"Gettin KINKY" on the Ballot in Brownwood !

Friday March 10, 2006
News - The Brownwood Bulletin

Friedman petitions circulated in Brown, Coleman counties
By Gene Deason — Brownwood Bulletin

Supporters of the independent gubernatorial campaign of singer, songwriter and novelist Kinky Friedman are seeking signatures in Brown and Coleman counties.
A petition to place Friedman on the ballot in November’s general election in Texas is available at Steves’ Market and Deli in downtown Brownwood, and other locations for petitions are being sought, according to George Buckley of Bangs, Brown County coordinator.
“I’ve teamed with Judy Meister of Santa Anna, who is the Coleman County coordinator,” Buckley said Thursday. “We’re trying to get people to sign the petition.”
Buckley said supporters will be at the Wal-Mart parking lot Saturday to accept signatures and answer questions.
“We hear there’s a lot of support, but people don’t know what to do or how to get the information,” Buckley added.
Friedman’s campaign workers have 60 days from Wednesday to obtain at least 45,540 signatures from registered voters who did not participate in Tuesday’s primary elections.
“We certainly don’t expect to get that many signatures from Brown County, but we can do our part,” Buckley said.
Meister said she plans to place petitions at locations in Coleman County in the near future.
“The concerns of the people here are agriculture, of course, and we also have a lot of teachers concerned about the situation in Austin,” Meister said. “We’re hoping that a lot of them who want to see some changes chip in and help by signing the petition.”
Meister said she and Buckley teamed up because they decided “if we pull our forces together, we could do more than if we stand alone. We’re trying to make it a team effort.” She plans to help the campaign in Brown County while Brown County supporters help her.
“Right now, I’m pretty much the lone soldier for the Kinkster in Coleman County,” Meister said.
People who want to sign a petition should have their voter registrations cards with them, which will show whether they voted in the primaries. Interested persons who are not registered to vote or do not have a card — even if they believe they are registered — should first check with the Brown County Elections Administrator’s office at the Coliseum Annex. Signatures of citizens who sign before becoming registered cannot be counted.
Buckley said he initially inquired about the Friedman campaign through its Web site because he believes the two parties “have both let us down.”
“My energy at first wasn’t for Kinky Friedman,” he said. “My energy was for a change. This country has become pretty stagnant. Just because there’s an independent candidate or a third party doesn’t mean we will be able to make a change, but we’d like to contribute to the process. We just don’t want to go on as usual.”
He said after his e-mail inquiry, he was contacted by campaign staff about his interest in serving as a county coordinator, and agreed to assume the title.
Buckley, who is a city councilman in Bangs, said in all politics there’s a certain amount of trust and disbelief. “But Kinky Friedman comes across as No. 1 on my belief list.”
Friedman is not the only high-profile independent candidate whose supporters are circulating petitions to gain a spot on the November ballot. Texas Comptroller Carol Keeton Strayhorn, who won that office as a Republican, is planning a run for governor as well.
At least one other independent candidate — Larry W. Camp — is seeking support through the media in Brown County.
Friedman campaign meetings are planned in Brown County on Wednesdays at locations to be announced, Buckley said. Information is available from him at 642-8306 or from Meister at 348-3702.
source: http://www.brownwoodbulletin.com/articles/2006/03/10/news/news02.txt