[Pressrelease] Parties advise state voters to leave ballots blank

[Christopher S Powell]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

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Oklahoma Libertarian Party    Oklahoma Green Party    Oklahoma Constitution Party

Contact:                                  Contact:                           Contact: 

Chris Powell                             James M. Branum            Thom Holmes

Phone:                                     Phone:                            Phone: 

405-640-8204                           405-476-5620                    918-866-2256

E-mail:                                    E-mail:                             E-mail:

cspowell at rocketmail.com         jmb at okgreens.org            holmesta at hotmail.com
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September 27th, 2004

 

Parties advise state voters to leave ballots blank

 

Oklahoma City - Libertarians, Greens, and the Constitution Party are all advising Oklahoma voters not to mark their ballots for either George Bush or John Kerry on election day, and since only those two candidates are on Oklahoma's ballot, these political parties want you to leave your presidential ballot blank.  They want you to vote on other races, and on the State Questions, but because Oklahoma limits your choices for President more than any other state, they say don't choose in that race at all.  Every other state in the nation has at least three presidential candidates on official ballots.  Those who would cast a write-in vote will also be disappointed, as Oklahoma is one of only five states that don't allow write-ins. Of the other states that don't allow write-ins, all will have at least four presidential candidates on their ballots.

 

Ralph Nader supporters, the Oklahoma Green Party, and the Oklahoma Libertarian Party all petitioned to get their candidates on the state ballot.  Libertarian Michael Badnarik is on 49 ballots, Michael Peroutka of the Constitution Party and Independent Ralph Nader are both on 37 ballots, and the Green Party's David Cobb is on 28 ballots. Oklahoma Libertarians gathered over 26,000 signatures, enough in 40 states, but only about half of what Oklahoma requires for political parties to run candidates.  The party was seeking an injunction to be included in November elections, but the injunction was denied by Judge Bryan Dixon in July.  The OKLP is appealing to the State Supreme Court, but that hearing will not occur in time to include Libertarian candidates.  Richard Winger, publisher of Ballot Access News, labels Oklahoma as having "the most restrictive ballot access law in the nation."  

 

"There's not much reason to vote in the presidential election in Oklahoma," said OKLP Chairman Steve Galpin.  "Pres. Bush and Sen. Kerry both favor the PATRIOT ACT, they both want to continue the war in Iraq, both support gun control, and both will continue to make government bigger.  Since there aren't any other choices, voters shouldn't make any choice at all."  James Branum, State Co-Chair of the Green Party, compared Oklahoma elections to those in totalitarian countries, "In dictatorships, elections are just for show.  The government only lets approved candidates participate, and the outcome is pre-determined.  Since Bush has a bigger lead in here than even in Texas, the presidential election in Oklahoma is meaningless."  Branum has started a website to promote unmarked presidential ballots: www.nota4oklahoma.info

 

Voters who don't mark their ballots for one of the two candidates for President may find their ballot rejected by the optical scanner machines.  If that happens, they should ask for assistance from election workers.  Galpin indicated he expected no more than minimal problems for those who choose no on both Bush and Kerry.  "Are they going to force you to vote for one of the state-approved candidates?" he asked.  

 

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