independent should not give anyone an edge.
ReplyDeleteFair is fair so if anyone has an idea of running as an Independent (as the great Joe Liberman did), I say go for it, but don't expect to start the race 10 yards ahead of the rest of the field.
I voted for Gary Nodler and would again because he has been most helpful when I reached out for help. But if someone wants to offer bananas, that's fine with me as long as they play by the same rules as everyone else.
If you reached out for help from Gary Nodler and actually got help, you are in the minority and must be able to do him some sort of favor in the future. Consider yourself warned.
ReplyDelete