Committee to Elect Wes Upchurch

Do we really have free and open elections?

The law says that any citizen who is at least 18 years of age can vote, but many people do not register to vote, and of those who are registered, a very large percentage do not bother to vote.

So why don't people vote?

One main reason that people don't vote is because they feel that there is no good choice. They realize that no matter which of the two major political parties is in power nothing major changes and it doesn't make a big difference which they vote for... even amongst people who do vote they just want the lessor of two evils.

If what I stated previously is true then why don't people often run as independents or other third parties.  With a little research you'll find that the cards are stacked against them.  Especially evident in Federal elections there are just too many laws and regulations that make it difficult for anyone who isn't part of a major party to get on the ballot.  In many states, this one included, the major parties do not even have to petition, but thousands of signature are required for any third party to run.

In the practice of fair disclosure: My party, the Missouri Libertarian Party, has reached the threshold required for Ballot Access (in this state) without petitioning, but it's still an important issue that is preventing many other voices from being heard.

As one quick example of this injustice: Did you know hat it takes 675,000 petition signatures for an independent presidential candidate to get on the ballot in all 50 states but a Democratic candidate only has to collect 1/26th of that number? It's sad, but it's true.

Did you know that the major parties utilize public funds for the primaries of their private parties?  So while independent candidates and other third parties use their own money to meet the requirements for ballot accesss, the major parties are allowed to spend tax-payer money for the same purpose. 

How do we fix this? (Fair Ballot Access / Privatization of Party Primaries)

Well setting a fair ballot access requirement that all candidates must meet is the first step.  I recommend beginning by lowering the number of signatures required for an independent or third party candidate to get on the ballot.

The next step would be to logically be to set all of the candidates on a level playing field as far as finances go.  Political Parties should all have to hold and fund their own primaries and nominate their own candidates.  It isn't the role of the the government to assist in picking the candidates to represent each party, it's the job of the party itself to decide how they want to choose their candidate.

Why should you be concerned?

Without fair ballot access, it means that you don't have a real voice in electing the people who govern us, you get two options, but you don't get real choices.  Unfair ballot access and the public funding of party primaries mean that the two major parties, using the law to finance only themselves will continue to dominate our government and control your lives.

I, Wesley Upchurch, promise to stand for your rights to fair ballot access and will support legislation ending the public funding of private political interests.