We assumed no debt and we end this campaign with money in the bank. Once again, we ran like we intended to serve. We received contributions averaging less than $50 each from thousands and thousands of Democrats, Republicans and Independents in all 50 states.
We were not included in a single one of the 23 nationally televised GOP debates, and yet received 7% of the popular vote in a national poll conducted just a few weeks ago. My team was amazing and I thank you.
Roemer nearly won ballot access on the Americans Elect ticket, being the lead candidate in their online vote. But Roemer did not reach the minor party’s threshold, and they shut down a couple weeks ago. Wonder if he’ll make a run for it in 2016.
Americans Elect, a well-financed group that aimed to help a viable third party candidate enter this November’s presidential race, has announced it is ending its web-based push to break America’s two-party system.
The organisation, which was founded with millions of dollars from its initial wealthy backers, had little trouble in organising a push to get on the ballot across America. It managed to secure ballot access in 29 states and was on track in all the rest. But it failed to attract a big-name candidate to join it or generate enough popular support from ordinary Americans to fulfil its own requirements to accept a candidate. [more]
Americans Elect couldn’t elect anyone, despite funding and a spot on the ballot in most states. So now they’re gone. A shame, but not one without lessons.
“Over the past two years, Americans Elect has focused on achieving three clear goals: Gaining nationwide ballot access for a third presidential ticket to compete in the 2012 race. Holding the first ever non-partisan secure national online primary at AmericansElect.org. And fielding a credible, balanced, unaffiliated ticket for the 2012 presidential race. Through the efforts of thousands of staffers, volunteers, and leadership, Americans Elect has achieved every stated operational goal. Despite these efforts, as of today, no candidate has reached the national support threshold required to enter the ‘Americans Elect Online Convention’ this June.”
The one guy who got close, former Louisiana Gov. Buddy Roemer, had 6,000 votes. But he needed 10,000 — 1,000 each in ten states. For a national campaign based on the internet, 10,000 should be incredibly easy to get for someone with national name recognition like Roemer. But maybe not. If we may be so forward — it this perhaps because the general population is unfamiliar with Americans Elect? (Yes.)
If, during the last month of the campaign I discover I have no realistic chance of winning, I will ask my supporters to vote their conscience or their second choice so the issue of spoiler can be dropped once and for all.Presidential candidate Buddy Roemer • Pledging that, if he were to be in a losing battle for the presidency as the likely Americans Elect third-party candidate, he would drop out and ask his supporters to vote for someone else. Which is kind of a nice thing for him to do, considering the chances he’d screw up Obama’s re-election campaign are high — a Democrat-turned-Republican, Roemer’s just moderate enough that he might appeal to folks outside of the traditional Democrat-Republican prism. Like, for example, high-profile law-educator Lawrence Lessig, who suggests that even if he doesn’t spoil the election, “What he could spoil is the conspiracy of silence that now reigns about the corruption of this system. That’s the kind of spoiling this nation needs.” source (via • follow)
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