The Citizens Initiative Party has layers of meaning. Initially, it evolved out of brainstorming for a way to reform the Utah caucus system to a direct primary--a ballot in the hands of the voters to choose the candidates to be listed on the general election ballot. The Caucus system unique to Utah presently chooses the delegates to the party conventions. Any candidate that gets 60% of the delegates' votes in convention is the party's candidate in the general election. Often the election is over at the party convention as whoever is the party candidate is as good as elected, whether the Democrat in Salt Lake City or the Republican in the rest of the state.
The caucus, a neighborhood meeting, is so small it is easily manipulated, typically more extreme than the general population, and favors incumbents. Although recently popular incumbents Governor Olene Walker and Senator Bob Bennett have been dumped by the people elected at the mass meetings to be delegates to the party convention. Additionally, it is not often pointed out that only some of the delegates to the convention are chosen at the caucus. Other delegates are incumbents, party officers, former office holders chosen by the party leaders. For the brief period between election as a delegate at the neighborhood caucus and voting at the convention, delegates are wined and dined and lobbied by the candidates! And having been once a delegate, the person is encouraged by their incumbent new best friends to run again when the next election cycle begins.
We cannot expect the incumbent Utah legislature to take this reform up themselves without some form of real pressure from the public. Their re-election is served by the existing system. In fact, the legislature after the public uprising on the school voucher issue made the alternate route of a citizen's petition more difficult. There is a short time frame after filing a petition to gather approximately 100,000 signatures from at least 26 of the 29 counties, and electronic signatures are not accepted.
Alternatively, it only takes 2000 signatures of registered voters by February 15, 2012, to register a new political party. The party will become an educational and organizational force to gather a list of 100,000 pledges to sign the initiative. When we have enough people committed, the initiative will be filed and everyone emailed a downloadable form to sign and mail to the party to submit. Having an entity gathering pledges will take a lot of the cost and uncertainty out of the process.
The party's name also emphasizes the need for citizens to take more initiative in getting our government at every level back on track. It is not enough to just vote. We need to engage in choosing the candidates. We need solutions to our problems. Hence, the party will encourage people to participate where they see a need.
The party will not sell or share its list, but may invite people on the list to consider other issues. But for now direct primaries for Utah is our issue. A better democracy, with more choice for the voters is the goal.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
caucus system problems
The State of Utah has recently seen two popular incumbents dumped at their party conventions without the public having a vote. Governor Walker was wise, experienced, and beloved. Senator Bennett was a ranking Senator who was respected and effective.
Utah's unique caucus system tends to attract few people, with strong political opinions. Delegates are elected at neighborhood caucuses (meetings), who then go to the party conventions which choose who goes on the ballot which the public gets to vote on. This system is easily manipulated by a few people, usually the top of the party. Although the Republicans saw that control swept up by a surprise Tea Party invasion in 2010.
For example, about 50 delegates from the neighborhood caucuses choose a candidate for the House of Representatives of Utah. Not all the delegates are ever simply citizens better informed and more dedicated than the average voter. Many of the delegates are party officers or incumbents or former office holders appointed to be delegates by the party leaders and not even elected by the caucuses. Incumbents at the top of the parties have already been phoning former delegates to determine who they will support in 2012
and accordingly encourage them to turn out again for the caucuses next spring--or not. And for the few weeks between being elected a delegate at a caucus and the vote in conventions, the delegates are wined and dined and lobbied by the politicians!
This is not the place to support individual candidates or pursue the possibilities for cronyism or corruption in the existing system. This is about reforming the system to give the voters more choices, more say. Particularly in Utah with its veto proof super Republican majority in the legislature and another strong Democratic voting block in Salt Lake City, most elections are over when the caucus delegates at the party convention chooses its candidate. But that candidate may not be in step with the people.
Utah's unique caucus system tends to attract few people, with strong political opinions. Delegates are elected at neighborhood caucuses (meetings), who then go to the party conventions which choose who goes on the ballot which the public gets to vote on. This system is easily manipulated by a few people, usually the top of the party. Although the Republicans saw that control swept up by a surprise Tea Party invasion in 2010.
