Independent Texans - Goals

Goals

The Independent Texans' goals include: (Details can be found at http://indytexans.org/politicallreform.)

  1. State-wide Initiative, Referendum and Recall, giving voters the right to petition to place issues on the ballot for a vote of the people and to recall elected officials. These reforms are enjoyed in 24 other states, but not in Texas at the state-wide or county-wide level. Texans do have this right at the municipal level.
  2. Redistricting reform through a non-partisan independent citizen’s commission. The states of Arizona and Iowa enjoy different forms of non-partisan redistricting and many states are moving towards this goal.
  3. Fair ballot access for independent candidates and parties. Texas is one of the most difficult states in the country for state-wide ballot access for third parties and independent candidates. This garnered massive media coverage during the raucous 2006 Gubernatorial race where two independents were running (former Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn and Kinky Friedman).
  4. Verifiable elections, particularly with electronic voting. There is a growing consensus that all states need to return to the paper ballot.
  5. Fair and open debates where candidates from other than the Republican and Democratic Parties will participate in debates.
  6. Instant Runoff Voting or Approval Voting to eliminate the so-called "spoiler factor" of independent candidacies.
  7. Allow citizens to register and vote on Election Day, aka "same day voter registration".
  8. Term Limits for elected officials.

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