Does Cobb and the GP have automatic ballot access in swing states?

[fujiyama]

In which states does the Green Party have automatic ballot access? As I understrand it, Cobb advocates a "safe state" strategy, meaning he wants people to vote for him, if they live in a safe Kerry state, or a solid red state.

However, if he has the access in the swing states, will Cobb actually advocate not voting for him in those states? Will he fight for any ballot access in swing states?

After all, I think even Nader did make a comment stating that if someone is worried about giving the election to Bush, they should vote for Kerry.

Is the crucial difference between Cobb and Nader that Nader wants access to all swing states, while Cobb wants access only in "safe states"?

I myself would hope people will overwhelmingly vote for Kerry. After all, these other people have no chance of winning anyways. The last third party candidate to have even won the EVs of any state was whom? Was it Wallace in '68?

Not that I'm not glad that the GP rejected Nader (and Camejo's) irrational ego driven bid for the presidency. I would rather it be the case that far left voters in safe states have an alternative that has a chance of creating a movement (building the green party is a respectable goal) rather than voting for an ego driven fool. I also would hope that the GP has more integrity than Nader, who is accepting help from republicans and conservatives to get ballot access. I also hope that greens and dems can work together...and rejecting Camejo's calls to endorse Nader is in the step in the right direction. I heard that Camejo was even claiming that the stories in AZ regarding Nader's ballot access signature collecters associated with republicans were false, while there is even a picture of one of Nader's supporters in the state associating with republicans.

[eyesroll]

1. I believe the Greens have ballot access here in WI

but our presidential ballot is always about 20 people long, and all of them get some votes. I doubt anyone this time around in Wisconsin who votes for a Green, or votes for an independent Nader, really was ever a Kerry vote to begin with. If not Cobb or Nader, then one of the myriad other third-party or independent candidates, or nobody. (That's something we do forget.)

[zorkpolitics]

2. Greens are on 23 state ballots

According to the May Ballot access news, the Greens are currently on 23 state ballots, and the Libertarians 27, that will increase for both as signatures are gathered over the next 2 months.

The Greens will be on the ballot in many swing states, but Cobb will only be campaigning actively in the 40 safe states, however he defines that. Thus the impact on Kerry is likely to be less than Nader was in 2000 to Gore (exit polls suggest Gore would have gotten about a net 20-30% of the Nader vote).

[IndianaGreen]

3. What's the point you are trying to make here?

Are you advocating a monopoly? What if we were to tell consumers that the only choices they have is between Coke and Pepsi?

Stop obsessing about the Greens or Nader! If you really want to worry about something, worry about how the ballots are going to get counted, and by whom. Diebold may determine who wins in November.

Real democracy demands a multi-party system. The American Electoral College, the winner-take-all election system, and the monopoly of the two corporate parties are an impediment to democracy, and a threat to our freedoms.