OntheWilderSide

Three places with interesting updates on grassroots, third party, and independent politics:

Ballot Access News is always valuable to check out. Richard Winger is a ballot access expert who constantly studies and comments on electoral justice, ballot access law, third party building, independent and third party candidates, and petition drives.

Independent Political Report strives to bring news about third party and independent activists from all parts of the spectrum. It has a Libertarian and “right” flavor. Though, there are some great Green Party updates just posted today. (KW writes: I am a sometimes contributor at IPR.)

USA Today: What? Does the major media have a story about independent politics? Must be important if they feel they have to pay attention to people other than the duopoly! A USA today story from December 22nd notes: “More than 2.5 million voters have left the Democratic and Republican parties since the 2008 elections, while the number of independent voters continues to grow…”

My favorite item to watch from Ballot Access News:I think it is important for all people who care about justice, but especially for progressive activists, to watch carefully what happens with states trying to require photo ID at the polls. Monitoring important voting rights issues and ballot access issues like this one is a good reason to check in with Ballot Access News on a regular basis…

U.S. Justice Department Blocks South Carolina’s New Law Requiring Government Photo-ID at the Polls
December 23rd, 2011

On December 23, the U.S. Justice Department’s Voting Rights Section refused to pre-clear South Carolina’s new law, requiring voters at the polls to show a government photo-ID that hasn’t expired. South Carolina is one of the states covered by section five of the federal Voting Rights Act. Therefore, the state cannot change its election laws without either approval from the Justice Department, or approval by a 3-judge U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C.

The Justice Department is also considering whether to approve a similar new law in Texas.

Filed under: 3rd party, activism, Ballot issues, election, Election 2012, elections, grassroots democracy, green, Green Party, independent politics, News, politics, progressive politics, third party, US Politics Tagged: | after Christmas, Ballot Access News, libertarian, Libertarian politics, Photo identification, political updates, Richard Winger, South Carolina, South Carolina politics, Texas elections, Texas politics, Texas voting rights, United States Department of Justice, voting, Voting Rights, Voting Rights Act