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Political reformers across America are paying close attention to key elections on November 6. But their focus is not on candidates or political parties. It’s about how Americans vote on ballot measures to unrig the system. Here are some highlights: Voters Not Politicians (Michigan) In Michigan, an anti-gerrymandering measure is on the ballot after Voters Not Politicians gathered more than 425,000 petition signatures with only volunteers within just 110 days. The measure creates an independen

Commissioners in several New Mexico counties have reportedly asked local clerks not to add the straight-ticket (straight-party) option that New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver ordered for the 2018 midterm elections. The rebuke of Toulouse Oliver's actions follows on the heels of a lawsuit challenging the legality of the decision -- which may make the commissioners' resolutions a mute point. Straight-ticket voting -- as the name implies -- allows voters to choose a party's enti

A lawsuit has been filed in response to New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver's sudden announcement that she plans to add a straight-ticket (or straight-party) option to the November ballot. The announcement comes as competitive third party and independent campaigns emerge in statewide and legislative races. "Virtually all political observers agree that straight ticket voting benefits the Democratic Party in New Mexico – of which the Secretary of State is a member, and for whom s

In a move that many believe will disenfranchise third party, independent, and even Republican candidates in the majority-Democratic state of New Mexico, the NM Secretary of State, Maggie Toulouse Oliver, announced Wednesday that she will include a "straight party" voting option for the 2018 general election ballot. Straight party, or "straight ticket" voting, which was discontinued in New Mexico in 2012 by then-Secretary of State Dianna Duran, is a ballot option that allows voters to simply pic

In a move characteristic of the fiercely independent Republican senator, Rand Paul of Kentucky crossed party lines Tuesday to endorse Gary Johnson, the Libertarian Party candidate for Senate in New Mexico, even though there is a Republican running in the race. Reason Magazine called Rand Paul's endorsement, "a surprising move that could have dramatic impact on third-party politics and Capitol Hill's balance of power." The Hill reports that Mick Rich, the Republican Senate candidate in New Mexi

San Diego, CA.- From the Oval Office, President Trump announced a new trade deal with Mexico. The deal was announced as a conference call with the President of Mexico, Enrique Peña Nieto. The deal is expected to be called the United States-Mexico Trade Agreement. Peña Nieto noted in the conference call, "We think this is something very positive for the U.S. and Mexico, we are celebrating the negotiating between our two countries. It's been a negotiation for quite a few months, to review, mode

 The 2012 and 2016 Libertarian Party presidential candidate and former Governor of New Mexico, Gary Johnson, announced Thursday that he will be joining the 2018 New Mexico U.S. Senate race on the Libertarian Party ticket. After the previous Libertarian nominee for the November Senate contest dropped out of the race a week ago, the Libertarian Party of New

The 2012 and 2016 Libertarian Party presidential candidate and former Governor of New Mexico, Gary Johnson, may step into his home state's 2018 Senate race, the Associate Press reports. The previous Libertarian nominee for the November Senate contest, State Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn, dropped out of the race last week, saying in a written statement to the Los Alamos Monitor, "After much contemplation with my family and supporters, I believe I need to focus on my job as Land Commissioner for

To have their voices heard and enact change, citizens are urged to use their vote. But how can America's population be truly represented when, in some states, it is nearly impossible for independent or minor party candidates to even appear on voters' ballots? What good is a "fair" vote when viable candidates are undermined by strict ballot access laws that favor the two major parties? Clearly, election reform at state and federal levels is desperately needed. Here are 8 of America's worst ballo

The independent and nonpartisan reform movements have never seen the momentum they are seeing today. Voters are ditching the Republican and Democratic Parties in droves. A record number of independent and third party candidates are running. And, powerful coalitions are forming to transform the US political system into one that is more representative of the diverse political landscape in America. We are witnessing history in the making. Here are the 15 biggest developments in the independent mov