Radio Ad Text

The following is the original text from the radio ads that the Kole Campaign ran in the days leading up to the Primary Election. Unfortunately, while it was a great speech, it was much more than a 60-second radio ad. It was significantly edited to fit inside those parameters.

My name is Mike Kole. I’m a Libertarian candidate for Secretary of State. You won’t be able to vote for me when you vote in the Primary Election, and that’s worth thinking about.

Libertarians are not part of the Primaries. Even though it might be perceived that Libertarians are shut out of the process, we like it that way. We select our candidates at county and statewide conventions, sparing the taxpayers the cost of staging our private, political party business.

The Republicans and Democrats also like the primary process just as it is. That should be no surprise- they wrote the rules. They like that the taxpayers pay for their private business. They like the fact that when voters take a partisan primary ballot, they learn who their supporters are, and who to raise money from. They’re happy that Libertarians do not have this tool.

But, what’s good for the political parties can be bad for voter participation. In 2004, with all the star power of presidential and gubernatorial candidates, the turnout in Marion County was only 13%, and 21% statewide.

That trend will likely continue this year, as Hoosiers who scratch vote, or who consider themselves independents, and Libertarian voters often feel shut out of the process because they do not have an interest in taking a partisan ballot.

That’s a shame, because there are also important non-partisan races on the primary ballot, such as for school board.

School Board offices are very important, as the people elected to these offices have a great deal of influence on how our children are educated, and on the amount of tax dollars taken from the public to fund the schools.

While the Secretary of State’s office spent more than a million dollars educating Hoosiers about the new voter ID law, it didn’t even spend a penny to advise that any registered voter can vote in the primary, even if they don’t want a partisan ballot. It’s hard to figure why so much money was spent on educating people about having an ID for an election they probably aren’t going to participate in. Cart and horse, I’m afraid.

It is my hope that we can do away with the Primaries in Indiana in the near future,
sparing the taxpayers the expense of private political party business, and shifting the School Board races to Fall, when the turnout is higher.

Until then, I encourage every registered voter to exercise their civic privilege and vote in the Primaries. Please come out to vote on Tuesday, May 2. The non-partisan voter merely needs to ask for the school board ballot to participate.

Then in November, you’ll be able to vote for Mike Kole for Secretary of State, and a host of other Libertarians who believe in fair elections, lower taxes, and smaller government.

This message paid for and authorized by the Committee to Elect Mike Kole. Ame Langmack, Treasurer.

A later post will have the edited script, and an audio link to the actual ad.