Independent Candidate in Illinois Is Not Challenged, Libertarians Are

Illinois Leader.com ^ | July 5, 2002 | Springfield Bureau

[TheEaglehasLanded]

Independent Candidate Is Not Challenged, Libertarians Are

Friday, July 05, 2002

By The Leader-Springfield Bureau

Independent candidate for Governor Marisellis E. Brown submitted one signature -- his own. He is on the ballot for the November 2002 General Election along with Jim Ryan and Rod Blagojevich. SPRINGFIELD -- The Republican Party of Illinois has filed petition objections on two gubernatorial candidates, the Liberatarian Cal Skinner and his slate and the "Jesus Party" candidate, Lloyd Metz. But one other candidate will remain on the ballot along with Jim Ryan and Rod Blagojevich -- Independent Marisellis Brown.

Irv Smith of Springfield and Carla Bender of Lincoln each filed challenges on 29,000 of the 52,043 Libertarian Party slate's petition signatures less than one hour before the State Board of Elections' deadline. Smith also challenged the gubernatorial candidate Lloyd Metz of Fairbury's petitions. Metz is running alone on the "Jesus Party" ticket.

But no one filed objections on Marisellis Brown, an Independent candidate for Governor. A representative of the State Board of Elections confirmed today, "'Marisellis E. Brown' will be listed along with Jim Ryan and Rod Blagojevich's names on the November 2002 General Election ballot. There is no objection pending, and the deadline for filing objections has passed."

Brown's petition consists of one signature -- his own.

The second name on the petition is "people of color" and the third is "poor whites."

The rest of the petition is covered with hand-written comments such as "Look, 'M...' any body can be a master politican in a corrupt system," "A 'master politician' understands terrorism or use," and "Mitigating circumstances should allow me on ballot, because of not taking corrupt money."

The petition is not notarized. The circulator signature says simply, "Political Prisoner," and lists Brown's home address in Danville.

But the GOP didn't challenge Brown's petitions; they have chosen to challenge others.

"Challenging the Libertarian Party ballots in Illinois is a frivolous waste of $300 to $500,000 in tax revenue. The Republican Party is just afraid of competition," said Mike Ginsberg, Libertarian Party spokesman in Springfield.

Irv Smith, a Springfield alderman and Sangamon County Republican Chairman and Carla Bender, Logan County Circuit Clerk and Jim Ryan's coordinator in Logan County, filed the objections to 29,000 Liberatarian slate petition signatures. 23,000 of the 25,000 necessary to qualify for the ballot were not challenged. Major political parties such as the Democrats and the Republicans are required to gather 5000 valid registered voter signatures to be on the ballot.

Ginsberg stated that 95% of the Libertarian petitions circulated were notarized by the party's own notaries who are on file with the state.

The objectors claim that Libertarian circulators were not present at notarization. They also claim that two petitioners moved during the petition drive, and may have had their voter registration status in question. Other complaints include protesting abbreviations being used for towns, counties, or streets, and suggesting that circulators forged petition signatures.

Ginsburg suggests that state employees on state time may have been used to scour the petitions as they allegedly did in 1998, when then-Secretary of State George Ryan used state workers to challenge Liberatarian petition signatures as reported in a November 8 1998 Chicago Tribune article.

Questions abound as to the GOP's objections, because Attorney General Jim Ryan, a Republican candidate for governor himself, may have a self-interest in deeming the Libertarian petition signatures invalid. The Libertarian's legal counsel, Andy Spiegel, has asked for an impartial election observer to be included in the objections hearing, held via conference call on July 9th.

And Marisellis Brown remains on the ballot, unchallenged.

[TheEaglehasLanded]

I think it is rediculous that a guy with 1 signiture is even on the ballot but a serious political 3rd party is challenged and forced to waste time in resources to stay on they ballot after collecting more than twice the necessary valid signitures.

It basically says we don't care how many signitures you bring in we will use state employees on paid time to knock you off. What kind of system requires one group to get 5 times as many signitures as someone else. It should be the same for everyone.

[VA Advogado]

It figures the libertarians would break the law. They're no exactly a group that seeks to represent, how shall I say it, the law abiding?

[dts32041]

Illnois politics, nothing else quite like in the USA.

