tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5366199.post115360216961784333..comments2023-12-24T00:27:57.613-06:00Comments on Kole Hard Facts of Life: Mike Kolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17573721231319244630noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5366199.post-1153677414316856822006-07-23T12:56:00.000-05:002006-07-23T12:56:00.000-05:00Chris- It's an excellent question!The first thing ...Chris- It's an excellent question!<BR/><BR/>The first thing that comes to mind are two seats in the Indiana Elections Division on the Board. Given the kinds of entries I've made recently regarding the arbitrary nature of the interpretations of the Elections Code, this would be invaluable. Right now, the Board is comprised of two Ds and two Rs, and no Ls.<BR/><BR/>As a Major Party, we put pressure on the Ds & Rs to clean up the mess that are the election laws and rules. The mess is staggering. If you've been following my Election Laws Follies series, you have seen the tip of the iceberg.<BR/><BR/>Right now, if you are a major party, you are compelled to participate in the primary elections. That is an interesting thing. Many Libertarians would prefer that we do not join in the primaries, sparing the taxpayers the expense of running political party business, and continuing to nominate candidates at conventions. That's a conversation worth having- with the public!<BR/><BR/>One thing Indiana is not is a "registration state". In the states that are such, the voter declares an affiliation if so disposed. The parties that way learn who their core supporters are. Not in Indiana. Instead, the major parties who participate in the primaries know who their core supporters are by virtue of learning who takes a D or R primary ballot. Everyone else is an 'independent', which is nonsense. The result is, the Ds & Rs have a ready made data base of those who pulled their primary ballot. The Libertarians, the Greens, etc., do not. They are left to scrounge.By the way, the statewide turnout for the most recent Primary election was below 25%! The general public isn't interested in the primaries- only the true partisans tend to turn out.<BR/><BR/>Making the LPIN on par would likely cause the Ds & Rs to scuttle the program, probably taking us to a "registration state" status. The advantages would be lost to the Ds & Rs, and I believe it could lead to scrapping the Primaries, as the real purpose for them would vanish. <BR/><BR/>The symbolic nature would be huge. Their hasn't been a new major party in Indiana in any living person's lifetime. The press keeps telling us that if we get to that level, they'll cover us more diligently.Mike Kolehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17573721231319244630noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5366199.post-1153672281820763622006-07-23T11:31:00.000-05:002006-07-23T11:31:00.000-05:00Mike,This may be a dumb question, but not being fr...Mike,<BR/><BR/>This may be a dumb question, but not being from Indiana, I just don't know. What advantages does the LP of Indiana get if it is declared a "major party"? Thanks!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com