***Operation Write-In Ron Paul!! ***

[TwiLeXia]

TwiLeXia,

The write-in thing is hopeless unless RP agrees to cooperate (in my state of Connecticut for example) which I doubt he will do, given his recent letter. If you feel this strongly about it, perhaps a better approach is to create a non-RP affiliated "Draft Ron Paul Party" whose only purpose for existence is to put RP on the ballot in the 50 states. Heck, I'm surprised no one is trying to do that right now.

Why wouldn't he agree though? Is not his website ronpaul2008?

He has stated that he will fight until the very end. I think he is focused on the primaries right now, but when time comes, he probably would support a write-in effort. It's up to us grassroots to have one prepared for him when time comes.

If he truly does not want to run (should he lose the Republican primary), I wouldn't want to "draft" him... that is not my intention at all. I believe we should merely start planning out this write-in national movement as early as possible.

The only reason I so strongly think this is what we should do is simple: I truly want Dr. Paul to be our next president. I don't think anyone on this forum thinks differently. And if we want him to be president, considering that:

1. Republican primaries are over soon
2. Dr. Paul does not want to run 3rd party

The only way is to write him in. The Constitutional and Libertarian parties are great (arguably) but I don't see why people are giving up on Dr. Paul so easily and simply saying "well, Ron Paul's out, so now's time to support all these other freedom candidates!" So yes, I passionately feel that we should not give up on Dr. Paul.

 

[NeoRayden]

You are throwing away your vote twilexia if Ron Paul is not a registered write in candidate in your state.

They do not have to count votes for votes cast that do not have an offical candidate on them.

 

[TwiLeXia]

He should be registered then... would Dr. Paul not want that?

 

[donnay]

I did not see this thread so I started this one.

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=119293

 

[Xyrus2]

If I cannot vote for or write in Ron Paul, my vote will go libertarian. If there isn't a libertarian candidate, then I will vote democrat as a protest vote to the GOP.

Not voting is not counting. I would rather the GOP know my displeasure than sit at home and not be heard.

~X~

 

[Djentrify]

Uhh, I don't think write ins are really counted seeing as how its all done by machine now, why don't you guys just vote libertarian?

 

[donnay]

If I cannot vote for or write in Ron Paul, my vote will go libertarian. If there isn't a libertarian candidate, then I will vote democrat as a protest vote to the GOP.

Not voting is not counting. I would rather the GOP know my displeasure than sit at home and not be heard.

~X~

Not to discount your plan but voting for the other party (which in all reality is just the flip side of the same coin) does not help the cause to let the establishment know we will not go quietly into the night without a fight. I do not advocate abstaining--I am advocating an absentee ballot write-in for "Ron Paul" and carbon copy of it to go to our network and the original copy goes to the town clerks so we have a paper trail. I think it will send a clear resounding message to the GOP-- Defiant to the end.

Here is the plan: http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=119293

 

[IPSecure]

Explain: How is a rigged optical scanner, going to read the write-in votes?

 

[donnay]

Explain: How is a rigged optical scanner, going to read the write-in votes?

Because we can carbon copy our absentee ballots which will be sent registered mail to a network who will already have figures then, standing-by waiting for the results on election night. With the carbon copies we will have a paper trail--we can have people put their initials in the upper right hand corner of the ballots for better verification if need be.

 

[TwiLeXia]

Donnay I read your post and I like your idea. A lot of you are really being negative and that is fine, but the point is come September, starting a write-in then will be too late.


A lot of you think that supporting the Libertarian candidate is good if Dr. Paul isn't in the general election, but I want to convince why you should write him in instead:

1. If the "rigged" ballot machines do not recognize write-ins, who says they will recognize 3rd parties and independent runs?
2. If his/her name is not Ron Paul, is the Libertarian/Constitution party candidate honestly going to get even 1% of the vote? These people will have absolutely 0 name recognition.
3. By starting a national write-in movement, we will force the establishment to listen to us. Imagine if 50% or 70% of votes were write-in. That is the unifying power of Dr. Paul's message.