[dcwusmc]

It figures that you are here spewing your venom all over FR. Perhaps you'd feel more comfortable at Cuba.com or Tyrants-r-us.com or some other place more in line with your authoritarian tendencies. Certainly there is something about the notion of actual FREEDOM that scares the hell out of you. Perhaps we, the People, don't deserve freedom to your way of thinking or is it that it must be freedom as defined by VA Avocado? Sorry, sport, but we are either free to live our lives as WE see fit or we live them as you see fit and that is NOT freedom at all. I choose freedom so, as politely as I can be with a venomous snake, ESAD. It would be real nice if you would find a new sandbox to crap in. You seem to hate, in equal parts, libertarians and Constitutionalists. Shame that you can't get a position with Fidel. You'd be right at home. Maybe even get to succeed him when he croaks. He sure ain't getting any younger. But maybe the Cubans will decide that they, too, want out from under the yoke of the almighty State. So that would leave China. Or North Korea. Or Vietnam. Hmmm so few places left for people like you... Maybe, with luck and God's blessing, we can ensure there are NO places left for you to go. And then we can ask you to get your Darwin award. Leave NO trace of your DNA to ruin the planet. I truly hope you have never reproduced. Your kids would be the most confused and befuddled and repressed of any outside of Stalin's kids or Fidel's (and THEY split for the West the minute they could!)...

[alpowolf]

It figures the libertarians would break the law

Are you basing this statement on fact? No, of course not.

[tpaine]

It figures an obsessed 'VA' sociopath would accuse the libertarians of breaking the law.
They're exactly the group that seeks to represent a law abiding government, under a framework of constitutional law.

[TheEaglehasLanded]

I call myself a Conservative Constitutionalist now, I believe in the tradional values that has made our country great and the sanctity of the Constitution.

My point is I like choices in the marketplace which is what all FREEPRS should want, in Illinois we have 2 bad products. The Democrat Party and the Republican Party as far as leadership goes.

Neither Party wants you to have choices if they are doing a poor job and they believe voters might not choose their bad candidates. That everyone doesn't play by the same laws to get on the ballot is another problem.

Also in Illinois if you circulate petitions for any candidate in the Republican or Democrat Primaries at any level of office you can't really circulate for a 3rd Party because if there is an objection all signitures you collect would be thrown out on the basis you declared party by circulating for the 2 major parties.

[alpowolf]

I call myself a libertarian. We probably disagree on some things but in general your statement of beliefs would cover my beliefs.

The major parties do not represent us. They have no interest whatsoever in the Constitution. Power is the only thing they are interested in, getting and keeping and wielding power for their own ends. This is what libertarians mean when they say "not a dime's worth of difference". Democrats and Republicans may differ on various issues but their basic goal is the same.

[Kerberos]

"This is what libertarians mean when they say "not a dime's worth of difference".

I have understood for some time that both parties are basically socialist parties, but what really is the difference?

It has occurred to me, in light of the Pledge of Allegiance flap, that the basic difference is that the Democrats follow a form of Marxist socialism and the Republicans follow a form of Christian based socialism.

But the real choice is, how do you want your socialism, with or without a deity.

[alpowolf]

To me, they both have a diety. It's called Big Government.

[Kerberos]

"To me, they both have a diety. It's called Big Government.

LOL...That's another way of looking at it.

[TheEaglehasLanded]

LOLOTF, my dad turned 65 this year, when he was born the Fed govt ran on 7 BILLION in 1937, today it's 2.1 Trillion before the PRESCRIPTION DRUG PLAN. THAT'S A 30,000 percent increase. The equivalent would be a house today selling for 100,000 would have cost you 333 dollars in 1937. I think most homes like that would have cost 7 or 8 thousand then.

[headsonpikes]

"What kind of system..."

That is a question well-worth asking.

Hint: It's not the American Constitutional system.

[Jhoffa_]

The rest of the petition is covered with hand-written comments such as "Look, 'M...' [ note, "M..." What? Stand for Mother f'er perhaps?] any body can be a master politican in a corrupt system," "A 'master politician' understands terrorism or use," and "Mitigating circumstances should allow me on ballot, because of not taking corrupt money."

LOL! I wouldn't challenge the guy either..

He's obviously challenged enough as it is!

(besides, I would let him run just for the entertainment value.. Can you imagine what the debates would sound like? LOL!)

[TN Republican]

What law-breakers - first they're caught abbreviating their street names, I'll bet there were even a few that left off the last four digits of their zip codes.

[VA Advogado]

What law-breakers - first they're caught abbreviating their street names, I'll bet there were even a few that left off the last four digits of their zip codes.

Sorry. The law is the law.

[TN Republican]

As much as I hate to think of an organized "McCain the conservative" effort succeeding in a partisan primary, I really don't think it is the state's business how one chooses to vote.

They might as well say that if you ever declared for a major party at a primary, then you couldn't sign the petition for a third-party candidate either.

[TN Republican]

Does the law state that you have to write out your complete street address (i.e., using "Ave." for "Avenue" will disallow you)? Or does the law state that you just have to be registered to vote in that district and that you put your correct address on the petition?

[TheEaglehasLanded]

Actually we have had a IL SUPREME COURT case where people have been allowed to abbrevatiate address like bvld for boulevard, city like spfld for springfield, and county sang for sangamon.

You are required to sign your name, print your name, address, city, county, no zip codes necessary, voter registrations are kept at county level in Illinois