If George Washington Wanted To Run For Governor Today, He Couldn’t Even Get On The Ballot

A Founding Father’s Predictions About Political Parties Have Come True

George Washington was not only an independent, but an independent who warned us about the dangers of political parties. You’ve probably heard it a million times before, but his feelings about political parties are worth restating.

Political parties will become tools by which unprincipled men will undermine the power of the people and steal the reins of government.

Source: MountVernon.org

Unfortunately, it is clear to any modern American that Washington was absolutely right. In fact, around the country, partisan legislators and election agencies have erected huge barriers to keep independents from participating in elections as either candidates or voters.

To understand, let’s take a closer look at Arizona, where the partisan legislature has made it their mission to keep independents like George Washington off the ballot and away from the polls.

A Mystery

There are more registered independent voters than there are Democrats in Arizona.

But of the 100 state legislators and statewide elected officials there is not even one independent. Why?

Hint: It’s probably not what you think.

Source: AZSOS.gov

Independents Have Been Growing 10x Faster Than The Parties

It’s not because being independent is unpopular in Arizona.

In 1924, Democrats outnumbered Republicans in Arizona 2-to-1, and they got even more powerful during and after the great depression.

Republicans didn’t overtake Democrats until 1986.

Since then, independents have been rapidly stealing share from both major parties!

Source: AZSOS.gov

Representation In AZ Politics

It’s not because it’s hard for minority groups to get representation in Arizona.

Source: AZLeg.gov

The Parties Lie

If it’s not a lack of independent voters or a general difficulty for minority groups to get representation, then what is it?

The parties want you to think independents can’t win because independent voters don’t participate, or because independent candidates aren’t appealing.

But that’s a lie.

The parties actively work to suppress the voice of independent voters.

Intentional Ballot Exclusion

In Arizona, Republican and Democrat candidates have to get about 5000 signatures to be on the primary ballot for a statewide office. But, they won’t let independents compete in primaries.

Instead they make independents get 35,000 signatures to get on the ballot.

Source: AZSOS.gov

For that reason, there hasn’t been an independent candidate for Governor on the ballot in 16 years. And the last one before that was in the 80s.

Source: AZSOS.gov

Arizona Isn’t Alone, But It’s One of the Worst

More than half of states make it harder for independents to get on the ballot. In fact, most states don’t require their partisan Governor candidates to gather signatures at all. But many of these same states make independents get tens of thousands of signatures.

Sources: Ballotpedia.org 1, Ballotpedia.org

These same kind of discrepancies exist for other positions as well, including President of the United States, US Senators and Representatives, other statewide offices, and state legislators.

Voter Data Denial

The Arizona legislature passed a law that lets the parties get official voter data for free, including daily updates right before an election.

But if you’re running as an independent, you have to pay for voter data, up to $2000 every time you want the data for the whole state.

Source: AZLeg.gov

Wasting Public Resources To Build Party Power

If you live in Arizona there’s an elected official in your neighborhood called a precinct committeeman/committeewoman (PC). A PC is a party specific role. The only job of a PC is to get the people in your neighborhood excited about their party. They work exclusively to elect officials from their party and pass legislation supported by their party.

The government spends tax money to print and count neighborhood specific ballots to elect PCs, but PCs are not accountable to the people, only to the party they represent.

source: Recorder.Maricopa.gov

So It’s Not That Independents Can’t Win…

It’s that the parties are working hard to stop them from winning!

How Can You Fight Back?

My name is Noah Dyer, and in 2018 I will be on the ballot as the independent candidate for Governor of Arizona.

I have to collect hundreds of signatures per day between now and April to get on the ballot. It’s something that 1 man can’t do, and even a small dedicated team of people can’t do. It requires dozens of people working from before sunup until after sundown.

The good news is that I have raised enough money to pay professional petition circulators to stand out in the sun and help me get signatures. But it’s an expensive undertaking, and every dollar that I pay for signatures is a dollar that I can’t spend on other campaign needs, like gas to travel the state and talk to voters, or ads to introduce more people to my historic campaign.

But you can help! If you’re willing to give this movement 60 seconds of your time, you can help fight the broken system and conserve valuable campaign resources.

Act NOW!

• Sign my online petition! (just need to be registered to vote in Arizona)

More Ways to Help

• Share this article with your social media and email network.
• Donate to my campaign!
• Consider volunteering to circulate the paper petition with our outreach team.

P.S.

We’re always looking for more paid circulators, too.