It will be historic. I know there are roadblocks, and the establishment is clearly against us. However by writing in Ron Paul and having a crazy amount of people do it will show the power of the people against the current Party system, and return politics to what it should be about: the candidate's ideas and voting record, rather than their party affiliation or their "electability."

 

[donnay]

Thanks...I think it can be done but we need some solidarity to make it work.

 

[Shera]

damon, I found this at http://tennessee.gov/sos/rules/1360/1360-02/1360-02-13.pdf

1360—2—13—.19 WRITE-IN PROCEDURE AND CHALLENGED AND REJECTED BALLOTS. Any
electronic voting system which has been certified as herein before provided which has the capability of allowing
write-in votes on the machine itself, such write-in feature shall be utilized for the purpose of allowing a voter to
write-in candidate(’s) name(s) and no paper ballots shall be furnished for such purpose. However, notwithstanding
the foregoing, any county election commission may, at the option of the local election commission, furnish paper
ballots for the purpose of allowing a voter to write-in candidate(’s) name(s) in lieu of allowing a voter to write-in
votes on the machine itself upon publication of notice of same pursuant to T.C.A. §2—1—110 not less than ninety
(90) days prior to the election in which paper ballots are to be used. The use of both paper ballots for write-in votes
and the machine write-in feature during the same election is strictly prohibited. In the event the write-in feature on
the machine is used and a voter is successfully challenged underT.C.A. §§ 2—7—124, 2—7—125 or 2—7—126
then he shall be allowed to vote on paper absentee ballot and such ballot shall be sealed and preserved as provided
by law. Each county election commission shall record the ballot stub numbers of absentee ballots which are
dispensed to each polling place for the purpose of challenged voters. Each county election commission shall
determine the actual number of such ballots to be dispensed to each precinct.

So you must be able to write in, but we need to be sure that we get Ron Paul's applications filled out, with all of the t's crossed and i's dotted, to be sure that our write in votes count!

 

[Shera]

Come on, you guys! We can NOT give up now! I have word in to my state's campaign chairperson, and will let you all know if and when she responds.

Yes, each state has different requirements to fulfill to ensure a write-in candidacy. We have come too far to give up now because we are too divided to come together & get this thing done! Don't let the hacks have been right.

Just to clarify, I think some people may be confused about the difference between "write in" and "mail in". Every precinct should have a procedure in place to accommodate a "write in" ballot - that is a ballot on which you opt not to vote for any of the candidates listed, but instead choose to write a name in. A "mail in" ballot (some places call them absentee ballots) is an entire ballot which the elections people mail to you, you fill in and mail back or drop off.

What donnay and TwiLeXia are suggesting is that we all request "mail in" (or absentee) ballots and "write in" Ron Paul in the Presidential race.

 

[TwiLeXia]

Come on, you guys! We can NOT give up now! I have word in to my state's campaign chairperson, and will let you all know if and when she responds.

Yes, each state has different requirements to fulfill to ensure a write-in candidacy. We have come too far to give up now because we are too divided to come together & get this thing done! Don't let the hacks have been right.

Just to clarify, I think some people may be confused about the difference between "write in" and "mail in". Every precinct should have a procedure in place to accommodate a "write in" ballot - that is a ballot on which you opt not to vote for any of the candidates listed, but instead choose to write a name in. A "mail in" ballot (some places call them absentee ballots) is an entire ballot which the elections people mail to you, you fill in and mail back or drop off.

What donnay and TwiLeXia are suggesting is that we all request "mail in" (or absentee) ballots and "write in" Ron Paul in the Presidential race.

You can write-in on absentee ballots too right? I'm guessing the whole point of absentee ballots is just so that you don't have to show up on voting day.

 

[donnay]

An absentee ballot will provide you with a paper trail when you copy it and send it registered to a central network.

 

[alaric]

this has been my point all along. If they fix the primaries, i write him in. I won't go away!

 

[alaric]

You can write-in on absentee ballots too right? I'm guessing the whole point of absentee ballots is just so that you don't have to show up on voting day.

no, the point of absentee is you have PROOF! No matter what crooked voting machine they use.