The Growing Independence of the Millennial Generation
 
Over the course of eight weeks a team of four researchers from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro conducted a face-to-face poll of students at 16 college campuses across North Carolina. The results can be found in the College Independents Poll: The Emergence of a Non-Partisan Politics?  Dr. Omar Ali, Associate Professor at UNC-Greensboro, co-founder of North Carolina Independents and a Board member of the IndependentVoting.org Board, was the Research Coordinator of the project. Student activists Stephanie Orosco, Brittany Rodman, Mariah Hunt, and Rachel Cooley collected the data interviewing 1,246 self-proclaimed independent students on 12 campuses across North Carolina.
 
A recent article in The Atlantic by Ron Fournier confirms that young people are spurning partisan politics.  45% of "millennials" now describe their affiliation as independent, an increase of 6 points since 2008.

  

 
President's Commission on Election Administration Campaign Update

 
Eleven independent activists from Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland and New York attended the President's Commission on Election Administration hearing held in Philadelphia on September 4th. 
 
(Pictured from left to right are: Dona Sauerburger, Steve Weiss, Kevin Soubly, Miriam Chaponniere, Norma Van Dyke, Brandi Martindale, Steve Richardson, Steven Johnson, Nancy Ross, Jenn Bullock, Joe Ferraro and Greg Moohn)

 

Six activists testified. Brandi Mardinale from New York pointed out that over 13 million Americans are excluded from voting in primary elections (read here).  Jenn Bullock, founder of Independent Pennsylvanians, added that in Pennsylvania alone over one million voters are excluded from voting in the primaries (read here). Dona Sauerburger stated that "our district lines in Maryland look like a bag of worms fell onto the floor (read here)."  Steve Richardson, leader of our National Reform Committee and founder of the Virginia Independent Voters Association testified that: "The real problem is that voters don't think their vote will count even if it's counted. Most votes don't matter because the system reflects partisan preferences that constrain voter choice."  Read Steve's testimony hereKevin Soubly of D.C. pointed out to the Commissioners that 45% of "millennial" voters now consider themselves independent and "nearly half my generation agree that 'politics is too partisan'."  Read Kevin's testimony here
 
Activists distributed Jackie Salit and Harry Kresky's Daily Beast editorial, Obama Commission Omission: The Voting System Isn't The Problem.  "We all want voting to be more efficient and less time consuming. But these upgrades won't change what our electoral system produces -- a government paralyzed by partisan gridlock."    
 
Check out independents' August 8 testimony from Denver on the PCEA site.  The final PCEA stop will be Cincinnati, OH on Friday, September 20.  

 

Breaking New Ground
 

Dr. Lenora Fulani, developmental psychologist and pioneer of the independent movement, has been campaigning with Adolfo Carrion, the Independence Party candidate for mayor of New York City.  She is building a coalition of professionals and young people in the Black and Latino communities to create a presence among people who want more democracy, representation and change so ordinary people can have a voice.

In a leaflet that has been hitting the streets of New York City, Fulani says: My friends, we all know what the important issues are in our city---fighting poverty, fighting ignorance and making a better life for everyone. The challenge is how to bring those issues to life.  The political machines won't do it, they're part of the problem. .... Join me in supporting my brother, Adolfo Carrion, the Independence Party candidate for Mayor. He's not part of the problem. He's an independent.  He's part of the solution."

Landmark South Carolina Open Primaries Victory

SC - Walking up steps to courthouse
The winning team - Jackie Salit, President of IndependentVoting.org, Wayne Griffin, Chair of SC Independence party, Fletcher Smith, Esq and Harry Kresky, IndependentVoting.org Counsel.

On Fairness Radio, IndependentVoting.org President Jackie Salit reports on a federal court judge's ruling that the Greenville Republican Party did not have standing to sue to close the South Carolina primaries. IndependentVoting.org and a coalition of defendant/intervenors fought back the attempt to disenfranchise independents. 
 
 
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