Why is that ?

Getting on ballot takes a lot of 'work'
Independent candidates have tough time in Texas

By Kelley Shannon / Associated Press
March 2, 2006

AUSTIN - Independent candidates run for governor from time to time in other states, but not often in Texas.

That's in large part because of the state law for independents - requirements that gubernatorial hopefuls Kinky Friedman and Carole Keeton Strayhorn are loudly criticizing as they try to unseat Republican Gov. Rick Perry.
While Perry and other major party candidates await the results of Tuesday's primary election, Strayhorn and Friedman are preparing to collect the 45,540 voter signatures they each need to get on the November ballot.
It's a hurdle higher than independents face in some other big states. Strayhorn and Friedman, along with four lesser-known candidates, are hoping to become the first independent governor since Sam Houston in the 1850s.
''They have some work to do to get on the ballot,'' Perry said as he launched his re-election campaign in January. ''There's probably a reason there haven't been a lot of independent candidates in 150 years.''
The state law requiring independents to gather signatures took effect in 1905 and has remained essentially the same since, according to the Texas Legislative Reference Library.
By contrast, California independent candidates for governor must not have been affiliated with a political party for at least 11 months before the election and must pay a $3,500 filing fee or collect signatures from 10,000 registered voters.
In Florida, an independent can get on the ballot just as any other candidate by paying the required filing fee, totaling 3 percent of the annual salary for the elected office, according to the Florida secretary of state's office. For governor, that's $3,871.
When former pro wrestler Jesse Ventura scored his surprise victory as governor of Minnesota in 1998, he ran with the Reform Party and benefited from its major-party status at the time. Had he run as an independent, he would have had to collect 2,000 signatures from eligible voters to make the ballot.
Consumer advocate Ralph Nader sued over Texas' ballot access rules when he failed to make the ballot as an independent for president in 2004. Nader's campaign called Texas' law the toughest in the nation. He lost the court fight.
Texas independents for governor have until May 11 to collect their signatures. The names have to be from registered voters who didn't participate in the Republican or Democratic party primaries.
Voters can sign only one of the petitions. If there's a Democratic or Republican primary runoff for governor, it would be held in April and would shrink by 30 days the petition time period for independents.
The Texas secretary of state's office has said it could take up to two months after the petitions are turned in to determine whether enough signatures are valid.
That time frame doesn't sit well with Strayhorn and Friedman, whose campaign officials say waiting until July to learn whether they're on the November ballot is an unnecessary delay.
Strayhorn, the state comptroller who ran for that post as a Republican, is considering a lawsuit over the way the Secretary of State's Office is enforcing independent requirements.
''This administration seems to be doing everything it can to deny the people their right to vote for a real change and shake things up in November,'' said Strayhorn's son and campaign manager, Brad McClellan.
McClellan also is questioning why Secretary of State Roger Williams - a Perry appointee - won't allow independent campaigns to begin circulating petitions immediately after the polls close Tuesday night, instead of waiting until the following day.
And, McClellan wants Strayhorn to be able to turn in petition signatures then supplement that list with additional signatures later on, before the deadline. Williams said no.
Williams provided McClellan with a lengthy written response, in which he said the language of the Texas election code is ''clear and direct.''
Meanwhile, Friedman's campaign spokeswoman, Laura Stromberg, criticized the part of the Texas law preventing people who voted in a primary from signing a petition. Few other states have that ban, she said.
''Obviously we think that the bar is too high. We'd like to eliminate this type of requirement,'' she said, ''and when Kinky's in office that's our plan.''

source: http://www.reporter-news.com/abil/nw_political/article/0,1874,ABIL_7971_4507573,00.html
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Vote for Kinky
March 2, 2006

I believe we need to vote for Kinky Friedman. It's time one of us was elected governor. I think it's time someone stood up for our children, teachers and the common folk of Texas.
He believes in the working man, teaching our children to learn, protecting the environment and finding ways to help us financially. Here is how to vote for Kinky Friedman:
Stay away from the March 7 primary. If you vote in the primary, you won't be able to sign Kinky's petition to get on the ballot. Save yourself for Kinky! Texas law favors major party candidates and makes it nearly impossible for an independent to get on the ballot.
Kinky must collect nearly 46,000 signatures from registered Texas voters who did not vote in the Republican or Democratic primaries.
He has 62 days to collect those signatures and cannot begin collecting until the day after the primaries. Texas is the only state with such unfair requirements.
Texas hasn't had an independent governor since Sam Houston, 147 years ago. The two-party system isn't working, and the time has come for Texas' next independent governor.
Visit www.kinkyfriedman.com. Through the ''County Groups'' section of the site, anyone can sign up to collect signatures or offer their services as a notary public. Finally, to sign the petition, look for a ''signing station'' in your area so you can sign the petition between March 8 and May 11. These will be posted on the campaign Web site in the ''County Groups'' section.

Kimberly Corley
Abilene

source: http://www.reporter-news.com/abil/op_letters_editor/article/0,1874,ABIL_7984_4507078,00.html