Associated Press has posted an article about a bill designed to make things more difficult for independent candidates.
The bill, however, is not the spite bill sponsored by Sen. Gary Nodler, R-Joplin, and co-sponsored by Rep. Delbert Scott, R-Lowry City, but the House version offered by Ted Hoskins, R-Berkeley.
I can't recall any mention so far about the original legislation, from the Senate, sponsored by two senators who faced opposition from independent candidates last year and didn't like it one bit.
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Re: Possible Election Tampering in Missouri USA
If it talks and walks like a Duck then!
On February 7, Richard Struckhoff Greene County election official accepted my Declaration of Candidacy as Write-in for Mayor of Springfield, Missouri for April 3rd, 2007 election. A few weeks later I received a letter saying he wouldn’t count the votes as the city law department says the City Charter does not allow write-ins.
Facts are the charter is silent on write-ins just as other city charters are. Information on www.reedforcouncil.com shows ballot samples or news articles relate at least, Kansas City, Branson, Marshall, Joplin, and St. Louis allow write-in candidates for Mayor or alderpeople. State law allows write-in candidates and apparently Springfield’s the only city in Missouri not allowing this democratic process. If it talks and walks like a Duck then it’s a duck - count the votes!
We have very low voter turn out without throwing up road blocks. I’ve requested the Department of Justice look into this matter and also filed federal paperwork asking a federal magistrate judge to order the Clerk and Secretary of State to count the votes. After working on community projects and registering over 14,000 voters, I won’t rest until I believe we have free, open and legal elections in Missouri! Some people would say ‘is this a life or death issue.’ My answer is yes because democracy and the suffrage right of citizens to be involved in elections and to vote for people they want representing them is the pillar our nation rests upon. The last time I checked this wasn’t a third world country where corruption rules elections.
The appropriately named Nodler "Sour-Grapes" bill. Unlike political party choices, independent candidates must file a petition with 10,000 valid signatures at registration. This bill is about simplifying political strategizing for incumbant politicians, but it restricts the qualified choices availible to voters and thereby diminishes the democratic process. No thanks. Nodler is term limited and immune to voter pressure, and the Globe doesn't seem to want to tell this story, but concerned citizens should write letters to the editors in state-wide newspapers asking that citizens statewide contact their senators and representatives to reject this bill.
"Sour-Grapes" is a term that is used to refer to someone that makes excuses or attacks a victor after being defeated. Nodler won and won big, no matter what you think of Nodler`s bill, it can't be called "Sour-Grapes". What clearly does fit the "Sour Grapes" moniker are the comments by Randy Turner.
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