Independence Minnesota Announces Presidential Endorsing Convention
by Craig Swaggert
The Minnesota Independence Party will convene an endorsing
convention on Saturday, October 25, at 12:30pm to consider making an
endorsement in the Presidential Election. Delegates will hear from
representatives of up to all 7 presidential campaigns appearing on the
Minnesota Ballot.
A key hurdle for this year's winning presidential candidate is to
gain a majority of the growing number of independent voters.
Independents are now 38% of electorate. This year is a great year to
demonstrate across Minnesota the impact of an organized independent
movement. As fellow Independent, NYC Mayor Bloomberg said earlier this
year in Minneapolis, "Just because we're independents, doesn't mean we
can't or shouldn't organize."
The Minnesota Independence Party doesn't have a candidate in this
Presidential campaign. However, the ability for the party to endorse
members of other parties was made possible by a change earlier this
year to the Party's constitution. So far, the IP has cross endorsed two
Congressional candidates and a handful of state and local candidates.
There are seven Presidential candidates on the Minnesota ballot this
year. All of them have been invited to apply for endorsement. Each
candidate has received a summary version of the Independence
Party
Platform.
They have been asked to identify where they agree, disagree or
partially agree with the Independence Party platform and may elaborate
as needed. The IP has designated a committee to review all candidate
responses. All candidate responses and the results of the IP review
will be posted here on our website by October 20th.
We encourage all independent minded voters and our delegates to
review the responses of the candidates and register their reactions and
comments via our web site blog.
The endorsing convention will be held, Saturday, October 25th
at 12:30pm at Eastview
High School
Auditorium in Apple Valley, MN. Official IP Delegates to the convention
are encouraged to pre-register online. The convention is also open to
the public.
Presidential
Convention Delegate FAQ's
by Craig Swaggert
- Why did the IP decide to hold an
endorsing convention?
As Michael Bloomberg said in
his visit to Minneapolis earlier this year, the time has come for
independents to organize and demonstrate their clout. Independent
voters are the largest group of voters as more and more citizens become
dissatisfied with the two established parties. The presidential
campaigns are aware of this and approached the IP about a possible
endorsement earlier this fall. With all that is at stake in this year’s
presidential election, we decided it would be in the best interest of
independent voters and our party to evaluate the candidates against our
platform and consider an endorsement.
- If I attend the special endorsing
convention does that mean I have to vote to endorse one of presidential
candidates?
No.
If you decide that no candidate is deserving of the IP endorsement, you
can make a motion to withhold the endorsement, or vote for or against
similar motions.
- Is there anything I need to do to
prepare for the convention?
YES!
Please pre-register if you plan to attend. You can do this at http://www.independenceminnesota.org/endorse
You
can also review the IP party platform, and the week before the
convention, the candidates’ responses about their positions regarding
the IP Platform will be posted on the website. The IP screening
committee will evaluate their responses and post their opinion as well.
In addition, you may want to attend the League of Women Voters
Presidential Town Hall on the morning of October 25th. It is
being held at Normandale College. More information can be found at www.lwvmn.org/
- Will presidential candidates be
appearing at our endorsing convention?
Each
candidate has been invited to attend or send a representative from
their campaign to make a brief presentation to you about why their
candidates deserve the Independence Party endorsement.
- If I am an alternate, how will I
know if I will get to vote at the convention?
Delegates
are seated first and as an Alternate you would be seated as a Delegate
only if not enough Delegates from your district had not shown up that
day. Of course, it is very likely that in most districts there
will be
open Delegate seats. But in full honesty, we will not know until
that
day. On the other hand, this should be a most interesting show of
political theatre in a highly charged national race. You could
also
check in with the Chair of your local Congressionial District who
should have a good idea of number of delegates in your district