There’s something brand new in American politics, and it may prove attractive to voters disillusioned by the level of partisan rancor in Washington. Elliott Ackerman is Chief Operating Officer of Americans Elect, which will hold the first ever, nonpartisan, on-line presidential nominating convention.”Any registered voter can be a delegate to that convention, and the ticket that comes out of that convention is going to be on the ballot in all fifty states.” They’ve already been circulating petitions and collecting signatures in certain states, and have already submitted more than 1.5 million to get on the ballot in California. “California is by far the most difficult state to get on the ballot in, and we’ve accomplished that” said Ackerman, a Washington, D.C. native and decorated Marine combat veteran. “There’s a real desire and appeite for more voice, and more competition in our politics.”
Wisconsin is of many states in which nominating petitions can’t be circulated until 2012. “Wisconsin is also, fortunately, not a state that needs a high number of signatures,” explained Ackerman. “When we come to Wisconsin, we expect that we’ll see a similar appetite for less partisan interest and more inclusionary.” democracy. Ackerman said this will be the first time that ballot access will be gained in all fifty states for a candidate to be named in an open nominating process that any voter can participate in. The goal, he said, is to transcend party interests – which frequently correspond with special interests.
AUDIO: Elliott Ackerman (7:35)
