Free and Open Ballots

Written by Wes Upchurch, Candidate

Tuesday, 12 August 2008 12:37

Where do I Stand?

The Office of the Secretary of State deals with a number of issues, the most important of which affects your right to vote and your right to run for office and whether you can vote for a member of a mainstream party or an independent candidate.

In Missouri, a large numbers of citizens, 18 years old and older, have elected to forego their right and obligation to vote. Many realize, as have I, that there really is not difference between the two major political parties. Those that do exercise their obligation to vote will tell you that they are really choosing the lesser of two evils. In the 2008 primaries only 19 percent of the voters left their homes to vote.

Part of the problem concerns the advantage given to the two majority parities; selecting candidates during national and state primaries with the winners advancing to the ballot. However, third party candidates can only advance to the general election if they receive a in appropriate number of signatures on a properly formatted petition that can e rejected for the most minimal reason by the Secretary of State.

Problem 1 – The question is why there so few independent candidates running for state wide offices in Missouri? Simplified, the state requires ___ signatures to be included on the ballot as an independent candidate for a state wide race. This is just one of many restricting regulations and statutes preventing Fair and Open Ballot Access.

The Fix: I will work with the state legislature to permit fewer signatures, a fair number of signatures, so individuals who wish to seriously contend for a state wide office have the opportunity and ability to do so.

Problem 2 – Fair access to campaign funding has been given lip serve too long by our legislators. Why? Every elected official has a vested interest in funding from large corporations, lobbyists and political ‘committees’ that have skirted the law. The small independent candidate does not have access to this money, and, unfortunately, in this day and age, money is the key to winning a race.

The Fix: Take the government and corporate funding out of the equation. I will work with the state legislators to see that moneys donated to candidates come from individuals, are limited in amount and those who violate campaign finance reform rules receive stiff and expensive fines.

Problem 3 – Too often voters have not been able to voice their true political concerns. In fact, their concerns may not be reflected by the choices provided on the ballot. Too often the voting citizen has only two choices; vote for the lesser of two evils or just do not vote at all. There is a third choice that is not recognized by the state of Missouri – ‘None of the Above.’

The Fix: Require that all candidate and issue presented on a ballot in Missouri include the selection of ‘None of the Above.’In addition, if the percentage of ‘None of the Above’ is in the majority, the process of presenting the candidates or issue will repeat until the citizens of this state have a choice acceptable to the majority.

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