For example, about 50 delegates from the neighborhood caucuses choose a candidate for the House of Representatives of Utah. Not all the delegates are ever simply citizens better informed and more dedicated than the average voter. Many of the delegates are party officers or incumbents or former office holders appointed to be delegates by the party leaders and not even elected by the caucuses. Incumbents at the top of the parties have already been phoning former delegates to determine who they will support in 2012
and accordingly encourage them to turn out again for the caucuses next spring--or not. And for the few weeks between being elected a delegate at a caucus and the vote in conventions, the delegates are wined and dined and lobbied by the politicians!
This is not the place to support individual candidates or pursue the possibilities for cronyism or corruption in the existing system. This is about reforming the system to give the voters more choices, more say. Particularly in Utah with its veto proof super Republican majority in the legislature and another strong Democratic voting block in Salt Lake City, most elections are over when the caucus delegates at the party convention chooses its candidate. But that candidate may not be in step with the people.
Monday, December 12, 2011
join this website to help bring direct primaries to Utah
If you would like to see direct primaries in Utah, sign up with this site. We are starting a new political party, to build a big enough group to be ready to move quickly enough for a successful citizen's initiative, or to support any other opportunity to move toward the goal of voters having a say in the selection of candidates for office.
The first step is to find 2000 registered Utah voters as fast as possible to sign a petition to start the Citizens Initiative Party.
Then use the party to receive news alerts and help build a list of about 100,000 to sign a petition to put on a Utah ballot to change the way candidates are chosen from party caucus system to direct primaries. So when we have a big enough list, we can file the petition and email a link for people to download the petition and get it signed and sent in.
And from our list possibly find volunteers to work on the computer set up, or out reach, or organizing, or voter registration, or publicizing, or (not tax deductible) fund raising. So we will end up with that big computerized list we can reach out to for a quick, statewide response when the petition is filed. To provide a link to paper copies of the petition for primaries for everyone to download, sign, and mail in when we have a big enough (about 100,000) group.
Once we have the system set up, we will keep it ready in case other issues fundamental to a free people, like the GRAMA crisis, need action. We will be open to suggestions from our supporters. For now, leave your contact information on the comments section below.
And follow this link to download the petition to start the party. We need 2000 registered voters just after Feb 1st, so we can verify and submit by Feb. 15. http://primariesforutah.org/
You do not actually have to do any more than sign--it helps us get started without binding you to anything else. But hopefully you will want to help somehow. I personally have come to the conclusion that the citizens need to take more initiative to save our country than just voting and waiting for the politicians to act. Thank You. Lee Anne Walker.
The first step is to find 2000 registered Utah voters as fast as possible to sign a petition to start the Citizens Initiative Party.
Then use the party to receive news alerts and help build a list of about 100,000 to sign a petition to put on a Utah ballot to change the way candidates are chosen from party caucus system to direct primaries. So when we have a big enough list, we can file the petition and email a link for people to download the petition and get it signed and sent in.
And from our list possibly find volunteers to work on the computer set up, or out reach, or organizing, or voter registration, or publicizing, or (not tax deductible) fund raising. So we will end up with that big computerized list we can reach out to for a quick, statewide response when the petition is filed. To provide a link to paper copies of the petition for primaries for everyone to download, sign, and mail in when we have a big enough (about 100,000) group.
Once we have the system set up, we will keep it ready in case other issues fundamental to a free people, like the GRAMA crisis, need action. We will be open to suggestions from our supporters. For now, leave your contact information on the comments section below.
And follow this link to download the petition to start the party. We need 2000 registered voters just after Feb 1st, so we can verify and submit by Feb. 15. http://primariesforutah.org/
You do not actually have to do any more than sign--it helps us get started without binding you to anything else. But hopefully you will want to help somehow. I personally have come to the conclusion that the citizens need to take more initiative to save our country than just voting and waiting for the politicians to act. Thank You. Lee Anne Walker.
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